Illinois Summons Small Claims is a legal document issued by an Illinois court to compel a defendant to appear in court to answer a complaint or a petition filed in a civil case. This document is issued by the court when a plaintiff files a claim in a small claims court for a monetary award. There are two types of Illinois Summons Small Claims: Summons to Appear in Court and Summons to File an Answer. The Summons to Appear in Court requires the defendant to appear in court on a given date and time to answer the complaint or petition. The Summons to File an Answer requires the defendant to file a written answer to the complaint or petition within a certain period of time. Both types of Summons must be served upon the defendant in order to be legally effective.