Tenant Evictions are in full swing in Illinois

For our office, the beginning of the “eviction” season started out a bit slow (it is not a bad thing that landlords are, hopefully, collecting rent and doing better screening so that we do less evictions!).  However, for us, things in the eviction courts are starting to heat up.  I am predicting, based only on anecdotal evidence from my office’s caseload and a few of my attorney friends, that the eviction lawyers, judges, and courts in Cook County will be busily processing forcible entry and detainer cases in the next 60 days and that, if the fall/winter weather is uncooperative, this will lead to a major backlog in eviction case enforcement early in 2014.

When we get into a “busy” time in the eviction world, it becomes all the more important for Chicago landlords to follow the specific rules, laws, and procedures prescribed to evict an Illinois tenant.  When things go bad, tenants don’t just vacate on their own.  When a landlord has to resort to the eviction process and hiring an Illinois eviction lawyer, proper procedure becomes a must.  Mistakes in the service of a five day notice or improper wording on a thirty day notice can lead to delays that can pile up because of eviction court backlog.

To me, for this reason, it makes the most sense to get an eviction attorney on board early in the process.  Many landlords prepare their own eviction notices.  Many serve the notice on their own.  Both of these steps can be accomplished without the help of an eviction lawyer.  However, many landlords make tiny mistakes during that initial part of the process that result in troubles down the line.  It is just not worth the delays that come from doing it without an experienced attorney to guide the way.