Evictions Section (Forcible Entry and Detainer)

The Forcible Entry and Detainer Section of the Circuit Court of Cook County is a section within the First Municipal District. Because the Forcible Entry and Detainer Section hears cases that seek evictions from real estate premises, the Section is commonly known as “Eviction Court.”

In the most frequently filed actions, litigants are seeking evictions to obtain one of the following results:

• Possession of property (known as a “single action”);
• Back rent and possession of property (known as a “joint action”); or
• Condominium fees such as assessments and other fines.

There are also other cases heard in the Forcible Entry and Detainer Section. These include: 

• lock-out cases, where landlords attempt to bypass proper eviction procedures and instead change the locks on the door or shut off utility services; and
• distress for rent cases, where landlords seize tenants’ personal property to secure payment of past due rent.