The premises so claimed shall be described in such complaint with convenient certainty, so that, from such description, possession of the premises claimed may be delivered. If the plaintiff claims any undivided share of interest in any premises, he or she shall state the same particularly in the complaint; but the plaintiff, in any case, may recover such part, share or interest in the premises as he or she shall appear on the trial to be entitled to.
6-110.Description of premises.
Article VI. Ejectment · Not amended since adoption on record · Last verified July 20, 2026
In one sentenceRequires the complaint to describe the claimed premises with enough certainty that possession can be delivered from that description, and requires any claimed undivided share to be stated particularly, though recovery follows what is proved at trial.
Full Text of 735 ILCS 5/6-110
Plain-English Summary
An ejectment judgment is only useful if a court officer can act on it, and this section ties the required description to that practical need. The premises must be described "with convenient certainty," a standard measured by whether the description would let possession of the claimed premises be delivered based on it.
Where the plaintiff claims only an undivided share or interest in the property, rather than the whole, the section requires that share to be stated particularly in the complaint. A vague or unspecified fractional claim does not meet the description requirement.
The section then softens the consequence of imprecise pleading at the recovery stage. Regardless of exactly what the complaint claims, the plaintiff may recover whatever part, share, or interest in the premises the trial evidence shows the plaintiff is entitled to. The description requirement governs what the complaint must say; it does not cap what the plaintiff can ultimately prove and recover.
Frequently Asked Questions
What standard governs how the premises must be described?
"Convenient certainty" -- a description precise enough that possession of the claimed premises could be delivered based on it.
Does a plaintiff claiming only a partial interest have extra pleading duties?
Yes. If the plaintiff claims an undivided share or interest, the complaint must state that share particularly.
Can the plaintiff recover more, or less, than what the complaint describes?
The section allows the plaintiff to recover such part, share, or interest as the trial evidence shows, regardless of the precise claim pleaded in the complaint.
Why does the description requirement matter for enforcement of a judgment?
Because the standard is tied to whether possession of the premises claimed can be delivered from the description, the description has to be usable, not merely identifying.
How does this section relate to the verdict specificity required by 6-126?
This section sets the pleading-stage description requirement; 6-126 requires the verdict itself to specify the premises, share, or interest established at trial with the same certainty.
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: describing property in ejectment complaint illinoisconvenient certainty property descriptionundivided share ejectment complainthow specific must ejectment complaint be