ILCS » Chapter 65 · Act 5
Illinois Compiled Statutes

65 ILCS 5/7-1-4 (2026)

The cause shall be heard without further pleadings

✓ current as of May 2026
Find cases: SyfertCases citing this section IL-ILGAilga.gov JustiaChapter on Justia CornellLII Search CasesGoogle Scholar
(65 ILCS 5/7-1-4) (from Ch. 24, par. 7-1-4)
    Sec. 7-1-4. The cause shall be heard without further pleadings. At the hearing the objector may be heard in person or by counsel.
    Prior to hearing evidence on the validity of the annexation petition or ordinance, the court shall hear and determine any objection under sub-paragraph (4) of Section 7-1-3. If the court is satisfied that such objection is valid, it shall order the petition or ordinance to be amended to eliminate such objector's land from the territory sought to be annexed. Thereafter upon this hearing the only matter for determination shall be the validity of the annexation petition or ordinance, as the case may be, and the decision of the court shall be final. All petitions shall be supported by an affidavit of one or more of the petitioners, or some one on their behalf, that the signatures on the petition represent a majority of the property owners of record of land in the territory described and a majority of the electors of the territory therein described. Petitions so verified shall be accepted as prima facie evidence of such facts. If the court finds that (1) the annexation petition is not signed by the requisite number of electors or property owners of record; or (2) that the described property is not contiguous to the annexing municipality; or (3) that the description is materially defective; or (4) that the petition or ordinance, as the case may be, is otherwise invalid, the court shall dismiss the petition or ordinance, as the case may be.
    But if the court finds that the petition or ordinance, as the case may be, is valid, the court shall (1) enter an order describing the territory to be annexed, (2) find that the petition or ordinance, as the case may be, conforms to this Article, and (3) direct that the question of annexation be submitted to the corporate authorities of the annexing municipality or to the electors of the unincorporated territory, as the case may be, for final action. A certified copy of the order of the court directing that the question of annexation be submitted to the corporate authorities shall be sent to the clerk of the annexing municipality.
    Appeals shall lie from any final order of the court as in other civil actions.
(Source: P.A. 81-448.)

    
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 5 cases, 2001–2018 · leading case: People Ex Rel. Graf v. Vill. of Lake Bluff, 795 N.E.2d 281 (Ill. 2003).
Sort: Relevance Newest Treatment
People Ex Rel. Graf v. Vill. of Lake Bluff, 795 N.E.2d 281 (Ill. 2003). · cites it 4× “After a hearing, the court found that the petition conformed to section 7-1-4 of the Code (65 ILCS 5/7-1-4 (West 2000)) and ordered that the question of annexation be submitted to the corporate authorities of the Village.”
People Ex Rel. Graf v. Vill. of Lake Bluff, 748 N.E.2d 801 (Ill. App. Ct. 2001). · cites it 7× “See 65 ILCS 5/7-1-4 (West 1998). The court found the annexation to comply with the statutory requirements and directed that the annexation be submitted by referendum to the electors residing in the Sanctuary.”
Sibenaller v. Milschewski, 884 N.E.2d 1215 (Ill. App. Ct. 2008). · cites it 2× “These steps include the filing of an ordinance (by the municipality) or a petition (by the land owners/electors) requesting annexation (see 65 ILCS 5/7-1-2 (West 2006)); the filing of objections to the ordinance or petition (see 65 ILCS 5/7-1-3 (West 2006)); and a hearing on the…”
Chicago Title Land Trust Co. v. Cnty. of Will, 2018 IL App (3d) 160713 (Ill. App. Ct. 2018). “However, we reject the Village's contention that this court may not properly consider the Village's conduct prior to the March 8, 2016, annexation of the ComEd property because this approach is contrary to well established case law interpreting the plain language of section…”
In Re Vill. of Bull Valley, 912 N.E.2d 194 (Ill. App. Ct. 2009). “Section 7-1-4 of the Code prescribes four situations under which the trial court must dismiss the petition requesting annexation: (1) the petition is not signed by the requisite number of electors or property owners of record; or (2) the described property is not contiguous to…”
Annotations are extracted automatically from the opinions in the Syfert caselaw corpus and ranked by authority, recency, and treatment. Dots show Syfertize treatment of the citing case itself.