SB0530eng 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SB0530 Engrossed LRB094 10875 LCB 41412 b

AN ACT concerning civil procedure.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Illinois Public Aid Code is amended by changing Section 10-4 as follows:

(305 ILCS 5/10-4) (from Ch. 23, par. 10-4)

Sec. 10-4. Notification of Support Obligation. The administrative enforcement unit within the authorized area of its operation shall notify each responsible relative of an applicant or recipient, or responsible relatives of other persons given access to the child support enforcement services of this Article, of his legal obligation to support and shall request such information concerning his financial status as may be necessary to determine whether he is financially able to provide such support, in whole or in part. In cases involving a child born out of wedlock, the notification shall include a statement that the responsible relative has been named as the biological father of the child identified in the notification.

In the case of applicants, the notification shall be sent as soon as practical after the filing of the application. In the case of recipients, the notice shall be sent at such time as may be established by rule of the Illinois Department.

The notice shall be accompanied by the forms or questionnaires provided in Section 10-5. It shall inform the relative that he may be liable for reimbursement of any support furnished from public aid funds prior to determination of the relative's financial circumstances, as well as for future support. In the alternative, when support is sought on behalf of applicants for or recipients of financial aid under Article IV of this Code and other persons who are given access to the child support enforcement services of this Article as provided in Section 10-1, the notice shall inform the relative that the relative may be required to pay support for a period before the date an administrative support order is entered, as well as future support.

Neither the mailing nor receipt of such notice shall be deemed a jurisdictional requirement for the subsequent exercise of the investigative procedures undertaken by an administrative enforcement unit or the entry of any order or determination of paternity or support or reimbursement by the administrative enforcement unit; except that notice shall be served by certified mail addressed to the responsible relative at his or her last known address, return receipt requested, or by a person who is licensed or registered as a private detective under the Private Detective, Private Alarm, Private Security, and Locksmith Act of 2004 or by a registered employee of a private detective agency certified under that Act any method provided by law for service of summons, in cases where a determination of paternity or support by default is sought on behalf of applicants for or recipients of financial aid under Article IV of this Act and other persons who are given access to the child support enforcement services of this Article as provided in Section 10-1.

(Source: P.A. 92-590, eff. 7-1-02.)

Section 10. The Code of Civil Procedure is amended by changing Section 2-202 as follows:

(735 ILCS 5/2-202) (from Ch. 110, par. 2-202)

Sec. 2-202. Persons authorized to serve process; Place of service; Failure to make return.

(a) Process shall be served by a sheriff, or if the sheriff is disqualified, by a coroner of some county of the State. A sheriff of a county with a population of less than 1,000,000 may employ civilian personnel to serve process. In counties with a population of less than 1,000,000, process may be served, without special appointment, by a person who is licensed or registered as a private detective under the Private Detective, Private Alarm, Private Security, and Locksmith Act of 2004 or by a registered employee of a private detective agency certified under that Act. After unsuccessful service by the sheriff in a county with a population of 1,000,000 or more, process may be served, without special appointment, by a person who is licensed or registered as a private detective under the Private Detective, Private Alarm, Private Security, and Locksmith Act of 2004 or by a registered employee of a private detective agency certified under that Act, in cases in which a party is receiving child support enforcement services under Article X of the Illinois Public Aid Code. A private detective or licensed employee must supply the sheriff of any county in which he serves process with a copy of his license or certificate; however, the failure of a person to supply the copy shall not in any way impair the validity of process served by the person. The court may, in its discretion upon motion, order service to be made by a private person over 18 years of age and not a party to the action. It is not necessary that service be made by a sheriff or coroner of the county in which service is made. If served or sought to be served by a sheriff or coroner, he or she shall endorse his or her return thereon, and if by a private person the return shall be by affidavit.

(a-5) Upon motion and in its discretion, the court may appoint as a special process server a private detective agency certified under the Private Detective, Private Alarm, Private Security, and Locksmith Act of 2004. Under the appointment, any employee of the private detective agency who is registered under that Act may serve the process. The motion and the order of appointment must contain the number of the certificate issued to the private detective agency by the Department of Professional Regulation under the Private Detective, Private Alarm, Private Security, and Locksmith Act of 2004.

(b) Summons may be served upon the defendants wherever they may be found in the State, by any person authorized to serve process. An officer may serve summons in his or her official capacity outside his or her county, but fees for mileage outside the county of the officer cannot be taxed as costs. The person serving the process in a foreign county may make return by mail.

(c) If any sheriff, coroner, or other person to whom any process is delivered, neglects or refuses to make return of the same, the plaintiff may petition the court to enter a rule requiring the sheriff, coroner, or other person, to make return of the process on a day to be fixed by the court, or to show cause on that day why that person should not be attached for contempt of the court. The plaintiff shall then cause a written notice of the rule to be served on the sheriff, coroner, or other person. If good and sufficient cause be not shown to excuse the officer or other person, the court shall adjudge him or her guilty of a contempt, and shall impose punishment as in other cases of contempt.

(d) If process is served by a sheriff or coroner, the court may tax the fee of the sheriff or coroner as costs in the proceeding. If process is served by a private person or entity, the court may establish a fee therefor and tax such fee as costs in the proceedings.

(e) In addition to the powers stated in Section 8.1a of the Housing Authorities Act, in counties with a population of 3,000,000 or more inhabitants, members of a housing authority police force may serve process for forcible entry and detainer actions commenced by that housing authority and may execute orders of possession for that housing authority.

(f) In counties with a population of 3,000,000 or more, process may be served, with special appointment by the court, by a private process server or a law enforcement agency other than the county sheriff in proceedings instituted under the Forcible Entry and Detainer Article of this Code as a result of a lessor or lessor's assignee declaring a lease void pursuant to Section 11 of the Controlled Substance and Cannabis Nuisance Act.

(Source: P.A. 93-438, eff. 8-5-03.)