An Illinois Distress Warrant is a type of court order that allows a landlord or property owner to collect overdue rent from a tenant. It is a legal process initiated by the landlord in order to recoup unpaid rent from a tenant. It is issued by a judge and allows the landlord to seize the tenant's personal property and sell it at public auction in order to recover the unpaid rent. There are two types of Illinois Distress Warrants: a Summary Distress Warrant and an Absolute Distress Warrant. A Summary Distress Warrant is used to collect overdue rent from tenants before filing an eviction lawsuit. An Absolute Distress Warrant is used to collect overdue rent from a tenant after a judge has already ruled in favor of the landlord in an eviction lawsuit.




