An Illinois Stipulated Dismissal Order is an agreement between the plaintiff and the defendant in a civil court case to dismiss the case without prejudice. It is a form of alternative dispute resolution and is typically used when an agreement is reached between the parties prior to trial. This agreement is then presented to the court for the judge's approval. There are two types of Illinois Stipulated Dismissal Orders: a voluntary dismissal and a dismissal with prejudice. A voluntary dismissal is when the parties agree to dismiss the case without prejudice, meaning that the case can be brought back to court if the agreement is not followed. A dismissal with prejudice is when the case is dismissed and cannot be brought back to court. In either case, the judge must sign the Stipulated Dismissal Order before it can take effect. The judge will review the agreement and may ask questions to ensure that the agreement is fair and reasonable. If the judge finds that the agreement is fair and reasonable, they will sign the order and the case will be dismissed.