735 ILCS 5/2-210
2021 Illinois Compiled Statutes|Chapter 735 - CIVIL PROCEDURE|735 ILCS 5/ - Code of Civil Procedure.|Article II - Civil Practice

 (from Ch. 110, par. 2-210)Sec. 2-210.     Aircraft and Watercraft.     (a) For the purposes of this Section:"aircraft" means any contrivance now known, or hereafter invented,  used or designed for flight in the air;"watercraft" means any boat, vessel, craft or floating thing designed  for navigation in the water; and"waters of this State" means the Illinois portion of all boundary  lakes and rivers, and all lakes, rivers, streams, ponds and canals  within the State of Illinois.(b) The use and operation by any person of an aircraft on the  land of or in the air over this State or the use and operation by any  person of a watercraft in the waters of this State, shall be deemed an  appointment by such person of the Secretary of State, to be his or her true and  lawful attorney upon whom may be served all legal process in any action  or proceeding against him or her, growing out of such use or resulting in  damage or loss to person or property, and such use or operation shall be  signification of his or her agreement that any such process against him or her which  is so served, shall be of the same legal force and validity as though  served upon him or her personally if such person is a nonresident of this State  or at the time a cause of action arises is a resident of this State but  subsequently becomes a nonresident of this State. Service of such  process shall be made by serving a copy upon the Secretary of State, or  by filing such copy in his or her office, together with a fee of $2.00, and  such service shall be sufficient service upon such person; if notice of  such service and a copy of the process are, within 10 days thereafter,  sent by registered mail by the plaintiff to the defendant, at the last  known address of the defendant, and the plaintiff's affidavit of  compliance herewith is appended to the summons. The court in which the  action is pending may order such continuances as may be necessary to  afford the defendant reasonable opportunity to defend the action. The  fee of $2.00 paid by the plaintiff to the Secretary of State at the time  of the service shall be taxed in his or her costs, if he or she prevails in the action.  The Secretary of State shall keep a record of all such processes, which  shall show the day and hours of such services.(c) When a final judgment is entered against any non-resident  defendant who has not received notice of service and a copy of  the process by registered mail, required to be sent to him or her as above  provided, and such person, his or her heirs, legatees,  executor, administrator  or other legal representatives, as the case may require, shall within  one year after the written notice is given to  him or her of such judgment, or  within 5 years after such judgment, if no such notice has been given,  as above stated, appear and petition the court to be  heard regarding such judgment, and shall pay such costs as the court may deem  reasonable in that behalf, the person so petitioning may appear and  answer the plaintiff's allegations, and thereupon such proceeding shall  be had as if the defendant had appeared in due time and no judgment  had been entered. If it appears upon the hearing that  the judgment  ought not to have been entered against the  defendant, the judgment may be set  aside, altered or amended as shall appear just; otherwise, it shall be  ordered that the judgment stands confirmed against such defendant.  The judgment shall  after 5 years from the entry thereof, if not set aside in the manner  stated above, be deemed and adjudged confirmed against such defendant, and  all persons claiming under him or her by virtue of any act done subsequent to  the commencement of such action, and at the end of the 5 years,  the court may enter such further orders as shall be  required for the enforcement of the judgment.    (Source: P.A. 84-549.)