Under a general denial which alleges generally that the defendant is not guilty of unlawfully withholding the premises claimed by the plaintiff, the defendant may offer in evidence any matter that may tend to defeat the plaintiff's action, except that it shall not put in issue the possession of the premises by the defendant or that he or she claims title or interest in the premises.
6-117.General denial.
Article VI. Ejectment · Not amended since adoption on record · Last verified July 20, 2026
In one sentenceDefines a general denial in ejectment as a claim that the defendant is not guilty of unlawfully withholding the premises, letting the defendant offer any evidence tending to defeat the action, except evidence contesting the defendant's own possession or claim of title or interest.
Full Text of 735 ILCS 5/6-117
Plain-English Summary
Where 6-116 lists general denial as one available response, this section defines what that denial means and how far it reaches. A general denial alleges, generally, that the defendant is not guilty of unlawfully withholding the premises the plaintiff claims.
Under that denial, the defendant may offer in evidence any matter tending to defeat the plaintiff's action. That is a broad evidentiary door, but the section closes off two specific issues: a general denial does not put in issue the defendant's possession of the premises, and it does not put in issue whether the defendant claims title or an interest in the premises. Those two facts stand outside what a general denial can contest.
Practically, this section works with 6-118: because a general denial cannot contest the defendant's possession or claimed interest, 6-118 relieves the plaintiff of the burden to prove those same facts unless the defendant specifically and separately denies them under oath.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a general denial in ejectment allege?
That the defendant is not guilty of unlawfully withholding the premises claimed by the plaintiff.
What kind of evidence can the defendant introduce under a general denial?
Any matter that may tend to defeat the plaintiff's action.
What can a general denial NOT put in issue?
The defendant's possession of the premises, and whether the defendant claims title or an interest in the premises.
How does a defendant contest possession or claimed interest, if not through a general denial?
This section does not say directly, but 6-118 ties that issue to a specific denial verified by affidavit rather than a general denial.
Why would the statute wall off possession and claimed interest from a general denial?
The section does not explain its purpose, but the effect is to require those two specific facts to be contested directly rather than left to a general plea.
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
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