Any person having a lien upon or any interest in the water craft attached, may intervene to protect such interest, by filing a petition, entitled an intervening petition; and any person interested may be made a defendant at his or her request, or that of any party to the action, and may defend any petition by filing an answer as hereinafter provided, and giving security, satisfactory to the court, to pay any costs arising from such defense; and upon the filing of any intervening petition, a summons, as hereinbefore provided, shall issue; and if the same shall be returned not served, notice by publication may be given as hereinabove stated and several intervening petitioners may be united with each other, or the original, in one notice.
4-212.Intervention.
Article IV. Attachment · Part 2. Watercraft · Not amended since adoption on record · Last verified July 20, 2026
In one sentenceSection 4-212 lets anyone with a lien on or interest in the attached craft intervene by filing an intervening petition, be joined as a defendant, and requires security for costs, with combined notice available for multiple intervenors.
Full Text of 735 ILCS 5/4-212
Plain-English Summary
Any person with a lien on or an interest in the attached water craft may step into the pending case to protect that interest by filing an intervening petition. Another party — or the interested person personally — can also request that the person be made a defendant.
An intervenor who wants to defend a petition must file an answer as later sections describe and give security, satisfactory to the court, to cover any costs the defense generates. Filing an intervening petition triggers a summons like the one issued on the original complaint; if that summons comes back unserved, notice by publication may issue as Section 4-210 describes, and several intervening petitions may be combined with each other or with the original notice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who may intervene in a pending watercraft attachment case?
Anyone with a lien on or an interest in the attached water craft.
How does someone intervene?
By filing an intervening petition.
Can an interested person be brought into the case as a defendant?
Yes, at that person's own request or at the request of any party to the action.
What must an intervenor provide to defend against a petition?
Security satisfactory to the court to cover any costs arising from that defense.
What happens when several people want to intervene?
Their intervening petitions may be united with each other, or with the original notice, in a single notice.
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: intervene boat lien illinoiswatercraft attachment intervening petitionillinois maritime lien intervention procedureintervening petition vessel lien