With respect to any sale made in open court, wherever provisions are made in Part 1 of Article XII of this Act for any payment of money to or deposit of any receipt or other document with the officer who made the sale or who sold the real estate, such payment shall be made to or deposit made with the sheriff of the county in which the sale is held.
12-120.Deposit of money - Receipt of other document.
Article XII. Judgments - Enforcement · Part 1. In General · Not amended since adoption on record · Last verified July 20, 2026
In one sentenceFor sales held in open court, any money payment or document deposit tied to a real estate sale under Part 1 of Article XII goes to the sheriff of the county where the sale takes place.
Full Text of 735 ILCS 5/12-120
Plain-English Summary
This section is a narrow administrative rule for sales made in open court. Wherever Part 1 of Article XII calls for a payment of money to, or a deposit of a receipt or other document with, the officer who conducted the sale, that payment or deposit is instead made to or with the sheriff of the county where the sale is held.
The rule gives an open-court sale a single point of contact for handling funds and paperwork, rather than leaving the payment or deposit obligation with whichever officer happened to conduct that particular sale.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who collects payment for a real estate sale held in open court under this Article?
The sheriff of the county in which the sale is held.
Does this rule apply to every sale conducted under Part 1 of Article XII?
It applies specifically to sales made in open court, directing payments and document deposits to that county's sheriff.
What if a receipt or other document needs to be deposited rather than money?
It's deposited with the same sheriff of the county where the sale is held.
Why route these deposits through the sheriff?
To give open-court sales a single, consistent official custodian for funds and documents rather than the selling officer generally.
Does this section change who conducts the sale itself?
No, it addresses only where payment or documents get deposited, not who runs the sale.
Amendment History
(Source: P.A. 83-707.)
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: where to deposit judgment sale proceeds illinoisopen court real estate sale illinois proceduresheriff deposit sale funds illinoisopen court judgment sale payment illinois