Illinois property tax and civil litigation guides: start with the record

Where to start

These guides cover the civil side of this practice: Illinois property tax sales and tax deeds, redemption, indemnity and surplus funds, real estate and closing disputes, denied insurance claims, consumer fraud and probate.

Each guide begins with the document that created the question. Identify what the document is, match the parcel, policy or contract details against your own records, then write down every date it states together with the source of that date.

A guide explains process. It cannot tell you whether an order has been entered in your case, whether a deadline has already run, or what your own file contains.

Property tax and tax deed guides

Tax deed and property tax matters make up most of the guides here. Four of them cover this work.

What to do after an Illinois tax sale notice lists the records to pull and how to compare parcel numbers and tax years. The period of redemption sits in 35 ILCS 200/21-350 and the amount required to redeem in 35 ILCS 200/21-355, so the operative figures and dates come from county records rather than from the notice.

Reviewing an Illinois tax deed notice against the court file compares the expiration notice under 35 ILCS 200/22-10 with the petition, the service record and the orders entered. Tax deed procedure and the certificate-date application sit in 35 ILCS 200/22-40, and review of a tax deed order in 35 ILCS 200/22-45.

Illinois tax deed indemnity compared with surplus funds separates four claims that are often treated as one: the indemnity fund under 35 ILCS 200/21-295 and 21-305, judicial tax deed auction surplus under 35 ILCS 200/22-42, surplus equity payments under 35 ILCS 200/21-302, and mortgage foreclosure proceeds, which are applied under 735 ILCS 5/15-1512. If a letter quotes a dollar amount, identify which of these it refers to before signing anything.

Illinois property tax sale law changes for 2026 explains which records matter when Public Act 104-0553 is raised, and why a new statute does not by itself change the stage your file has reached.

Representation for this work is described on the tax deed, redemption, indemnity and surplus funds pages. More guides sit under property tax.

Real estate and closing disputes

An Illinois seller disclosure dispute after closing starts with the transaction file and a neutral account of the problem you found. Gather the disclosure report, the purchase agreement, the earliest photographs and any diagnostic report, and record the transaction date and the discovery date separately.

The Residential Real Property Disclosure Act is 765 ILCS 77. Section 5 defines its terms, Section 15 lists the transfers it does not cover, and Section 45 addresses other legal obligations and remedies. Deadlines in this area need review early, so keep complete originals.

Representation is described on the real estate litigation page. More guides sit under real estate.

Insurance claims and consumer fraud

What to do if your home insurance claim is denied starts with the latest decision letter and the reason it gives, then the complete policy and the records behind each disputed item. Keep a separate list of policy duties and dates while discussions continue. A reconsideration request or a Department of Insurance complaint does not pause every deadline: 215 ILCS 5/143.1 provides a specific tolling rule for certain policy suit-limitation periods, and it does not reach everything.

Illinois consumer fraud compared with breach of contract asks for two separate accounts of the same dispute. Describe the agreement and the obligation you say went unmet. Then identify the alleged statement or omission, its date, the records available and the financial loss you claim. The Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act is 815 ILCS 505, and a private action under Section 10a requires actual damage resulting from a violation. The similarly named Uniform Deceptive Trade Practices Act, 815 ILCS 510, is separate.

Representation is described on the insurance claim dispute, consumer fraud and civil litigation pages. More guides sit under civil litigation.

Probate

Do you need a lawyer for probate in Illinois? works through the assets, debts and records involved, and whether the estate needs a court case at all. If you hold the original will, 755 ILCS 5/6-1 requires you to file it with the clerk of the proper county immediately after the death, whether or not an estate is opened.

Representation is described on the probate page.

Family law matters

Divorce, allocation of parental responsibilities and parenting time, child support, orders of protection and DCFS matters are handled at chiattorney.com. The family-law guides are published there, not on this site.

Reach the office

Aaron Korson, Attorney at Law

53 W. Jackson Blvd., Suite 752, Chicago, IL 60604

312-965-5618

Services are available in English and Spanish. Schedule a consultation