Illinois — Cook, Will, Lake, DuPage County
Someone is in your property who shouldn't be there?
You have legal rights. Here's exactly what to do.
Illinois treats this as a civil eviction matter — not criminal trespass — even when the person never had a lease. The process works. You're on step 1.
One-time fee, $79–$249. No subscription. Save your progress and come back.
First: the police probably can't remove them.
Most Illinois landlords call the police first. The police will usually tell you the same thing: this is a civil matter and you need to go through eviction court. That answer is correct in almost every case where the person was once given any kind of permission to be there — even a verbal "you can stay a few nights".
The legal name for this in Illinois is a forcible entry and detainer action. Nobody calls it that out loud. You file it in the circuit court for your county.
Self-help removal — changing the locks, shutting off utilities, removing their belongings — is illegal in Illinois even when the person has no lease. That's why this process exists.
The Illinois process is three steps. You're on step 1.
- 1
Document and serve a notice
Illinois requires a written notice before you can file in court. The type of notice depends on the situation — and how you deliver it matters more than most landlords realize. In Cook County, certified mail is regularly rejected by judges. Personal service is the safe path.
- 2
File the eviction in your county circuit court
After the notice period expires without resolution, you file an eviction complaint. The court issues a summons. The case goes on a docket.
- 3
Court date — judgment — order to remove
Most cases without representation are won or lost on documentation: dates, notices, communications, photos. The order to remove is enforced by the sheriff, not by you.
What ClearHouseHQ does for you in step 1
Organizes your evidence
Photos, messages, payment history, timeline of events — into one bundle the court can read.
Flags Illinois-specific service mistakes
Including the Cook County personal-service requirement that defeats most pro-se eviction cases before they start.
Builds an attorney-ready bundle
If you hire a lawyer, they get a clean file in 5 minutes instead of 5 hours of discovery. That's less retainer.
What we don't do
We don't represent you in court. We don't give legal advice. We're a documentation platform — not a law firm.
Every week you wait is another week without resolution.
You can finish step 1 tonight. Save your progress and come back tomorrow if you need to. We don't need a credit card to start.
Start your record — 8 minutesIllinois only — Cook, Will, Lake, DuPage County. One-time fee, $79–$249.