(a) When the premises mentioned in the certificate are not redeemed in pursuance of law, the legal holder of the certificate shall promptly make a report to the court that issued the underlying judgment. The report shall include a copy of the certificate of sale; an affidavit, under oath, containing a good faith appraisal of the fair market value of the property; and a listing of all liens and mortgages including the value thereof.
12-144.5.Report of sale and confirmation of sale.
Article XII. Judgments - Enforcement · Part 1. In General · Last amended 2001 · Last verified July 20, 2026
In one sentenceSection 12-144.5 requires the certificate holder to report an unredeemed sale to the issuing court with a fair-market-value appraisal and lien listing, and requires the court to hold a confirmation hearing and reject the sale only for defective notice, unconscionable terms, fraud, or other injustice.
Full Text of 735 ILCS 5/12-144.5
(b) Upon motion and notice in accordance with court rules applicable to motions generally, including notice to the judgment debtor, the court issuing the underlying judgment shall conduct a hearing to confirm the sale. Unless the court finds that (i) notice as required by law was not given, (ii) the terms of the sale were unconscionable, (iii) the sale was conducted fraudulently, or (iv) justice was otherwise not done, the court shall then enter an order confirming the sale. In making these findings, the court shall take into account the purchase price at the sale in relation to the fair market value of the property less the value of any mortgages and liens.
Plain-English Summary
Before a purchaser at a judgment sale can move toward a deed, this section inserts a court check on the sale itself. If the premises aren't redeemed, subsection (a) requires the legal holder of the certificate to report the sale to the court that issued the underlying judgment, attaching a copy of the certificate, an affidavit under oath giving a good-faith appraisal of the property's fair market value, and a listing of all liens and mortgages and their value.
Subsection (b) then requires a hearing, held on motion and notice under the court's usual rules for motions, with notice going to the judgment debtor. The court must confirm the sale unless it finds that required notice wasn't given, the sale's terms were unconscionable, the sale was conducted fraudulently, or justice was otherwise not done. In making that call, the court weighs the purchase price against the property's fair market value, less the value of any liens and mortgages.
Section 12-145 then makes this confirmation order a precondition to the certificate holder's right to take a deed, so the two sections work as a sequence: report and hearing first, deed only after confirmation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What must the certificate holder file when the premises aren't redeemed?
A report with a copy of the certificate of sale, an affidavit giving a good-faith appraisal of the property's fair market value, and a listing of all liens and mortgages and their value.
Who reviews that report?
The court that issued the underlying judgment, after motion and notice, including notice to the judgment debtor.
On what grounds can the court refuse to confirm the sale?
That required notice wasn't given, the sale's terms were unconscionable, the sale was conducted fraudulently, or justice was otherwise not done.
What does the court weigh in deciding whether to confirm?
The purchase price at the sale against the property's fair market value, less the value of any mortgages and liens.
What happens if the court finds none of those problems?
The court enters an order confirming the sale.
Amendment History
(Source: P.A. 91-924, eff. 1-1-01.)
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: confirmation of judgment sale illinoisreport of sale illinois judgmentunconscionable judicial sale illinoisfair market value judgment sale illinois