In cases where no other provision is made, the judgment in the action, if the plaintiff prevails, shall be that the plaintiff recover the possession of the premises, according to the verdict of the jury, if there was such a verdict, or the finding of the court, if the case is tried without a jury, or according to the description thereof in the complaint, with costs to be taxed, if the judgment is by default.
6-129.Judgment.
Article VI. Ejectment · Not amended since adoption on record · Last verified July 20, 2026
In one sentenceSets the default rule for an ejectment judgment when the plaintiff prevails: recovery of possession according to the verdict, the court's finding in a bench trial, or, if the judgment is by default, the complaint's description with costs taxed.
Full Text of 735 ILCS 5/6-129
Plain-English Summary
This section supplies the general rule for what an ejectment judgment says once the plaintiff has won, for situations where no other provision addresses the outcome. The plaintiff recovers possession of the premises, with the extent of that recovery measured in one of three ways depending on how the case was resolved.
If a jury tried the case, the judgment follows the jury's verdict. If the case was tried without a jury, the judgment follows the court's finding instead. If the judgment is entered by default, without either a verdict or a finding, the judgment instead follows the description of the premises as set out in the complaint, and costs are taxed as part of that default judgment.
Because the section opens with "in cases where no other provision is made," it functions as a residual rule. Where 6-127 addresses judgment following an expired plaintiff's right, or where other sections of Article VI set a more specific judgment rule, those specific provisions control instead of this general default.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the plaintiff recover under a judgment in the plaintiff's favor?
Possession of the premises, measured according to the jury's verdict, the court's finding in a bench trial, or the complaint's description if the judgment is by default.
Are costs addressed in this section?
Yes, for a default judgment: costs are to be taxed as part of that judgment.
Does this section apply to every ejectment judgment?
No. It applies "in cases where no other provision is made," so more specific rules elsewhere in Article VI, such as 6-127, control where they apply.
What happens if the case was tried without a jury?
The judgment follows the finding of the court trying the case.
What measure controls a default judgment's scope?
The description of the premises as stated in the complaint.
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: default judgment ejectment illinoisjudgment for possession of premises illinoiscosts in ejectment judgmenthow ejectment judgment is measured