It shall be sufficient for the defendant, in all cases of replevin for distress taken for rent, to allege generally without particularly setting forth the tenure or title to the lands whereon such distress was taken.
19-121.Distress for rent.
Article XIX. Replevin · Not amended since adoption on record · Last verified July 20, 2026
In one sentenceIn replevin cases involving distress for rent, the defendant need only allege the tenure or title to the land in general terms, without spelling out the particulars.
Full Text of 735 ILCS 5/19-121
Plain-English Summary
Section 19-121 provides a pleading shortcut for a specific type of replevin case: one where the property was taken by distress for rent, meaning seized to satisfy an unpaid rent obligation tied to particular land.
Ordinarily a defendant justifying the taking might need to plead the exact tenure or title connecting the land to the rent claim in detail. This section relieves the defendant of that burden, permitting a general allegation instead.
The result is a simplified defense in distress-for-rent replevin cases, letting the defendant justify the seizure without a detailed recitation of the underlying landlord-tenant title chain.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is distress for rent in the replevin context?
It refers to property seized to satisfy an unpaid rent obligation connected to particular land, one of the situations that can give rise to a replevin action.
Does a defendant have to describe the exact title to the land in detail?
No. Section 19-121 allows the defendant to allege the tenure or title generally, without particularly setting it out.
Why does this section simplify pleading for distress cases?
It spares the defendant from reciting the full particulars of the tenure or title connecting the land to the rent claim, streamlining the defense in this specific category of replevin case.
Does this general allegation rule apply to all replevin defenses?
No. It applies specifically to cases of replevin for distress taken for rent, not to replevin defenses generally.
Who benefits from the general pleading rule in this section?
The defendant in a distress-for-rent replevin case, who is allowed to plead tenure or title in general rather than detailed terms.
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: distress for rent replevin illinoislandlord tenant replevin pleadinggeneral allegation tenure title replevinpleading title in distress case illinois