Bill Text: IL SB0520 | 2021-2022 | 102nd General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: Amends the Eviction Article of the Code of Civil Procedure. Provides that eviction proceedings shall be sealed and remain so unless a final order of eviction in favor of the plaintiff is entered. Provides that unsealed records shall remain unsealed for a period of 7 years. Provides that after 7 years, access to the court records may be obtained only by specified parties. Allows the court to order that the tenant's name in an eviction action related to a condominium be sealed. Effective 90 days after becoming law.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2021-04-23 - Rule 3-9(a) / Re-referred to Assignments [SB0520 Detail]
Download: Illinois-2021-SB0520-Introduced.html
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1 | AN ACT concerning civil law.
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2 | Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
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3 | represented in the General Assembly:
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4 | Section 5. The Code of Civil Procedure is amended by | |||||||||||||||||||||
5 | changing Section 9-121 and by adding Section 9-102.5 as | |||||||||||||||||||||
6 | follows:
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7 | (735 ILCS 5/9-102.5 new) | |||||||||||||||||||||
8 | Sec. 9-102.5. Sealing of records. Once an action under | |||||||||||||||||||||
9 | this Article is initiated, the clerk shall hold under seal all | |||||||||||||||||||||
10 | records under the action. The records shall be unsealed if the | |||||||||||||||||||||
11 | court enters a final order of eviction in favor of the | |||||||||||||||||||||
12 | plaintiff or plaintiffs and against the defendant or | |||||||||||||||||||||
13 | defendants. Once the records are unsealed, they shall remain | |||||||||||||||||||||
14 | part of the public record for a period of 7 years, at which | |||||||||||||||||||||
15 | time the clerk shall place the records under seal. The clerk | |||||||||||||||||||||
16 | shall provide access to the sealed files to: | |||||||||||||||||||||
17 | (1) a named party to the action, including a party's | |||||||||||||||||||||
18 | attorney; | |||||||||||||||||||||
19 | (2) any person who provides the clerk with the names | |||||||||||||||||||||
20 | of at least one plaintiff and one defendant and the | |||||||||||||||||||||
21 | address of the premises, including the apartment or unit | |||||||||||||||||||||
22 | number, if any; | |||||||||||||||||||||
23 | (3) a resident of the premises who provides the clerk |
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1 | with the name of one of the parties or the case number and | ||||||
2 | shows any proof of residency of the premises; and | ||||||
3 | (4) any person by order of the court upon a showing of | ||||||
4 | good cause.
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5 | (735 ILCS 5/9-121) | ||||||
6 | Sec. 9-121. Sealing of court file. | ||||||
7 | (a) Definition. As used in this Section, "court file"
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8 | means the court file created when an eviction
action is filed | ||||||
9 | with the court. | ||||||
10 | (b) Discretionary sealing of court file. The court may
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11 | order that a court file in an eviction action
be placed under | ||||||
12 | seal if the court finds that the plaintiff's
action is | ||||||
13 | sufficiently without a basis in fact or law, which
may include | ||||||
14 | a lack of jurisdiction, that placing the court file
under seal | ||||||
15 | is clearly in the interests of justice, and that
those | ||||||
16 | interests are not outweighed by the public's interest in
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17 | knowing about the record. The court may order that the | ||||||
18 | tenant's name in an action brought under Section 9-104.2 be | ||||||
19 | sealed. | ||||||
20 | (c) Mandatory sealing of court file. The court file | ||||||
21 | relating to an eviction action brought against a tenant under | ||||||
22 | Section 9-207.5 of this Code or as set forth in subdivision | ||||||
23 | (h)(6) of Section 15-1701 of this Code shall be placed under | ||||||
24 | seal.
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25 | (Source: P.A. 100-173, eff. 1-1-18 .)
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1 | Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect 90 days | ||||||
2 | after becoming law.
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