When it appears by the return of the officer that any defendant or the property described in the order or any part thereof, is not found, additional certified copies directing the officer to summon such defendant and to take the property from the possession of the defendant and deliver the same to the plaintiff, may be issued by the clerk of court on the request of the plaintiff until such defendant is served or until such property is taken.
19-111.Additional copies of order.
Article XIX. Replevin · Not amended since adoption on record · Last verified July 20, 2026
In one sentenceWhen a defendant or property described in a replevin order was not found on the officer's return, the clerk may issue further certified copies at the plaintiff's request, directing that the defendant be summoned and the property taken, until service is achieved or the property is seized.
Full Text of 735 ILCS 5/19-111
Plain-English Summary
Section 19-111 addresses the case where the first attempt at service comes up short, whether because the defendant could not be found or because some or all of the property was not located. The officer's return reflects that failure, and Section 19-111 gives the plaintiff a way to keep trying.
Instead of starting over, the plaintiff can ask the clerk of court to issue additional certified copies directing an officer to summon the defendant and take the property from wherever the defendant is later found in possession of it.
The clerk may keep issuing these copies until the defendant is finally served or the property is finally taken, so the mechanism does not have a fixed number of attempts; it runs until one of those two things happens.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens if the sheriff cannot find the defendant or the property?
The officer's return reflects that, and under Section 19-111 the clerk may issue additional certified copies of the order directing another attempt to summon the defendant and take the property.
How many additional copies of the order can be issued?
As many as needed, at the plaintiff's request, until the defendant is served or the property is taken.
Who requests these additional certified copies?
The plaintiff requests them from the clerk of court.
Does this section apply if only part of the property was found?
Yes. It applies where the property described in the order, or any part of it, was not found, allowing continued efforts as to whatever remains outstanding.
How does this section differ from Section 19-110?
Section 19-110 addresses issuing extra copies for property spread across several counties in the first instance, while Section 19-111 addresses re-issuing copies after an unsuccessful attempt at service or seizure.
Amendment History
(Source: P.A. 82-280.)
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: defendant not found replevin illinoisproperty not found replevin orderrepeat service attempts replevinadditional copies of replevin orderreissuing replevin order illinois