Updating the database of the Illinois Compiled Statutes (ILCS) is an ongoing process. Recent laws may not yet be included in the ILCS database, but they are found on this site as Public Acts soon after they become law. For information concerning the relationship between statutes and Public Acts, refer to the Guide.

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735 ILCS 5/Art. VIII Pt. 12

(735 ILCS 5/Art. VIII Pt. 12 heading) Part 12.

Records and Patents

735 ILCS 5/8-1201

(735 ILCS 5/8-1201) (from Ch. 110, par. 8-1201)

Sec. 8-1201.

Printed copies.

Printed copies of schedules, classifications
and tariffs of
rates, fares and charges, and supplements to any such schedules,
classifications and tariffs filed with the Interstate Commerce
Commission, which show respectively an Interstate Commerce Commission
number, which may be stated in abbreviated form, as I.C.C. No. --, and
an effective date, shall be presumed to be correct copies of the
original schedules, classifications, tariffs and supplements on file
with the Interstate Commerce Commission, and shall be received as good
and sufficient evidence, without certification, in any court of this
State to prove such schedules, classifications, tariffs and supplements.

(Source: P.A. 82-280.)

735 ILCS 5/8-1202

(735 ILCS 5/8-1202) (from Ch. 110, par. 8-1202)

Sec. 8-1202.

Court records.

The papers, entries and records of courts may
be proved by a
copy thereof certified under the signature of the clerk having the custody
thereof, and the seal of the court, or by the judge of the court if
there is no clerk.

(Source: P.A. 83-707.)

735 ILCS 5/8-1203

(735 ILCS 5/8-1203) (from Ch. 110, par. 8-1203)

Sec. 8-1203.

Municipal records.

The papers, entries, records and ordinances, or parts
thereof, of any city, village, town or county, may be proved by a copy
thereof, certified under the signature of the clerk or the keeper thereof,
and the corporate seal, if there is any; if not, under his or
her signature and
private seal.

(Source: P.A. 83-707.)

735 ILCS 5/8-1204

(735 ILCS 5/8-1204) (from Ch. 110, par. 8-1204)

Sec. 8-1204.

Corporate records.

The papers, entries and records of any
corporation or
incorporated association may be proved by a copy thereof, certified
under the signature of the secretary, clerk, cashier or other keeper of the
same. If the corporation or incorporated association has a seal, the
same shall be affixed to such certificate.

(Source: P.A. 82-280.)

735 ILCS 5/8-1205

(735 ILCS 5/8-1205) (from Ch. 110, par. 8-1205)

Sec. 8-1205.

Form of certificate.

The certificate of any such clerk
of a court, city, village,
town, county, or secretary, clerk, cashier, or other keeper of any such
papers, entries, records or ordinances, shall contain a statement that
such person is the keeper of the same, and if there is no seal, shall so
state.

(Source: P.A. 82-280.)

735 ILCS 5/8-1206

(735 ILCS 5/8-1206) (from Ch. 110, par. 8-1206)

Sec. 8-1206.

Sworn copies.

Any such papers, entries, records and ordinances may be
proved by copies examined and sworn to by credible witnesses.

(Source: P.A. 82-280.)

735 ILCS 5/8-1207

(735 ILCS 5/8-1207) (from Ch. 110, par. 8-1207)

Sec. 8-1207.

Penalty.

If any officer, clerk, secretary, cashier, or other person
authorized to certify copies of any papers, entries, records or
ordinances, knowingly makes a false certificate, he or she is
punishable in the same manner as if he or she were guilty of perjury.

(Source: P.A. 82-280.)

735 ILCS 5/8-1208

(735 ILCS 5/8-1208) (from Ch. 110, par. 8-1208)

Sec. 8-1208. Official certificate - Land office.

The official certificate
of any register or receiver of any
land office of the United States, to any fact or matter on record in his or her
office, shall be received in evidence in any court in this State, and
shall be competent to prove the fact so certified. The certificate of
any such register, of the entry or purchase of any tract of land within
his or her district, shall be deemed and taken to be evidence of title in the
party who made such entry or purchase, or his or her legatees, heirs or assigns, and
shall enable such party, his or her legatees, heirs or assigns, to recover
or protect the
possession of the land described in such certificate, in any eviction action or action of
ejectment, unless a better legal and
paramount title be exhibited for the same. The signature of such
register or receiver may be proved by a certificate of the Secretary of
State, under his or her seal, that such signature is genuine.

