Ill. S. Ct. R. 102

(a) Placement for Service. Promptly upon issuance, summons (together with copies of the

complaint as required by Rule 104) shall be placed for service with the sheriff or other officer or

person authorized to serve process.

(b) When Service Must Be Made. No summons in the form provided in paragraph (d) of Rule

101 may be served later than 30 days after its date. A summons in the form provided in paragraph

(b)(1) of Rule 101 may not be served later than 21 days before the day for appearance. A summons

in the form provided in paragraph (b)(2) or (b)(3) of Rule 101 may not be served later than three

days before the day of appearance.

(c) Indorsement Showing Date of Service. The officer or other person making service of

summons shall indorse the date of service upon the copy left with the defendant/respondent or

other person. Failure to indorse the date of service does not affect the validity of service.

(d) Return. The officer or person making service shall make a return by filing proof of service

immediately after service on all defendants/respondents has been had, and, in any event, shall

make a return: (1) in the case of a summons in the form provided in Rule 101(b)(1), not less than

21 days before the day of appearance; (2) in the case of a summons in the form provided in Rule

101(b)(2) or (b)(3), not less than 3 days before that day; (3) in other cases, immediately after the

last day fixed for service. If there is more than one defendant/respondent, the proof of service may

be filed immediately after service on each defendant/respondent. The proof of service need not

state whether a copy of the complaint was served. A party who has placed a summons with an

officer or other person who is authorized to serve process, but who does not have access to the

court filing system, shall file the proof of service obtained from the officer. Failure to return the

summons or file proof of service does not invalidate the summons or the service thereof, if had.

(e) Post Card Notification to Plaintiff/Petitioner. If the plaintiff/petitioner furnishes a post

card, the officer or other person making service of the summons, immediately upon return of the

summons, shall mail to the plaintiff/petitioner or his or her attorney the post card indicating

whether or not service has been had, and if so on what date.

(f) Service by Special Order of Court. Upon motion brought pursuant to Section 2-203.1 of

the Illinois Code of Civil Procedure, the court may order service of summons and complaint to be

made in a manner consistent with due process and subject to provisions of this paragraph.

(1) If the court is satisfied that the defendant/respondent has access to and the ability to use

the necessary technology to receive and read the summons and documents electronically, the

following alternative methods of service or combination of methods of service may be ordered

by the court when granting a motion brought pursua nt to Section 2-203.1 of the Illinois Code

of Civil Procedure (735 ILCS 5/2-203.1).

(A) Service by social media. Service by social media shall be made by (i) sending a

direct message to the defendant/respondent on a social media platform on which the

defendant/respondent has an active profile; (ii) attaching a copy of the summons,

complaint/petition, and any other required documents to the direct message; and

(iii) stating in the body of the direct message: “ Important information—You have been

sued. Read all of the documents attached to this message. To participate in the case, you

must follow the instructions listed in the attached summons. If you do not, the court may

decide the case without hearing from you, and you could lose the case.”

(B) Service by e-mail. Service by e-mail shall be made by (i) sending an e-mail to the

defendant/respondent at his or her current e-mail address; (ii) attaching a copy of the

summons, complaint/petition, and any other required documents to the e-mail; (iii) stating

in the subject line of the e-mail message: “Important information—You are being sued”;

and (iv) stating in the body of the e-mail: “You have been sued. Read all of the documents

attached to this e-mail. To participate in the case, you must follow the instructions listed in

the attached summons. If you do not, the court may decide the case without hearing from

you, and you could lose the case.”

(C) Service by Text Message. Service by text message shall be made by (i) sending a

text message to the defendant/respondent’s cellular telephone number; (ii) attaching a copy

of the summons, complaint/petition, and any other required documents to the text message;

and (3) stating in the body of the text message: “Important information —You have been

sued. Read all of the documents attached to this message. To participate in the case, you

must follow the instructions listed in the attached summons. If you do not, the court may

decide the case without hearing from you, and you could lose the case.”

(2) In addition to the affidavit requirements of section 2-203.1 of the Illinois Code of Civil

Procedure, a movant requesting service by text message, e-mail, or social media shall include

in the supporting affidavit the reasons the movant believes the defendant/respond ent has

recently sent and received transmissions from a specific e-mail address or telephone number

or the defendant/respondent maintains an active social media account on the specific platform

utilized for service.

(3) Within 10 days of service of notice by special order of Court, the plaintiff/petitioner

shall send a copy of the summons, complaint/petition, and any other required documents by

mail, to the address of defendant’s/respondent’s last known residence.

(4) Return of Service by Special Order of Court. The person serving defendant/respondent

pursuant to special order of court shall file a proof of service as directed by the court. If service

is by social media, e-mail, or text message as described in paragraph (f)(1), the proof of service

shall contain, at a minimum, the following:

(A) The details of how service was made, including the date service was made; the

identity of the social media platform, cellular telephone number, and/or e-mail address

used; the address of defendant’s/respond ent’s last known residence; that a copy of the

summons, complaint/petition, and any other required documents were attached to the

message; and the date on which a copy of the summons, complaint/petition, and any other

required documents were mailed to defendant’s/respondent’s last known residence; and

(B) A screen print of the social media direct message, a copy of the sent e-mail

transmission, a screen print of the text message, and/or any other evidence of proof of

service the court determines to be equivalent.