(a) If, after the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1995, any lessee or occupant is charged during his or her lease or contract term with having committed an offense on the premises constituting a Class X felony under the laws of this State, upon a judicial finding of probable cause at a preliminary hearing or indictment by a grand jury, the lease or contract for letting the premises shall, at the option of the lessor or the lessor’s assignee, become void, and the owner or the owner’s assignee may notify the lessee or occupant by posting a written notice at the premises requiring the lessee or occupant to vacate the leased premises on or before a date 5 days after the giving of the notice. The notice shall state the basis for its issuance on forms provided by the circuit court clerk of the county in which the real property is located. The owner or owner’s assignee may have the same remedy to recover possession of the premises as against a tenant holding over after the expiration of his or her term. The owner or lessor may bring an eviction action.
     (b) A person does not forfeit his or her security deposit or any part of the security deposit due solely to an eviction under the provisions of this Section.

Attorney's Note

Under the Illinois Statutes, punishments for crimes depend on the classification. In the case of this section:
ClassPrisonFine
Class X felonybetween 6 and 30 yearsup to $25,000
For details, see § Ill. Comp. Stat. 730 ILCS 5/5-4.5-25
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Terms Used In Illinois Compiled Statutes 765 ILCS 705/5

  • Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
  • Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
  • Grand jury: agreement providing that a lender will delay exercising its rights (in the case of a mortgage,
  • Indictment: The formal charge issued by a grand jury stating that there is enough evidence that the defendant committed the crime to justify having a trial; it is used primarily for felonies.
  • Lease: A contract transferring the use of property or occupancy of land, space, structures, or equipment in consideration of a payment (e.g., rent). Source: OCC
  • Plaintiff: The person who files the complaint in a civil lawsuit.
  • Preliminary hearing: A hearing where the judge decides whether there is enough evidence to make the defendant have a trial.
  • Probable cause: A reasonable ground for belief that the offender violated a specific law.
  • Real property: Land, and all immovable fixtures erected on, growing on, or affixed to the land.
  • State: when applied to different parts of the United States, may be construed to include the District of Columbia and the several territories, and the words "United States" may be construed to include the said district and territories. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 5 ILCS 70/1.14
  • United States: may be construed to include the said district and territories. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 5 ILCS 70/1.14

     (c) If a lessor or the lessor’s assignee voids a contract under the provisions of this Section, and a tenant or occupant has not vacated the premises within 5 days after receipt of a written notice to vacate the premises, the lessor or the lessor’s assignee may seek relief under Article IX of the Code of Civil Procedure. Notwithstanding Sections 9-112, 9-113, and 9-114 of the Code of Civil Procedure, judgment for costs against the plaintiff seeking eviction under this Section shall not be awarded to the defendant unless the action was brought by the plaintiff in bad faith. An eviction action under this Section shall not be deemed to be in bad faith if the plaintiff based his or her cause of action on information provided to him or her by a law enforcement agency or the State’s Attorney.
     (d) The provisions of this Section are enforceable only if the lessee or occupant and the owner or owner’s assignee have executed a lease addendum for drug free housing as promulgated by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development or a substantially similar document.