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Answer/Response | State of Illinois Office of the Illinois Courts

Approved Statewide Forms — Answer/Response

The Supreme Court Commission on Access to Justice has approved the following forms. All Illinois Courts must accept these forms. Scroll down below the chart for important information on how to fill out these forms, including the need for Adobe and downloading forms to save them properly so that you can electronically file them

Illinois Legal Aid Online provides a guided interview called an Easy Form that will help you fill out the forms. The Easy Form asks you questions and completes the necessary forms with your answers. It is free to use.

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Form Title Notes
How to Answer or Respond to a Court Case Approved 05/2024
Answer or Response Approved 05/2024
Additional Paragraphs for Answer or Response Approved 05/2024
Affirmative Defenses Approved 05/2024
Counterclaims Approved 05/2024

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All forms are ADA accessible, and you can handwrite or type into the PDF form to fill it out.  IMPORTANT: You will need Adobe Acrobat, or free Adobe Reader XI (or a higher version) in order to save completed forms. You MUST first SAVE/DOWNLOAD each form as a PDF to your computer before you begin. If you fill out a form on a webpage, you will lose your progress.

E-filing: If you are e-filing any of these forms, you will need to "flatten" the form so it cannot be changed after you complete it. You flatten the form in one of two ways:

  1. If you used Adobe Acrobat or Reader to complete your downloaded form (recommended), go to the "File" menu at the top, select "print", and choose "Adobe PDF" or "Print to PDF" from the dropdown menu. You will be told to save the form. This saved form will be "flattened" and you can e-file it.
  2. If you did not use Adobe Acrobat or Reader, your computer will select a software that will allow you to fill out the forms. You will need to look for a "Save as PDF" option. Depending on the software you use, this option may be found in the print dialog box under your "Print" menu option.
  3. Before e-filing any "flattened" form, be sure to open the file to make sure that it looks filled out.