This Act shall be so interpreted and construed as to effectuate its general purpose to make uniform the law of those states which enact it.
12-657.Uniformity of Interpretation.
Article XII. Judgments - Enforcement · Part 6. Foreign Judgments and Foreign-Money Claims · Not amended since adoption on record · Last verified July 20, 2026
In one sentenceDirects Illinois courts to interpret this Act with the aim of keeping its meaning consistent with the other states that adopted the same uniform law.
Full Text of 735 ILCS 5/12-657
Plain-English Summary
This closing section matches the interpretive directive found in many uniform acts: courts are to interpret and construe the Act to carry out its purpose of making the law uniform among the states enacting it.
For a registration statute that depends on cooperation across state lines, that consistency matters in practice, since a creditor or debtor may be dealing with courts and clerks in more than one state applying the same underlying scheme.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does this Act tell Illinois courts to weigh other states' interpretations?
Because it is a uniform law adopted with similar text across many states, and consistent interpretation supports the predictability the Act is meant to provide for enforcing sister-state and federal judgments.
Is this section a binding rule, or a guide to interpretation?
It is an interpretive directive, shaping how courts read ambiguous provisions rather than dictating a specific result.
Does this affect how the Act's registration procedure gets applied?
It can, when a provision's meaning is unsettled and other states' treatment of the same uniform text offers guidance.
Does this override Illinois case law already interpreting the Act?
No. It supplements the interpretive approach Illinois courts take; it doesn't discard existing precedent.
Which sections does this uniformity directive apply to?
The whole Uniform Enforcement of Foreign Judgments Act, Sections 12-650 through 12-657.
Amendment History
(Source: P.A. 87-358; 87-895.)
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: Uniform Enforcement of Foreign Judgments Act interpretation Illinoisuniformity clause sister state judgment acthow courts construe the foreign judgments actconsistency among states registering judgments