Illinois Summons (Certain Date) is a legal document issued by a court to a defendant in a civil case. It is a notification from the court that the defendant has been sued and must appear in court on a certain date. The summons must be served on the defendant in order for the court to have jurisdiction over the defendant and to proceed with the case. There are two types of Illinois Summons (Certain Date): Summons to Answer a Complaint and Summons of Garnishment. The Summons to Answer a Complaint is issued to the defendant when the plaintiff files a lawsuit against them. The Summons of Garnishment is issued when the plaintiff is owed money from the defendant and has requested a court order for the defendant to pay the money owed.