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Illinois Compiled Statutes

735 ILCS 5/2-603 (2026)

Form of pleadings

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(735 ILCS 5/2-603) (from Ch. 110, par. 2-603)
    Sec. 2-603. Form of pleadings. (a) All pleadings shall contain a plain and concise statement of the pleader's cause of action, counterclaim, defense, or reply.
    (b) Each separate cause of action upon which a separate recovery might be had shall be stated in a separate count or counterclaim, as the case may be and each count, counterclaim, defense or reply, shall be separately pleaded, designated and numbered, and each shall be divided into paragraphs numbered consecutively, each paragraph containing, as nearly as may be, a separate allegation.
    (c) Pleadings shall be liberally construed with a view to doing substantial justice between the parties.
(Source: P.A. 82-280.)

    
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 120 cases (42 in the last 5 years), 1993–2026 · leading case: Northbrook Bank & Trust Co. v. 2120 Div. LLC, 2015 IL App (1st) 133426.
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Northbrook Bank & Trust Co. v. 2120 Div. LLC, 2015 IL App (1st) 133426. · cites it 2× “2d 348, 351 (1986); 735 ILCS 5/2-603(b) (West 2010) (“each count, counterclaim, defense or reply, shall be separately pleaded, designated and numbered”); 735 ILCS 5/2-603(c) (West 2010) (“[p]leadings shall be liberally construed with a view to doing substantial justice between…”
Anderson v. Vanden Dorpel, 667 N.E.2d 1296 (Ill. 1996). · cites it 2× “Under the Code, a plaintiff is not required to set out the particular evidence on which her complaint is based.”
Rubino v. Circuit City Stores, Inc., 758 N.E.2d 1 (Ill. App. Ct. 1st Dist. 2001). · cites it 3× “(West 1998)) mandates that "[a]ll pleadings shall contain a plain and concise statement of the pleader's cause of action" (735 ILCS 5/2-603(a) (West 1998)) and that "[e]ach separate cause of action upon which a separate recovery might be had shall be stated in a separate count *…”
Holzrichter v. Yorath, 2013 IL App (1st) 110287, 987 N.E.2d 1. “See 735 ILCS 5/2-603(b) (West 2004) (“Each separate cause of action upon which a separate recovery might be had shall be stated in a separate count ***.”
Connick v. Suzuki Motor Co., 675 N.E.2d 584 (Ill. 1996). “If, despite all this, the court still believes that plaintiffs' complaint is deficient, it is time for it to reassess its pleading requirements.”
EMC Mortg. Corp. v. Kemp, 2012 IL 113419, 982 N.E.2d 152. “See 735 ILCS 5/2-603(c) (West 2010). In my view, the majority fails to heed this overarching principle, elevating form over substance and to no good purpose.”
Coghlan v. Beck, 2013 IL App (1st) 120891, 984 N.E.2d 132. “Although both sections 2-603(c) and 2-612(b) of the Code (735 ILCS 5/2-603(c), 2-612(b) (West 2010)) mandate the liberal construction of pleadings, these provisions do not authorize notice pleading.”
Kucinsky v. Pfister, 2020 IL App (3d) 170719, 162 N.E.3d 426. “” 735 ILCS 5/2-603(c) (West 2016). However, the requirement that a complaint set forth facts necessary for recovery cannot be satisfied, in favor of liberal construction, without the necessary allegations.”
Martin v. Heinold Commodities, Inc., 643 N.E.2d 734 (Ill. 1994). “735 ILCS 5/2-603 (West 1992). PLAINTIFFS' CROSS-RELIEF V.”
Mt. Zion State Bank & Trust v. Consol. Commc'ns, Inc., 660 N.E.2d 863 (Ill. 1995). “Incidentally, although all pleadings are to be liberally construed (735 ILCS 5/2-603(c) (West 1992)), a complaint must, nonetheless, state a cause of action by allegation of facts.”
