No judgment shall bind the goods and chattels of the person against whom it is entered, until a certified copy thereof is delivered to the sheriff or other proper officer to be served; and for the better manifestation of the time, the sheriff or other officer shall, on receipt of such certified copy, indorse upon the back thereof the day of the month and year and hour when he or she received the same.
12-111.When binding on personalty.
Article XII. Judgments - Enforcement · Part 1. In General · Not amended since adoption on record · Last verified July 20, 2026
In one sentenceA judgment doesn't bind a debtor's goods and chattels until a certified copy of it reaches the sheriff or other officer, who must mark the exact day, month, year, and hour it was received.
Full Text of 735 ILCS 5/12-111
Plain-English Summary
Entering a judgment doesn't, by itself, reach the debtor's personal property. This section fixes the moment that happens: delivery of a certified copy to the sheriff or other proper officer for service. To pin that moment down precisely, the officer must endorse the back of the certified copy with the day, month, year, and hour it was received.
That endorsement matters because it fixes priority. Where more than one claim reaches the same goods, the recorded time of delivery is what settles the order.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does a judgment attach to someone's personal property in Illinois?
When a certified copy of the judgment is delivered to the sheriff or other proper officer for service.
Why does the officer have to note the exact hour the certified copy was received?
To fix the precise time of delivery, which settles priority among competing claims to the same goods.
Does entering the judgment alone bind the debtor's goods and chattels?
No, delivery of a certified copy to the officer is required before the judgment binds the debtor's personal property.
Who is responsible for endorsing the date and time received?
The sheriff or other officer who receives the certified copy.
How does this timing rule differ from the real estate lien rule in Section 12-101?
Section 12-101 requires recording with the county recorder to create a real estate lien; this section instead requires delivery to the enforcing officer to bind personal property.
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
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