Summons in small claims shall require each defendant to appear on a day specified in the
Rule 283.Form of Summons
Article II. Rules on Civil Proceedings in the Trial Court · Part J. Small Claims · Last amended 2023 · Last verified July 20, 2026
In one sentenceRule 283 sets the small-claims summons’s appearance window — between 40 and 61 days after issuance — and ties its form to the general money-claim summons.
Full Text of Ill. S. Ct. R. 283
Plain-English Summary
A small-claims summons has to give the defendant a set amount of notice: the appearance date must fall not less than 40 and not more than 61 days after the summons is issued. That window gives clerks flexibility in scheduling while still guaranteeing a meaningful notice period before the defendant has to show up.
Rather than create a separate form, the rule borrows the summons form set out in Rule 101(b) for money actions. The summons itself is only one part of getting a small claim started — how it’s delivered to the defendant is covered separately, in Rule 284.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much advance notice must a small-claims summons give?
The appearance date must be between 40 and 61 days after the summons is issued.
Which form does a small-claims summons follow?
The general summons form in Rule 101(b) for actions to recover money.
Who picks the exact appearance date within that window?
The clerk of the court, when the summons is issued.
What if the defendant can’t be served in person?
Rule 284 allows service by certified or registered mail instead of personal service.
Does Rule 283 cover how the summons is served?
No — it covers the form and timing of the summons; Rule 284 covers mail service.
Committee Comments
This is derived from paragraph C of former Rule 9-1, effective January 1, 1964. The earliest return day is increased from 7 to 14. See also the comments to Rules 101(b) and 286, which deal with the right of the court to control the return day, manner of appearance, and related matters.
Amendment History
Amended effective August 3, 1970; amended December 3, 1996, effective immediately; amended Apr. 20, 2023, eff. immediately.
Source & verification. Rule text, official Committee Comments, and
amendment history are reproduced verbatim from the Illinois Supreme Court Rules,
promulgated by the Supreme Court of Illinois. Last verified July 20, 2026.
· Official source
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