Whoever, either directly or indirectly, assigns or transfers any claim for a debt against a citizen of Illinois, for the purpose of having the same collected by proceedings in attachment, garnishment, or other process, out of the wages or personal earnings of the debtor, in courts outside of the State of Illinois, when the creditor, debtor, person or corporation owing the money intended to be reached by the proceedings in attachment are each and all within the jurisdiction of the courts of the State of Illinois, is guilty of a petty offense.
12-1102.Assignment or transfer of claim.
Article XII. Judgments - Enforcement · Part 11. Garnishment in Violation of Exemption · Not amended since adoption on record · Last verified July 20, 2026
In one sentenceMakes it a petty offense to assign or transfer a debt claim against an Illinois resident so it can be collected from wages through out-of-state courts when everyone involved is within Illinois's jurisdiction.
Full Text of 735 ILCS 5/12-1102
Plain-English Summary
This section is a companion to the offense of sending a claim out of state, aimed at a related maneuver: assigning or transferring the claim itself. Whoever assigns or transfers, directly or indirectly, a claim for a debt against an Illinois citizen, for the purpose of having it collected out of the debtor's wages or earnings through attachment, garnishment, or other process in courts outside Illinois, commits a petty offense, when the creditor, debtor, and the person or corporation owing the money are all within Illinois's jurisdiction.
Together with the preceding section, it closes off both routes — sending the claim and assigning it — that a creditor might use to reach an Illinois resident's wages through an out-of-state court instead of Illinois's own exemption rules.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does this section differ from the offense of sending a claim out of state?
This section covers assigning or transferring the claim itself, rather than sending it out of state for collection.
What is this section trying to protect?
An Illinois debtor's wages or earnings from out-of-state collection meant to evade Illinois's exemption laws.
Does it matter whether the assignment happens directly or through an intermediary?
No. The section covers a claim assigned or transferred either directly or indirectly.
What's the classification of this offense?
A petty offense.
What jurisdictional condition must be met for this offense to apply?
The creditor, debtor, and the person or corporation owing the money must all be within Illinois's jurisdiction.
Amendment History
(Source: P.A. 82-280.)
Source & verification. Section text and amendment history are
reproduced verbatim from the Illinois Compiled Statutes, published by the
Illinois Compiled Statutes, Illinois General Assembly / Legislative Reference Bureau. Last verified July 20, 2026.
· Official source
Also known as: illinois assignment of debt claim offensetransferring a wage claim out of state illinoispetty offense assigning debt claim illinoiscollecting illinois debt through out of state court illinois