When there are several judgment creditors, the creditor having the senior judgment shall have the preference to redeem during the first 2 days after the commencement of the period in which judgment creditors may redeem, and the other creditors shall respectively have preference to redeem during a like time, in the order of seniority of their several judgments; but where 2 or more judgments bear equal date, the creditor first paying the redemption money shall have preference.
12-136.Preference in redemptions.
Article XII. Judgments - Enforcement · Part 1. In General · Not amended since adoption on record · Last verified July 20, 2026
In one sentenceWhen several judgment creditors seek to redeem the same property, Section 12-136 gives the senior judgment holder priority for the first two days of the redemption period, followed by each junior creditor in order of seniority for two-day windows apiece, with ties broken by whoever pays first.
Full Text of 735 ILCS 5/12-136
Plain-English Summary
Section 12-136 sorts out who goes first when more than one judgment creditor wants to redeem the same property. The creditor holding the senior judgment gets the first two days after the redemption period begins to exercise that right.
After those two days, the next most senior creditor gets a like two-day window, and so on down the line of seniority. If two or more judgments happen to bear the same date, the creditor who pays the redemption money first wins the priority, rather than any ranking by seniority.
This section only orders priority among competing creditors during whatever redemption period applies; it doesn't itself set the length of that period or say who ultimately may redeem, which are questions the surrounding sections answer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who gets first priority to redeem among several judgment creditors?
The creditor holding the senior judgment.
How long is each creditor's priority window?
2 days.
What happens after the senior creditor's 2 days pass?
The next creditor in order of seniority gets a like 2-day period, and so on through the remaining creditors.
How are ties between judgments of equal date resolved?
The creditor who first pays the redemption money gets the preference.
Does Section 12-136 set the overall length of the redemption period?
No, it only orders priority among competing creditors during the redemption period established elsewhere.
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: priority among judgment creditors redemption illinoissenior judgment redemption illinoisorder of redemption illinois creditors