2023 Illinois Compiled Statutes › Chapter 735 - CIVIL PROCEDURE › 735 ILCS 5/ - Code of Civil Procedure. › Article XVIII - Quo Warranto

(735 ILCS 5/Art. XVIII heading)
ARTICLE XVIII
QUO WARRANTO
(735 ILCS 5/18-101) (from Ch. 110, par. 18-101)
Sec. 18-101. 
		Grounds. 
		A proceeding in quo warranto may be brought in case:
(1) Any person usurps, intrudes into, or unlawfully holds or
executes any office, or franchise, or any office in any corporation
created by authority of this State;
(2) Any person holds or claims to hold or exercise any
privilege, exemption or license which has been improperly or without
warrant of law issued or granted by any officer, board, commissioner,
court, or other person or persons authorized or empowered by law to
grant or issue such privilege, exemption or license;
(3) Any public officer has done, or allowed any act which by
the provisions of law, works a forfeiture of his or her office;
(4) Any association or number of persons act within this State
as a corporation without being legally incorporated;
(5) Any corporation does or omits to do any act which amounts to a
surrender or forfeiture of its rights and privileges as a corporation,
or exercises powers not conferred by law;
(6) Any railroad company doing business in this State
charges an extortionate rate for the transportation of any freight or
passenger, or makes any unjust discrimination in the rate of
freight or passenger tariff over or upon its railroad.
(Source: P.A. 82-280.)
(735 ILCS 5/18-102) (from Ch. 110, par. 18-102)
Sec. 18-102. 
		Parties. 
		The proceeding shall be brought in the name of the People of
the State of Illinois by the Attorney General or State's Attorney of the
proper county, either of his or her own accord or at the instance of any
individual relator; or by any citizen having an interest in the question
on his or her own relation, when he or she has requested the Attorney General and
State's Attorney to bring the same, and the Attorney General and State's
Attorney have refused or failed to do so, and when, after notice to the
Attorney General and State's Attorney, and to the adverse party, of the
intended application, leave has been granted by the circuit court.
(Source: P.A. 82-280.)
(735 ILCS 5/18-103) (from Ch. 110, par. 18-103)
Sec. 18-103. 
		Pleadings. 
		The People of the State of Illinois shall be deemed the
plaintiff and the adverse parties shall be defendants, and the first
pleading by the plaintiff shall be designated a complaint. The complaint
need not set forth the basis of the challenge, but may in general terms
allege that the defendant is exercising the claimed right without lawful
authority and call upon the defendant to show by what warrant he,
 she or it exercises it, and if more than one ground exists they may all be joined
in one count.
When the complaint is filed by a citizen on his or her own relation, it
shall be alleged therein that his or her requests of the Attorney General and
the State's Attorney, respectively, to bring the action, have been
refused, or that they have failed to act, as the case may be, and that
leave of court to file the complaint has been granted as
provided in Article XVIII of this Act.
The several rights of diverse parties to the same office or
franchise, privilege, exemption or license, may properly be determined
in one action, and all such persons may be joined in the same complaint,
in order to try their respective rights to such office, franchise,
privilege, exemption or license; but the court, in its discretion, may
order separate trials when convenience in the determination of any of
such rights so requires. No matters not germane to the
distinctive purpose of the proceeding shall be introduced by joinder,
counterclaim or otherwise.
If the plaintiff elects to set forth expressly in the complaint the
grounds for an attack on the defendant's claimed right, the defendant
may answer the complaint or present a motion directed thereto as in
other civil actions, but if the complaint is in general terms, as
 provided in Article XVIII of this Act, the defendant shall by answer disclaim
or justify,
and, if the defendant justifies, shall set out the facts which show the lawful
authority to exercise the right claimed. The plaintiff may reply to the
answer or present a motion directed thereto as in other civil cases.
(Source: P.A. 82-280.)
(735 ILCS 5/18-104) (from Ch. 110, par. 18-104)
Sec. 18-104. 
		Limitation. 
		No action shall be brought by quo warranto, or otherwise, questioning
the legality of the organization of any county, city, village,
incorporated town, township, school district, park district, road
district, drainage district, sanitary district, authority or any other
municipal corporation or political subdivision in the State of Illinois
after such municipal corporation or political subdivision has been in de
facto existence for a period of 3 years.
(Source: P.A. 82-280.)
(735 ILCS 5/18-105) (from Ch. 110, par. 18-105)
Sec. 18-105. 
		Security for costs. 
		When the action is brought by any
citizen on his or her own
relation, as above provided, he or she shall file security for costs to be
approved by the clerk, at the time the complaint is filed.
(Source: P.A. 82-280.)
(735 ILCS 5/18-106) (from Ch. 110, par. 18-106)
Sec. 18-106. 
		Summons - Appearance. 
		Upon the filing of the complaint, the
clerk of court shall
issue a summons, in like form, as near as may be, as summons in other
civil cases. The summons shall be made returnable within a time designated
by the plaintiff not less than 5 nor more than 30 days
after the service of the summons. Every defendant who is served with
summons shall answer or otherwise appear on or before the
return day of the summons, unless the time for doing so is extended by the court.
If the defendant fails to do so, judgment may
be entered against the defendant. Reply to or motion directed against
the answer may be filed by the plaintiff within 5 days after
the last day allowed for the filing of the answer, unless the time for doing
so is extended by the court.
(Source: P.A. 83-357.)
(735 ILCS 5/18-107) (from Ch. 110, par. 18-107)
Sec. 18-107. 
		Seeking wrong remedy not fatal. 
		Where relief is
sought under Article XVIII of this Act and the court determines, on
motion directed to the pleadings, or on motion for summary judgment or
upon trial, that the plaintiff has pleaded or established facts which
entitle the plaintiff to relief but that the plaintiff has sought the wrong
remedy, the court
shall permit the pleadings to be amended, on just and reasonable terms,
and the court shall grant the relief to which plaintiff is entitled on
the amended pleadings or upon the evidence. In considering whether a
proposed amendment is just and reasonable, the court shall consider the
right of the defendant to assert additional defenses, to demand a trial
by jury, to plead a counterclaim or third party complaint, and to order
the plaintiff to take additional steps which were not required under the
pleadings as previously filed.
(Source: P.A. 82-280.)
(735 ILCS 5/18-108) (from Ch. 110, par. 18-108)
Sec. 18-108. 
		Judgment. 
		The court shall determine and adjudge
the rights of all
parties to the proceeding.  In case any person or corporation against
whom such complaint is filed is adjudged guilty as charged in the
complaint, the court may enter judgment of ouster against such person
or corporation from the office or franchise, and fine such person or
corporation, and also enter judgment in favor of the relator for the
cost of the prosecution.  Instead of entering judgment of ouster
from a franchise for an abuse thereof, the court may fine the person or
corporation found guilty in any sum not exceeding $25,000.00 for each
offense.  When judgment is entered in favor of any defendant, such defendant
shall recover costs against the relator.
(Source: P.A. 83-707.)