(735 ILCS 5/Art. XVIII heading) ARTICLE XVIII QUO WARRANTO

(735 ILCS 5/18-101) (from Ch. 110, par. 18-101)

Sec. 18-101. Grounds. A proceeding in quo warranto may be brought in case:

(1) Any person usurps, intrudes into, or unlawfully holds or executes any office, or franchise, or any office in any corporation created by authority of this State;

(2) Any person holds or claims to hold or exercise any privilege, exemption or license which has been improperly or without warrant of law issued or granted by any officer, board, commissioner, court, or other person or persons authorized or empowered by law to grant or issue such privilege, exemption or license;

(3) Any public officer has done, or allowed any act which by the provisions of law, works a forfeiture of his or her office;

(4) Any association or number of persons act within this State as a corporation without being legally incorporated;

(5) Any corporation does or omits to do any act which amounts to a surrender or forfeiture of its rights and privileges as a corporation, or exercises powers not conferred by law;

(6) Any railroad company doing business in this State charges an extortionate rate for the transportation of any freight or passenger, or makes any unjust discrimination in the rate of freight or passenger tariff over or upon its railroad.

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

(735 ILCS 5/18-102) (from Ch. 110, par. 18-102)

Sec. 18-102. Parties. The proceeding shall be brought in the name of the People of the State of Illinois by the Attorney General or State's Attorney of the proper county, either of his or her own accord or at the instance of any individual relator; or by any citizen having an interest in the question on his or her own relation, when he or she has requested the Attorney General and State's Attorney to bring the same, and the Attorney General and State's Attorney have refused or failed to do so, and when, after notice to the Attorney General and State's Attorney, and to the adverse party, of the intended application, leave has been granted by the circuit court.

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

(735 ILCS 5/18-103) (from Ch. 110, par. 18-103)

Sec. 18-103. Pleadings. The People of the State of Illinois shall be deemed the plaintiff and the adverse parties shall be defendants, and the first pleading by the plaintiff shall be designated a complaint. The complaint need not set forth the basis of the challenge, but may in general terms allege that the defendant is exercising the claimed right without lawful authority and call upon the defendant to show by what warrant he, she or it exercises it, and if more than one ground exists they may all be joined in one count.

When the complaint is filed by a citizen on his or her own relation, it shall be alleged therein that his or her requests of the Attorney General and the State's Attorney, respectively, to bring the action, have been refused, or that they have failed to act, as the case may be, and that leave of court to file the complaint has been granted as provided in Article XVIII of this Act.

The several rights of diverse parties to the same office or franchise, privilege, exemption or license, may properly be determined in one action, and all such persons may be joined in the same complaint, in order to try their respective rights to such office, franchise, privilege, exemption or license; but the court, in its discretion, may order separate trials when convenience in the determination of any of such rights so requires. No matters not germane to the distinctive purpose of the proceeding shall be introduced by joinder, counterclaim or otherwise.

If the plaintiff elects to set forth expressly in the complaint the grounds for an attack on the defendant's claimed right, the defendant may answer the complaint or present a motion directed thereto as in other civil actions, but if the complaint is in general terms, as provided in Article XVIII of this Act, the defendant shall by answer disclaim or justify, and, if the defendant justifies, shall set out the facts which show the lawful authority to exercise the right claimed. The plaintiff may reply to the answer or present a motion directed thereto as in other civil cases.

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

(735 ILCS 5/18-104) (from Ch. 110, par. 18-104)

Sec. 18-104. Limitation. No action shall be brought by quo warranto, or otherwise, questioning the legality of the organization of any county, city, village, incorporated town, township, school district, park district, road district, drainage district, sanitary district, authority or any other municipal corporation or political subdivision in the State of Illinois after such municipal corporation or political subdivision has been in de facto existence for a period of 3 years.

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

(735 ILCS 5/18-105) (from Ch. 110, par. 18-105)

Sec. 18-105. Security for costs. When the action is brought by any citizen on his or her own relation, as above provided, he or she shall file security for costs to be approved by the clerk, at the time the complaint is filed.

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

(735 ILCS 5/18-106) (from Ch. 110, par. 18-106)

Sec. 18-106. Summons - Appearance. Upon the filing of the complaint, the clerk of court shall issue a summons, in like form, as near as may be, as summons in other civil cases. The summons shall be made returnable within a time designated by the plaintiff not less than 5 nor more than 30 days after the service of the summons. Every defendant who is served with summons shall answer or otherwise appear on or before the return day of the summons, unless the time for doing so is extended by the court. If the defendant fails to do so, judgment may be entered against the defendant. Reply to or motion directed against the answer may be filed by the plaintiff within 5 days after the last day allowed for the filing of the answer, unless the time for doing so is extended by the court.

(Source: P.A. 83-357.)

(735 ILCS 5/18-107) (from Ch. 110, par. 18-107)

Sec. 18-107. Seeking wrong remedy not fatal. Where relief is sought under Article XVIII of this Act and the court determines, on motion directed to the pleadings, or on motion for summary judgment or upon trial, that the plaintiff has pleaded or established facts which entitle the plaintiff to relief but that the plaintiff has sought the wrong remedy, the court shall permit the pleadings to be amended, on just and reasonable terms, and the court shall grant the relief to which plaintiff is entitled on the amended pleadings or upon the evidence. In considering whether a proposed amendment is just and reasonable, the court shall consider the right of the defendant to assert additional defenses, to demand a trial by jury, to plead a counterclaim or third party complaint, and to order the plaintiff to take additional steps which were not required under the pleadings as previously filed.

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

(735 ILCS 5/18-108) (from Ch. 110, par. 18-108)

Sec. 18-108. Judgment. The court shall determine and adjudge the rights of all parties to the proceeding. In case any person or corporation against whom such complaint is filed is adjudged guilty as charged in the complaint, the court may enter judgment of ouster against such person or corporation from the office or franchise, and fine such person or corporation, and also enter judgment in favor of the relator for the cost of the prosecution. Instead of entering judgment of ouster from a franchise for an abuse thereof, the court may fine the person or corporation found guilty in any sum not exceeding $25,000.00 for each offense. When judgment is entered in favor of any defendant, such defendant shall recover costs against the relator.

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