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Illinois Compiled Statutes

Information maintained by the Legislative Reference Bureau
Updating the database of the Illinois Compiled Statutes (ILCS) is an ongoing process. Recent laws may not yet be included in the ILCS database, but they are found on this site as Public Acts soon after they become law. For information concerning the relationship between statutes and Public Acts, refer to the Guide.

Because the statute database is maintained primarily for legislative drafting purposes, statutory changes are sometimes included in the statute database before they take effect. If the source note at the end of a Section of the statutes includes a Public Act that has not yet taken effect, the version of the law that is currently in effect may have already been removed from the database and you should refer to that Public Act to see the changes made to the current law.

MUNICIPALITIES
(65 ILCS 5/) Illinois Municipal Code.

65 ILCS 5/11-31.1-4

    (65 ILCS 5/11-31.1-4) (from Ch. 24, par. 11-31.1-4)
    Sec. 11-31.1-4. Instituting code hearing proceedings. When a building inspector finds a code violation while inspecting a structure, he shall note the violation on a multiple copy violation notice and report form, indicating the name and address of the structure owner, a citation to the specific code provision or provisions alleged to have been violated, a description of the circumstances present that constitute the alleged violation, the date and time the violation was observed, the names of witnesses to the violation, and the address of the structure where the violation is observed.
    The violation report form shall be forwarded by the building inspector to the Code Hearing Department where a Docket number shall be stamped on all copies of the report, and a hearing date noted in the blank spaces provided for that purpose on the form. The hearing date shall not be less than 30 nor more than 40 days after the violation is reported by the building inspector.
    One copy of the violation report form shall be maintained in the files of the Code Hearing Department and shall be part of the record of hearing, one copy of the report form shall be returned to the building inspector so that he may prepare evidence of the code violation for presentation at the hearing on the date indicated, and one copy of the report form shall be served by first class mail on the owner of the structure, along with a summons commanding the owner to appear at the hearing. If the municipality in which the structure is situated has an ordinance requiring property owners to register with the municipality, service may be made on the owner by mailing the report and summons to the owner's address registered with the municipality. If the name of the owner of the structure cannot be ascertained or if service on the owner cannot be made by mail, service may be made on the owner by posting or nailing a copy of the violation report form on the front door of the structure where the violation is found, not less than 20 days before the hearing is scheduled.
(Source: P.A. 97-1088, eff. 8-24-12.)

65 ILCS 5/11-31.1-5

    (65 ILCS 5/11-31.1-5) (from Ch. 24, par. 11-31.1-5)
    Sec. 11-31.1-5. Subpoenas; Defaults. At any time prior to the hearing date the hearing officer assigned to hear the case may, at the request of the building inspector or the attorney for the municipality, or the owner or his attorney, issue subpoenas directing witnesses to appear and give testimony at the hearing. If on the date set for hearing the owner or his attorney fails to appear, the hearing officer may find the owner in default and shall proceed with the hearing and accept evidence relevant to the existence of a code violation.
(Source: P.A. 86-1039.)

65 ILCS 5/11-31.1-6

    (65 ILCS 5/11-31.1-6) (from Ch. 24, par. 11-31.1-6)
    Sec. 11-31.1-6. Continuances - Representation at code hearings. No continuances shall be authorized by the hearing officer in proceedings under this Division except in cases where a continuance is absolutely necessary to protect the rights of the owner. Lack of preparation shall not be grounds for a continuance. Any continuance authorized by a hearing officer under this Division shall not exceed 25 days. The case for the municipality may be presented by the building inspector, by any other municipal employee or by an attorney designated by the municipality. However, in no event shall the case for the municipality be presented by an employee of the Code Hearing Department. The case for the dwelling owner may be presented by the owner, his attorney, or any other agent or representative.
(Source: Laws 1967, p. 1905.)

65 ILCS 5/11-31.1-7

    (65 ILCS 5/11-31.1-7) (from Ch. 24, par. 11-31.1-7)
    Sec. 11-31.1-7. Hearing; Evidence. At the hearing, a hearing officer shall preside and shall hear testimony and accept any evidence relevant to the existence or non-existence of a code violation in the structure indicated. The strict rules of evidence applicable to judicial proceedings shall not apply to hearings authorized by this Division.
(Source: P.A. 86-1039.)

65 ILCS 5/11-31.1-8

    (65 ILCS 5/11-31.1-8) (from Ch. 24, par. 11-31.1-8)
    Sec. 11-31.1-8. Eviction - Rights of the occupants. No action for eviction, abatement of a nuisance, or other similar proceeding shall be threatened or instituted against an occupant of a dwelling solely because such occupant agrees to testify or testifies at a code violation hearing.
(Source: P.A. 100-173, eff. 1-1-18.)

65 ILCS 5/11-31.1-9

    (65 ILCS 5/11-31.1-9) (from Ch. 24, par. 11-31.1-9)
    Sec. 11-31.1-9. Defenses to code violations. It shall be a defense to a code violation charged under this Division if the owner, his attorney, or any other agent or representative proves to the hearing officer's satisfaction that:
    (a) The code violation alleged in the notice does not in fact exist, or at the time of the hearing the violation has been remedied or removed;
    (b) The code violation has been caused by the current property occupants and that in spite of reasonable attempts by the owner to maintain the dwelling free of such violations, the current occupants continue to cause the violations;
    (c) An occupant or resident of the dwelling has refused entry to the owner or his agent to all or a part of the dwelling for the purpose of correcting the code violation.
(Source: P.A. 89-372, eff. 1-1-96.)

65 ILCS 5/11-31.1-10

    (65 ILCS 5/11-31.1-10) (from Ch. 24, par. 11-31.1-10)
    Sec. 11-31.1-10. Findings, decision, order. At the conclusion of the hearing the hearing officer shall make a determination on the basis of the evidence presented at the hearing whether or not a code violation exists. The determination shall be in writing and shall be designated as findings, decision and order. The findings, decision and order shall include the hearing officer's findings of fact, a decision whether or not a code violation exists based upon the findings of fact, and an order, ordering the owner to correct the violation or dismissing the case, in the event a violation is not proved. If a code violation is proved, the order may also impose the sanctions that are provided in the code for the violation proved. A copy of the findings, decision, and order shall be served on the owner within 5 days after they are issued; service shall be in the same manner as the report form and summons are served pursuant to Section 11-31.1-4. Payment of any penalty or fine and the disposition of fine money shall be in the same manner as set forth in the code, unless the corporate authorities adopting this Division provide otherwise.
(Source: P.A. 86-1039.)