If the action is against several, and the plaintiff is entitled to recover, he or she shall recover against all who are in joint possession or claim the title, whether they have pleaded separately or jointly.
6-124.Action against several.
Article VI. Ejectment · Not amended since adoption on record · Last verified July 20, 2026
In one sentenceRequires that when the plaintiff prevails against several defendants, recovery runs against all of them who are in joint possession or who claim title, regardless of whether they pleaded separately or jointly.
Full Text of 735 ILCS 5/6-124
Plain-English Summary
Where multiple defendants have been named under 6-106 or 6-107, this section determines the scope of the plaintiff's recovery once the plaintiff wins. If the action is against several defendants and the plaintiff is entitled to recover, the plaintiff recovers against all of them who are in joint possession or who claim title to the premises.
That result does not depend on how each defendant chose to defend the case. The section applies whether the defendants pleaded separately or jointly, so a defendant cannot avoid being subject to the judgment merely by filing an individual answer rather than joining with co-defendants in a single pleading.
This section pairs with 6-125, which addresses the separate situation where multiple defendants occupy distinct parcels rather than sharing joint possession or a joint claim of title; in that case the plaintiff must elect which defendant to proceed against instead of recovering against all of them together.
Frequently Asked Questions
Against which defendants does the plaintiff recover when there are several?
All defendants who are in joint possession of the premises or who claim title to them.
Does it matter whether the defendants filed separate or joint pleadings?
No. The section applies the same recovery rule whether the defendants pleaded separately or jointly.
Does this section apply if the defendants occupy separate, distinct parcels?
No. 6-125 separately addresses that situation, requiring the plaintiff to elect which defendant to proceed against.
Can a defendant escape the judgment by pleading individually rather than with co-defendants?
No. The section expressly reaches defendants regardless of whether they pleaded separately or jointly.
What connects joint possession and claiming title as grounds for recovery here?
The section treats either basis, joint possession or a claim of title, as sufficient to bring a defendant within the scope of the plaintiff's recovery.
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: judgment against multiple defendants ejectment illinoisjoint possession ejectment recoveryseveral defendants ejectment judgmentrecovering against defendants who pleaded separately