(a) If the judgment debtor shows the circuit court that an appeal from the foreign judgment is pending or will be taken, or that a stay of execution has been granted, the court shall stay enforcement of the foreign judgment until the appeal is concluded, the time for appeal expires, or the stay of execution expires or is vacated, upon proof that the judgment debtor has furnished the security for the satisfaction of the judgment required by the state in which it was rendered.
12-654.Stay.
Article XII. Judgments - Enforcement · Part 6. Foreign Judgments and Foreign-Money Claims · Last amended 2016 · Last verified July 20, 2026
In one sentenceRequires the circuit court to stay enforcement of a filed foreign judgment while an appeal is pending or a stay was granted elsewhere, on proof of required security, and lets it grant an Illinois-style stay on any ground available against an Illinois judgment.
Full Text of 735 ILCS 5/12-654
(b) If the judgment debtor shows the circuit court any ground upon which enforcement of a judgment of any circuit court for any county of this State would be stayed, the court shall stay enforcement of the foreign judgment for an appropriate period, upon requiring the same security for satisfaction of the judgment which is required in this State.
Plain-English Summary
Subsection (a) protects a debtor who is appealing the judgment in the state where it was rendered, or who already secured a stay of execution there. If the debtor shows the appeal is pending or will be taken, or that a stay of execution has been granted, and proves it furnished the security the rendering state required, the circuit court must stay enforcement here until the appeal concludes, the appeal period runs out, or the other stay expires or is vacated.
Subsection (b) supplies an independent path: if the debtor shows any ground on which an Illinois court would stay enforcement of its own judgment, the court must stay enforcement of the foreign judgment for an appropriate period, on the same security an Illinois judgment debtor would have to post.
Together the two subsections mean a debtor gets the benefit of both the rendering state's stay protections and Illinois's own, rather than being limited to whichever offers less protection.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a debtor get enforcement paused while an appeal is pending in the state that entered the judgment?
Yes, if the debtor shows the appeal is pending or will be taken, or that a stay of execution was granted there, and proves it posted the required security.
What must the debtor show to get a stay under subsection (a)?
Proof of the pending or intended appeal, or the granted stay of execution, plus proof that the debtor furnished the security the rendering state required for satisfaction of the judgment.
Can a debtor also seek a stay on grounds available under Illinois law?
Yes. Subsection (b) lets the debtor obtain a stay on any ground that would support staying an Illinois circuit court judgment, on the same security Illinois would require.
What security must the debtor post to get a stay?
Under subsection (a), the security required by the state that rendered the judgment; under subsection (b), the same security Illinois requires for a stay of its own judgments.
Is a stay automatic just because an appeal was filed elsewhere?
No. The debtor must make the required showing and prove the necessary security was furnished before the court is required to stay enforcement.
Amendment History
(Source: P.A. 99-642, eff. 7-28-16.)
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: staying enforcement of a foreign judgment in Illinoisappeal bond for a sister state judgment Illinoisstay pending appeal registered judgmentsecurity to stay a registered sister state judgment