Enbridge Pipeline (Illinois), LLC v. Hoke, 2019 IL App (4th) 150544, 123 N.E.3d 1271. “Procedural Requirements ¶ 37 Next, Pliura argues that IEPC's motion for sanctions was procedurally insufficient because it failed to comply with the pleading requirements in the Illinois Code of Civil Procedure (Code) ( 735 ILCS 5/2-603 (West 2016) ).”
Bank of Am., N.A. v. Adeyiga, 2014 IL App (1st) 131252, 29 N.E.3d 60. “” 735 ILCS 5/2-603(c) (West 2010). Construing Olufemi’s answer with the view of doing substantial justice, we find that Olufemi adequately pled standing in his answer such that the argument has not been waived, and we will address each of defendants’ arguments in turn.”
Show all 120 citing cases →
735 ILCS 5/2-603(a): 17 cases
Rocha v. FedEx Corp., 2020 IL App (1st) 190041, 164 N.E.3d 640.
Rubino v. Circuit City Stores, Inc., 758 N.E.2d 1 (Ill. App. Ct. 1st Dist. 2001). “(West 1998)) mandates that "[a]ll pleadings shall contain a plain and concise statement of the pleader's cause of action" (735 ILCS 5/2-603(a) (West 1998)) and that "[e]ach separate cause of action upon which a separate recovery might be had shall be stated in a separate count *…”
Sweports, Ltd. v. Abrams, 2021 IL App (1st) 200139-U.
C.H. v. Pla-Fit Franchise, LLC, 2017 IL App (3d) 160378, 83 N.E.3d 633.
C.H. v. Pla-Fit Franchise, LLC, 2017 IL App (3d) 160378, 83 N.E.3d 633.
735 ILCS 5/2-603(b): 25 cases
Holzrichter v. Yorath, 2013 IL App (1st) 110287, 987 N.E.2d 1. “See 735 ILCS 5/2-603(b) (West 2004) (“Each separate cause of action upon which a separate recovery might be had shall be stated in a separate count ***.”
Northbrook Bank & Trust Co. v. 2120 Div. LLC, 2015 IL App (1st) 133426. “2d 348, 351 (1986); 735 ILCS 5/2-603(b) (West 2010) (“each count, counterclaim, defense or reply, shall be separately pleaded, designated and numbered”); 735 ILCS 5/2-603(c) (West 2010) (“[p]leadings shall be liberally construed with a view to doing substantial justice between…”
Rubino v. Circuit City Stores, Inc., 758 N.E.2d 1 (Ill. App. Ct. 1st Dist. 2001). “(West 1998)) mandates that "[a]ll pleadings shall contain a plain and concise statement of the pleader's cause of action" (735 ILCS 5/2-603(a) (West 1998)) and that "[e]ach separate cause of action upon which a separate recovery might be had shall be stated in a separate count *…”
Kopf v. Kelly, 2024 IL 127464, 240 N.E.3d 1094.
Newell Co. v. Petersen, 758 N.E.2d 903 (Ill. App. Ct. 2d Dist. 2001).
735 ILCS 5/2-603(c): 44 cases
Connick v. Suzuki Motor Co., 675 N.E.2d 584 (Ill. 1996). “If, despite all this, the court still believes that plaintiffs' complaint is deficient, it is time for it to reassess its pleading requirements.”
Northbrook Bank & Trust Co. v. 2120 Div. LLC, 2015 IL App (1st) 133426. “2d 348, 351 (1986); 735 ILCS 5/2-603(b) (West 2010) (“each count, counterclaim, defense or reply, shall be separately pleaded, designated and numbered”); 735 ILCS 5/2-603(c) (West 2010) (“[p]leadings shall be liberally construed with a view to doing substantial justice between…”
EMC Mortg. Corp. v. Kemp, 2012 IL 113419, 982 N.E.2d 152. “See 735 ILCS 5/2-603(c) (West 2010). In my view, the majority fails to heed this overarching principle, elevating form over substance and to no good purpose.”
Coghlan v. Beck, 2013 IL App (1st) 120891, 984 N.E.2d 132. “Although both sections 2-603(c) and 2-612(b) of the Code (735 ILCS 5/2-603(c), 2-612(b) (West 2010)) mandate the liberal construction of pleadings, these provisions do not authorize notice pleading.”
Kucinsky v. Pfister, 2020 IL App (3d) 170719, 162 N.E.3d 426. “” 735 ILCS 5/2-603(c) (West 2016). However, the requirement that a complaint set forth facts necessary for recovery cannot be satisfied, in favor of liberal construction, without the necessary allegations.”
735 ILCS 5/2-603(e): 1 case
Katonah v. USAir, Inc., 868 F. Supp. 1031 (N.D. Ill. 1994).
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