(a) Every answer and subsequent pleading shall contain an explicit admission or denial of each allegation of the pleading to which it relates.
2-610.Pleadings to be specific.
Article II. Civil Practice · Part 6. Pleading · Not amended since adoption on record · Last verified July 20, 2026
In one sentenceEvery answer must explicitly admit or deny each allegation, and any allegation not squarely denied -- other than a claim about the amount of damages -- is treated as admitted.
Full Text of 735 ILCS 5/2-610
(b) Every allegation, except allegations of damages, not explicitly denied is admitted, unless the party states in his or her pleading that he or she has no knowledge thereof sufficient to form a belief, and attaches an affidavit of the truth of the statement of want of knowledge, or unless the party has had no opportunity to deny.
(c) Denials must not be evasive, but must fairly answer the substance of the allegation denied.
(d) If a party wishes to raise an issue as to the amount of damages only, he or she may do so by stating in his or her pleading that he or she desires to contest only the amount of the damages.
Plain-English Summary
Section 2-610 sets the ground rules for responding to a pleading, and its default rule has real teeth. Subsection (a) requires an explicit admission or denial of each allegation. Subsection (b) then says that any allegation not explicitly denied is admitted -- with two ways out: the party can plead a lack of knowledge sufficient to form a belief, backed by an affidavit swearing to that lack of knowledge, or show it had no opportunity to deny. Damages allegations are carved out of this admission-by-silence rule entirely.
Subsection (c) polices how a denial is worded: it can't be evasive, and it must squarely answer the substance of what's being denied. A denial that dances around the allegation instead of meeting it head-on doesn't satisfy the section.
Subsection (d) gives a party a narrower option when only the damages figure is in dispute: a pleading can state that the party wishes to contest only the amount of damages, without having to engage every other allegation in the same pleading.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens if a party doesn't explicitly deny an allegation?
Under subsection (b), it's treated as admitted -- unless the party pleads a lack of knowledge sufficient to form a belief and backs that up with an affidavit, or shows it had no chance to deny it.
Are damages allegations subject to the same admission-by-silence rule?
No. Subsection (b) exempts allegations of damages from that rule specifically.
Can a party deny an allegation in vague or evasive terms?
No. Subsection (c) requires denials to be non-evasive and to squarely answer the substance of what's alleged.
How does a party deny knowledge of an allegation instead of admitting or denying it outright?
By stating in the pleading that the party lacks knowledge sufficient to form a belief about the allegation, and attaching an affidavit swearing to that lack of knowledge.
Can a party contest only the amount of damages without addressing every allegation?
Yes. Subsection (d) lets a party state that it wishes to contest only the amount of damages, narrowing what the pleading needs to address.
Amendment History
(Source: P.A. 83-354.)
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: answer to complaint illinoisdeemed admitted illinois pleadingdenial of allegations illinois