How to Collect Your Judgment in Illinois

A Illinois judgment is enforceable for 7 years, and can be renewed before it expires. A judgment may be enforced for 7 years from entry (735 ILCS 5/12-108); it then goes dormant. It can be revived by petition under 735 ILCS 5/2-1601/2-1602. A revival proceeding (non-consumer) must be brought within 20 years of the original judgment; each revival extends enforceability another 7 years (so practical max ~27 years). CONSUMER-DEBT judgments must be revived within 10 years of entry (735 ILCS 5/2-1602(a-5)).

Yes. Garnishment in Illinois can reach Lesser of 15% of gross weekly wages, or the amount by which weekly disposable earnings exceed 45x the Illinois (or federal, if higher) minimum hourly wage.. Exemptions: Illinois caps wage deduction at 15% (more protective than federal 25%). Exempt income includes Social Security, SSI, unemployment, public assistance, workers' comp, and pensions. Debtor may file an Emergency Motion to Claim Exemption (PJC-EM).

Through Citation to Discover Assets (supplementary proceedings) (Citation to Discover Assets to Debtor (PJC-D), statewide standardized form, per 735 ILCS 5/2-1402) — the court orders the debtor to appear and disclose their assets under oath. Creditor issues a Citation to Discover Assets (statewide approved form PJC-D) under 735 ILCS 5/2-1402; the debtor is ordered to appear and answer under oath about income and property. Serving the citation creates a lien on the debtor's non-exempt personal property. Third-party citations (to a bank or employer) are also available.

Record a Memorandum of Judgment (certified copy/transcript) with the county Recorder of Deeds in each county where the debtor owns real property; the lien attaches from recording (735 ILCS 5/12-101). The lien lasts 7 years.

You pay the court and sheriff their own filing/levy fees directly (usually modest, and recoverable from the debtor). Our Judgment Collection service is a flat $299 — we prepare your Illinois-specific enforcement forms and a step-by-step filing playbook; you file them. Compared with collection firms that take 33–50% of what they recover, that's hundreds to thousands less on a typical judgment.

Some debtors are "judgment-proof" — no job, no bank account, no equity — and no tool can squeeze money that isn't there. The honest play is the debtor's exam to confirm what exists, then keep the judgment alive (it lasts 7 years and is renewable) and try again when their situation changes. We give you the tools, not a guaranteed payout.