(Source: P.A. 100-173, eff. 1-1-18.)

735 ILCS 5/8-1209

(735 ILCS 5/8-1209) (from Ch. 110, par. 8-1209)

Sec. 8-1209.

Patents for land.

A patent for land shall be deemed and considered
a better
legal and paramount title in the patentee, his or her legatees, heirs
or assigns, than
the official certificate of any register of a land office of the United
States, of the entry or purchase of the same land.

(Source: P.A. 83-707.)

735 ILCS 5/8-1210

(735 ILCS 5/8-1210) (from Ch. 110, par. 8-1210)

Sec. 8-1210.

State patents.

In all cases where any lands or lots have been or may be
sold by this State or any of the officers thereof, under the authority
of any law of this State, whereof the patent is issued by the
Governor, under the seal of this State, and in case the patent has been
or shall purport to be recorded in the recorder's office of the county
where the lands or lots are situated, and the patent is lost, or
out of the power of the party desiring to use it to produce in
evidence, a copy of the record of such patent, certified by the recorder
of the county, may be read in evidence in place of the original
patent, which copy certified as above stated, shall be prima facie evidence
of the issuing of such patent, and of the contents thereof. The
provisions of this section shall apply to deeds executed by the trustees
of the Illinois and Michigan canal, and to patents for land issued or
granted by the United States.

(Source: P.A. 83-707.)

735 ILCS 5/8-1211

(735 ILCS 5/8-1211) (from Ch. 110, par. 8-1211)

Sec. 8-1211.

State land sales.

Copies of the books and entries of the
sale of all lands or lots heretofore or that hereafter may be sold by this
State or any of the officers thereof under any law of this State, certified
to be true and correct copies of such books and entries by the proper
person or officer in whose custody said books and entries may properly be,
shall be prima facie evidence of the facts stated in such books and
entries. The certificate of such officer of the purchase of or issuing of a
patent for any tract of land sold by this State or any agent of the same,
shall be deemed as evidence of title in the party certified to have made
such purchase or obtained such patent, his or her legatees, heirs or
assigns, unless a better and paramount title is exhibited for the same. The
patent for land shall be deemed a better and paramount title in the
patentee, his or her legatees, heirs and assigns, than such certificate,
and when any swamp and overflowed lands and lots heretofore have been or
hereafter may be sold under any law of this State by any proper person
or officer of the county in which such lands are located, copies of the books
and entries of the sales of such swamp and overflowed lands and lots
certified to be true and correct copies of such books and entries by the
proper person or officer in whose custody such books and entries may
properly be, shall be prima facie evidence of the facts stated in such
books and entries. The certificate of such officer of the sale or entry
of any tract or tracts of such swamp and overflowed land or lots and of
the execution of a deed for the same, giving the date of such sale or
entry, the date of the execution of the deed, the name of the purchaser
and description of the land, under the seal of his or her office, may, if the
original deed is lost, or it is out of the power of the party wishing to
use the same to produce it in evidence, and the original deed has never
been recorded, be read in evidence in place of said original deed, and
shall be prima facie evidence of the execution and delivery of a proper
deed for such land and shall be deemed as evidence of title in
the person certified to have made such entry or purchase, his or her legatees,
heirs and assigns, until a better and paramount title is exhibited for the
same. Whenever it appears that the original deed made upon any entry
or sale of such swamp and overflowed lands is lost, or not in the power
of the party wishing to use the same to produce in evidence, and the
same has never been recorded as above stated and that the books and
original entries of sale of such swamp and overflowed lands or lots have
also been lost or destroyed, and the clerk of the circuit court  or
other proper officer has made return of such sales and entries to
the State Comptroller according to law, a certified copy of such return
by the Comptroller, under his or her seal of office, may be used in evidence
with the like force and effect as hereinbefore provided.

(Source: P.A. 86-657.)