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Eviction Answer, Defenses, and Counterclaims

Illinois · Illinois Supreme Court · Effective May 1, 2025

This form is used by a tenant or occupant to formally respond to an Eviction Complaint filed by a landlord. It allows the person responding to deny the landlord's claims, state reasons why the landlord should not win even if the complaint is true, and bring up counterclaims.

Open the official PDFfrom Illinois Supreme Court

Where this fits in a case

Respond

Stage: Respond

This form is used when a landlord has filed an Eviction Complaint against a tenant or occupant in Circuit Court. The person filling it out uses it to formally answer the allegations made by the landlord.

Usually filed by the person responding.

Official instructions

How-to guides published by the court for this form.

Common questions

Do I have to file this form?
You do not have to file this form unless a judge orders you to, or if you choose to file it even if you were not ordered to.
What is an affirmative defense?
An affirmative defense is a reason why the landlord should not win the case, even if everything the landlord said in the complaint is true.
What information do I need to include?
You must include the case number given by the Circuit Clerk, and you can list specific problems with the property or defenses you want to claim.

Revision history

No changes recorded since we started tracking this form on October 9, 2026. The current version took effect May 1, 2025.

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