Sections 8-1003 through 8-1007 of this Act shall be so interpreted and construed as to effectuate its general purpose to make uniform the law of those states which enact it.
8-1008.Interpretation.
Article VIII. Evidence · Part 10. Judicial Notice · Not amended since adoption on record · Last verified July 20, 2026
In one sentenceSections 8-1003 through 8-1007 must be interpreted to carry out the general purpose of making the law uniform among the states that enact the same provisions.
Full Text of 735 ILCS 5/8-1008
Plain-English Summary
This section is a standard uniform-act construction clause. It tells courts how to read Sections 8-1003 through 8-1007 rather than adding a new duty of its own.
The stated goal is uniformity: courts should construe those sections to effectuate the general purpose of making the law consistent among the states that have enacted the same model act.
In practice, this favors reading Illinois's version of the Uniform Judicial Notice of Foreign Law Act in step with how other adopting states construe their parallel provisions, rather than treating the Illinois text as an island. A nearly identical clause appears in Section 8-1102 for the related Uniform Proof of Statutes Act.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which sections does this interpretation clause govern?
Sections 8-1003 through 8-1007.
What goal should courts keep in mind when construing those sections?
Making the law uniform among the states that enact the same provisions.
Does this section create a new judicial notice duty on its own?
No. It is a directive on how to construe the surrounding sections, not an independent duty.
Is this kind of clause common elsewhere in this part of the Code?
Yes. Section 8-1102 contains a nearly identical interpretation clause for the Uniform Proof of Statutes Act.
Why would a uniformity clause matter in practice?
It favors interpretations consistent with how other states that adopted the same model act read their parallel provisions.
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: uniform act interpretation clause illinoisjudicial notice foreign law uniform constructionuniformity of construction illinois statuteillinois uniform law interpretation rule