Public Act 0098 98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

  
  
  

 


 
Public Act 098-0098
 
HB2905 EnrolledLRB098 08988 RLC 39123 b

    AN ACT concerning criminal law.
 
    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
 
    Section 5. The Criminal Code of 2012 is amended by changing
Section 32-13 as follows:
 
    (720 ILCS 5/32-13)
    Sec. 32-13. Unlawful clouding of title.
    (a) Any person who intentionally records or files or causes
to be recorded or filed any document in the office of the
recorder or registrar of titles of any county of this State
that is a cloud on the title of land in this State, knowing
that the theory upon which the purported cloud on title is
based is not recognized as a legitimate legal theory by the
courts of this State or of the United States, commits the
offense of unlawful clouding of title.
    (b) Unlawful clouding of title is a Class A misdemeanor for
a first offense if the cloud on the title has a value that does
not exceed $10,000. Unlawful clouding of title is a Class 4
felony if the cloud on the title has a value that exceeds
$10,000, or for a second or subsequent offense.
    (c) In addition to any other sentence that may be imposed,
the court shall order any person convicted of a violation of
this Section, or placed on supervision for a violation of this
Section, to execute a release of the purported cloud on title
as may be requested by or on behalf of any person whose
property is encumbered or potentially encumbered by the
document filed. Irrespective of whether or not a person charged
under this Section is convicted of the offense of unlawful
clouding of title, when the evidence demonstrates that, as a
matter of law, the cloud on title is not a type of cloud
recognized or authorized by the courts of this State or the
United States, the court shall forthwith direct the recorder or
registrar of titles to expunge the cloud.
    (c-5) This Section does not apply to an attorney licensed
to practice law in this State who in good faith files a lien on
behalf of his or her client and who in good faith believes that
the validity of the lien is supported by statutory law, by a
decision of a court of law, or by a good faith argument for an
extension, modification, or reversal of existing court
decisions relating to the validity of the lien.
    (d) For purposes of this Section, "cloud on title" or
"cloud on the title" means an outstanding claim or encumbrance
that, if valid, would affect or impair the title of the owner
of an estate in land and on its face has that effect, but can be
shown by extrinsic proof to be invalid or inapplicable to that
estate.
(Source: P.A. 89-682, eff. 1-1-97.)

Effective Date: 1/1/2014