Terms Used In Illinois Compiled Statutes 815 ILCS 170/5

  • Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
  • Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
  • Plaintiff: The person who files the complaint in a civil lawsuit.
     The tender last mentioned may be made either to the plaintiff or his attorney in the suit, and the defendant may avail himself of it in defense, in like manner as if it had been made before the commencement of the action, bringing into court, if the tender is not accepted, the amount so tendered for costs as well as for the debt or damages.