United States · Illinois civil procedure
What response language must an ordinary Illinois civil summons contain?
In the cases governed by Rule 101(d), the summons must require the defendant to answer or otherwise appear within thirty days after service, excluding the service day. This is a summons-content requirement. Establish the applicable summons form and valid service, then use Rule 181(a) for the defendant’s actual response calculation.
- Period
- Required thirty-day response language; no separate issuer filing period
- Trigger
- Selection and issuance of the applicable summons form, followed by independently established service
- Rule
- Illinois Supreme Court Rule 101(d)
Current official individual rules, including Rule 9 amended May 29, 2026 and Rule 13 effective January 1, 2026
Source guide · No automated date
Establish the complete Illinois appearance and pleading procedure
This question concerns required summons content, not an independent fixed filing deadline. The actual defendant-response calculation is reviewed separately under Rule 181(a).
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What starts this Illinois civil period?
Identify the actual case classification before selecting the summons form.
Read the issued summons and check the required answer or appearance language.
Establish valid service separately before using the Rule 181(a) defendant-response calculator.
Illinois Supreme Court Rule 101(d)How is this Illinois civil period counted?
- Identify the actual case classification before selecting the summons form.
- This form-content requirement does not create an independent filing countdown for the issuer. The defendant’s applicable thirty-day response uses Rule 181(a) and its actual service event.
- Check statutory holidays and the proper court’s actual calendar.
- Complete the particular act in the proper court.
Section 1.11 excludes a final Saturday, Sunday or statutory holiday and consecutive excluded days. Section 17(a) of the Promissory Note and Bank Holiday Act includes Pulaski Day, Good Friday and the general election for members of the House of Representatives. Check proclamations, the proper court’s actual calendar and clerk access separately. The bundled Illinois calendar covers 2026 and 2027.
5 ILCS 70/1.11Why does this procedure need separate review?
This question concerns required summons content, not an independent fixed filing deadline. The actual defendant-response calculation is reviewed separately under Rule 181(a).
Which qualifications and court directions matter?
- Specified-day summonses have other requirements
- Rule 101(b) prescribes specified-day forms for its stated categories, including money and eviction proceedings. Do not replace the date on such a summons with the ordinary Rule 101(d) language.
- The actual response follows Rule 181
- Rule 181(a) establishes delivery of the summons copy as the ordinary thirty-day response event and distinguishes a timely motion from another appearance. Rule 181(b) addresses specified-day summonses.
- Issuer duties and defendant duties differ
- The summons must contain the required notice. Its thirty-day wording does not set an additional fixed deadline for the party issuing the summons.
- The calculator does not decide the applicable civil procedure, disputed facts, sufficiency of a filing or whether the court grants relief.
- Check the governing edition and actual orders. A current rule does not establish every historical case’s timetable.
What must be filed, served and preserved?
Questions about this Illinois civil act
What response language must an ordinary Illinois civil summons contain?
Does the issuer have thirty days after service to file this form?
Rule 101(d) requires response language in the summons. It does not prescribe that separate issuer filing countdown.
Illinois Supreme Court Rule 101(d)Where do I calculate the defendant’s response?
Use the ordinary thirty-day response question under Rule 181(a), after independently establishing the proper summons and valid service event.
Illinois Supreme Court Rule 181(a)Do all Illinois summonses use the ordinary form?
No. Rule 101 has specified-day and other forms. Establish the governing category from the actual case and summons.
Illinois Supreme Court Rule 101(b)–(d)Official sources and review
Provisions used (9)
| Provision | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Illinois Supreme Court Rule 101(d) | The actual actor, event and specific procedural period |
| Illinois Supreme Court Rule 101(b), (d) | Specified-day summonses have other requirements |
| Illinois Supreme Court Rule 181(a)–(b) | The actual response follows Rule 181 |
| Illinois Supreme Court Rule 101(d) | Issuer duties and defendant duties differ |
| 5 ILCS 70/1.11 | First-day exclusion and final weekend or statutory holiday |
| 205 ILCS 630/17 | Statutory holidays, including Pulaski Day, Good Friday and general election day |
| Illinois Supreme Court Rule 9(f) | Applicable filing, service, proof and effective-date requirements |
| Illinois Supreme Court Rule 11 | Applicable filing, service, proof and effective-date requirements |
| Illinois Supreme Court Rule 12 | Applicable filing, service, proof and effective-date requirements |