ILCS » Chapter 705 · Act 205
Illinois Compiled Statutes

705 ILCS 205/11 (2026)

Plaintiffs shall have the liberty of prosecuting, and defendants of defending in their proper persons

✓ current as of May 2026
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(705 ILCS 205/11) (from Ch. 13, par. 11)
    Sec. 11. Plaintiffs shall have the liberty of prosecuting, and defendants of defending in their proper persons. The provisions of Section 1 hereof notwithstanding, corporations shall have the liberty to act through any officer, director, manager, department manager or supervisor in prosecuting as plaintiff or defending as defendant any small claims proceeding in any court of this State as authorized by Section 2-416 of the Code of Civil Procedure. Nothing herein contained shall be so construed as to affect any person or persons heretofore admitted to the degree of an attorney or counselor at law, by the laws of this state, so as to subject him to further examination, or make it necessary for him to renew his license.
    Nothing contained in this Act shall be construed to prohibit a corporation from prosecuting as plaintiff or defending as defendant any small claims proceeding in any court of this State through any officer, director, manager, department manager or supervisor of the corporation as authorized by Section 2-416 of the Code of Civil Procedure.
(Source: P.A. 83-909.)

    
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 13 cases (9 in the last 5 years), 2003–2024 · leading case: Vicencio v. Lincoln-Way Builders, Inc., 789 N.E.2d 290 (Ill. 2003).
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Vicencio v. Lincoln-Way Builders, Inc., 789 N.E.2d 290 (Ill. 2003). · cites it 2× “705 ILCS 205/11 (West 2000); 177 Ill.2d R.”
King v. First Capital Fin. Servs. Corp., 828 N.E.2d 1155 (Ill. 2005). “705 ILCS 205/11 (West 2002). However, section 1, despite being amended on several occasions since it was enacted, does not explicitly address the pro se exception recognized in Quinlan.”
People v. Wilson, 2023 IL App (1st) 220032 (Ill. App. Ct. 2023). “705 ILCS 205/11 (West 2020) (“Plaintiffs shall have the liberty of prosecuting, and defendants of defending in their proper persons.”
People v. Claver, 2024 IL App (1st) 240624-U (Ill. App. Ct. 2024). · cites it 2× “705 ILCS 205/11 (West 2022). An unlicensed and untrained layperson may appear in court on their own behalf.”
People v. Claver, 2024 IL App (1st) 240635-U (Ill. App. Ct. 2024). · cites it 2× “705 ILCS 205/11 (West 2022). An - 10 - No.”
People v. Claver, 2024 IL App (1st) 240622-U (Ill. App. Ct. 2024). · cites it 2× “705 ILCS 205/11 (West 2022). An - 10 - No.”
People v. Claver, 2024 IL App (1st) 240633-U (Ill. App. Ct. 2024). · cites it 2× “705 ILCS 205/11 (West 2022). An unlicensed and untrained layperson may appear in court on their own behalf.”
People v. Claver, 2024 IL App (1st) 240623-U (Ill. App. Ct. 2024). · cites it 2× “705 ILCS 205/11 (West 2022). An - 10 - No.”
People v. Claver, 2024 IL App (1st) 240634-U (Ill. App. Ct. 2024). · cites it 2× “705 ILCS 205/11 (West 2022). An unlicensed and untrained layperson may appear in court on their own behalf.”
People v. Claver, 2024 IL App (1st) 240621-U (Ill. App. Ct. 2024). · cites it 2× “705 ILCS 205/11 (West 2022). An unlicensed and untrained layperson may appear in court on their own behalf.”
In re Est. of Schneideman, 2024 IL App (1st) 230766-U (Ill. App. Ct. 2024). “705 ILCS 205/11 (West 2020) (“Plaintiffs shall have the liberty of prosecuting, and defendants of defending in their proper persons.”
Vicencio v. Lincoln-Way Builders, Inc. (Ill. 2003). “705 ILCS 205/11 (West 2000); 177 Ill. 2d R.”
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