Illinois SUMMONS is a legal document issued by a court in the state of Illinois. It is a document which formally notifies an individual of a pending legal action against them. Illinois SUMMONS can be issued for civil, criminal, or administrative court proceedings. There are two types of Illinois SUMMONS: Original Summons and Service of Process. Original Summons is issued by the court and is served upon the defendant by a sheriff or registered process server. Service of Process is a method of delivering the Original Summons to the defendant. The process server will serve the document by personally handing it to the defendant or leaving it with a person over the age of 18 at the defendant's residence. Once the defendant has been served with the Illinois SUMMONS, they are required to respond to the court within 30 days. Failure to do so may result in a default judgment being issued against them.