To file a civil lawsuit, you must complete a Complaint form, a Summons form as well as a Civil Division Action Cover Sheet. These forms are available in the Civil Division of the Office of the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County (Clerk’s Office) in Room 601 of the Richard J. Daley Center, 50 West Washington St., Chicago, IL, 60602 or at https://services.cookcountyclerkofcourt.org/Forms/.
Also, you will have to serve the defendant either through the Sheriff’s Office or by Certified Mail. You may serve by Certified Mail if your claim does not exceed $10,000, and the defendant is in the state of Illinois (check the box for Certified Mail on the summons). You may refer to “How do I serve the Defendant?” below for information on serving the defendant.
NOTE: Eviction/Joint Action cases cannot be served by Certified Mail.
Yes, you will be required to pay the Clerk’s Office a nominal fee to serve by Certified Mail.
NOTE: You may only choose to serve by Certified Mail if your case is under $10,000, and the defendant is in the state of Illinois. Certified Mail fees are subject to be changed by the U.S. Postal Service.