Civil Division
Forms

Daily, more than one hundred cases are filed at the Civil Division, in the basement of the Sangamon County Building. The largest volume of filings are either Small Claims or Law Magistrate cases and are assigned numbers as SC (Small Claims) or LM (Law Magistrate) cases.  SC cases are suits filed for money not in excess of $10,000.00, excluding interest and costs.  LM cases are similar to SC cases, except that the money is greater than $10,000.00 but less than $50,000.00. The complainant will complete necessary forms and documents and in both SC and LM cases and this office will file the complaint and have summonses issued. The party issued the summons must arrange for service. The Circuit Clerk does not serve a summons. Private process servers or the Sangamon County Sheriff serve summonses.

Once civil matters are filed in the Circuit Clerk’s office, Civil Division clerks determine the case types into which cases fall and often issue summonses that enable the judicial process to begin. Visitors need to understand that these skilled clerks are NOT attorneys and are PROHIBITED by law from providing any legal advice.

The Civil Division handles all civil matters pertaining to these case types:

            Chancery (CH)

Chancery case numbers are assigned to complaints for equitable relief in such matters as foreclosures, trusts, and titles to real property. These cases may be:

                                    Foreclosure

Injunction

Temporary Restraining Order

            Law (L)

Law case numbers are assigned to tort, contract and a variety of other cases in which damages sought are greater than $50,000. These cases may be:

                                    Personal Injury

Wrongful Death

Negligence

Contract & Suit on Note filed for over $50,000.00.

            Law Magistrate (LM)

Law Magistrate case numbers are assigned to tort, contract and a variety of other actions in which damages sought are $50,000 or less. Typical cases are:

                                    Contract, money damages greater than $10,000 and
                                     less than $50,000

                                    Forcible Entry and Detainer

                Miscellaneous Remedy (MR)

Miscellaneous Remedy case numbers are assigned to complaints seeking reviews of administrative decisions (other than tax commissions) and a variety of other actions that may include:

                                    Administrative Review

Declaratory Judgment

Habeas Corpus

Mandamus

            Probate (P)

Probate case numbers are assigned to estates of decedents and to guardianship matters. These cases may include:

                                    Guardianship

                                   Wills (Living Wills are not accepted)

Disabled Adult

Intestate

Testate

            Small Claims (SC)

Small Claims numbers are assigned to civil actions with money damages claimed are not in excess of $10,000. Small Claims rules designed to enable individuals to collect debts, or settle small legal controversies, while avoiding the expense and legal proceedings required by a more substantial claim.

            Tax (TX)

Tax case numbers are assigned to annual tax sales and a variety of other actions that relate to the collection of taxes.

                                    Tax Objections

Tax Decision Reviews

Deeds

Injunctions

 

Civil Division Fax number 217 747-5107

 

Small Claims Manual English

Versión Espanola

Forms