House & Apartment
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Eviction is a court process. In Illinois, only the county sheriff can perform evictions. The sheriff must have a judge's order allowing the eviction.
Housing providers start eviction cases by filing papers that are served on people at risk of eviction. An eviction case can end in:
- Dismissal,
- An agreement between the parties,
- A judgment in favor of a defendant, who can continue living in the unit,
- An order that lets the sheriff evict the defendant,
- A money judgment against the defendant allowing the landlord to collect overdue rent and related charges, and
- Sealing.
Landlords and tenants can take action at each step to stop the eviction process. They can also ask the judge to seal the court file after the case is over, even if an eviction order was entered.
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Worried about doing this on your own? You may be able to get free legal help.