The Laws of Chicago for Non-Lawyers

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Incline Definitions

Throughout the Chicago Code, very specific legal definitions are provided for specialized and mundane terminology. If you don’t know which words have unique definitions and what those definitions are, then you can’t understand what a law means. Chicago Decoded solves this problem by identifying every definition in the Chicago Code and providing a pop-up definition every time a defined word appears.

Bulk Downloads

Chicago Decoded isn’t just a pretty website—you can take the laws with you, too. On our downloads page, you can get copies of all of the Chicago laws in any format you like to do whatever you like. They’re available in formats meant for you to read and in formats meant for software to read, too. If you’re a software developer, you’ll love our API!

Our website offers legal resources and templates created according to Illinois laws and regulations. We continue to prove to our community that you don’t have to be a lawyer to prepare quality and effective documents. Our forms are already checked by specialists, so you are free to select the relevant template, fill out all the required information, save the document, and print it whenever you need to. All the templates are divided into sections for your convenience. Do not hesitate to use any of them.

Illinois Bill of Sale Forms 

Buying or selling personal property or items is almost always an integral part of everyone’s life. So, it’s crucial to understand how to make this process efficient and secure. First, you must remember that every transaction has a receipt; for personal property transactions, such receipts can be represented by Illinois bill of sale forms.

It’s essential to create a bill of sale specific to the property sold. Thus, if you sell a vehicle, you need to fill out an Illinois motor vehicle (car) bill of sale. This fillable form will help you create a valid legally-binding document that will protect you from any misunderstandings related to the deal. Additionally, this bill of sale will help the buyer register their newly purchased vehicle with the DMV office.

To buy a firearm in Illinois, you will need a permit. Illinois state laws do not require preparing and signing a firearm bill of sale, but this document can add additional security to the transaction. In Illinois, a person is not required to register a gun to possess and carry it. However, the buyer must undergo a background check to prove they can purchase a firearm.

Illinois Power of Attorney Forms

This section is devoted to Illinois power of attorney forms allowing a person to designate another person as their representative in various matters. These templates include the necessary sections and usually offer a list of powers you can grant to your attorney-in-fact. So, you will only have to gather the relevant details and fill out the document.

If you plan to grant your agent the authority to make decisions on your behalf, even if you become incapacitated, you will need an Illinois durable power of attorney. “Durable” means that a power of attorney will not lose effectiveness until the person dies. Note that this form is used only for financial matters. If you need a healthcare representative, you must fill out the following template.

Illinois medical power of attorney is designed to appoint an agent to make health care decisions on your behalf. These are decisions regarding end-of-life and life-sustaining treatments and relief of pain. This form can also indicate limitations for your agent. Note that a medical POA is also durable, allowing the representative to act on the principal’s behalf in an emergency or terminal condition.

You can also appoint another person to handle your real estate matters. For this purpose, you need to use an Illinois real estate power of attorney. This real estate form will allow your agent to sign documents related to real estate, including the sale, purchase, and lease agreements. Your representative will have the authority to establish rent terms and evict tenants.

There is also a power of attorney form for tax purposes. An Illinois tax power of attorney, known as Form IL-2848, allows a designated agent to file the principal’s tax returns. When preparing this POA, you will need to fill out the taxpayer information, tax types and periods, and ID numbers. Remember to sign the document in the presence of a notary public or a witness.

Illinois Rental Forms

A person looking for an apartment or room to rent in Illinois must be ready to sign a lease agreement with a landlord. Illinois lease agreement forms may be used for various purposes, such as month tenancies, rent-to-own, or subleasing. Each template has the necessary sections to fill out so you can prepare your unique document in no time.

If you live in Chicago, you will have to use a particular lease agreement template known as Chicago Special Residential Lease Agreement Form. This template is provided by the Chicago Association of Realtors and, compared to a standard lease agreement, contains fewer parts that the parties can negotiate. The document also includes several information disclosures both parties must agree to.

To inform another party about the desire to terminate a tenancy, a landlord or tenant must prepare a lease termination letter. Illinois lease termination letter form (30-day notice) is a legal document requesting the tenant to leave the premises or informing the landlord about the tenant’s leaving. For Illinois, the minimum termination period is 30 days.

Sometimes, the landlord decides to terminate the lease agreement due to some lease violations by the tenant. In this case, the landlord must select from Illinois eviction notice forms and warn the tenant about the possible eviction process. As a rule, this notice allows curing the violation, for example, to pay the rent or fix the damage. However, in case of illegal activities, the tenant may be evicted immediately.

Illinois 5-day notice to quit is used to notify a tenant about past-due rent. In this document, you need to specify the amount of the tenant’s debt. If the tenant fails to pay the total amount during a specified period, the landlord may start the eviction. Our fillable template will help you customize and get a quality document in minutes.

Illinois Real Estate Forms

Illinois quitclaim deed transfers a property between family members or friends. It’s recommended to use this legal instrument between the parties who trust each other since the deed does not provide warranties. To prepare a valid quitclaim deed in Illinois, you must identify the parties, describe the property transferred, sign and notarize the forms, and file it with a local County Recorder’s Office.

Illinois real estate purchase contract is necessary to sell or buy residential or commercial real estate. Your purchase agreement form must contain the parties’ contact details, property description, and purchase price. As the seller, you must also provide a bunch of disclosures, including a Residential Real Property Disclosure Report and Lead-Based Paint Disclosure.

Illinois small estate affidavit form is used to claim the deceased person’s property. This printable form is typically completed when the deceased (decedent) fails to leave a will or other document outlining their intentions concerning their property. The form is the most practical approach to address these circumstances since it saves the heirs from having to go through a time-consuming judicial process.

A last will form can also be considered a valuable real estate tool. It helps plan how your assets and property will be distributed after the death. Preparing an Illinois last will and testament form requires several steps, like identifying the testator, naming the executor, specifying the beneficiaries, distributing the assets, and signing and witnessing the document. You can also indicate the guardian if you have any children.

Illinois Business Forms

Establishing a limited liability company should be accompanied by creating an operating agreement. This agreement is crucial for your company’s successful functioning since it outlines the internal rules, members’ responsibilities, duties, and rights. The document also specifies personal assets or possessions a person contributes or services they perform to be the LLC member. It could also show that the person is already a member.

Illinois non-compete agreement template is designed for those who want to protect their business from the competition. This document is usually signed between an employer and employee to prevent the latter from sharing the employer’s trade secrets or luring their consumers after quitting the job. A non-compete agreement template must be prepared according to Illinois laws and requirements.

A promissory note is a valuable financial instrument allowing a person to borrow money for their needs and repay them later. The document ensures that the borrower will return all the money; if not, the lender may use it as evidence in court. This Illinois template is simple and consists of the lender’s and borrower’s information, the sum of money, interest rate, and signatures. The form can also be used to give business loans.

Illinois Marriage Forms

A prenuptial agreement, or a prenup, is a legal document signed by a couple before the marriage. A prenup is an excellent legal tool to manage financial, custody, and alimony obligations in case of divorce. If you are one of these people who like to plan every little detail, you are free to use an Illinois prenuptial agreement form.

Another way to settle the divorce if you and your spouse do not have a prenuptial agreement is to prepare and sign an Illinois marital settlement (divorce) agreement. This document will help you reach an agreement much faster in case of divorce. This Illinois template covers such matters as assets and liabilities division, custody, and spousal support.

Illinois Medical Forms

If you want to ensure that you will receive the treatment you agree on in case of emergency, you are recommended to create an Illinois living will form. This Illinois document must include end-of-life care instructions, including pain relief and life-sustaining treatment. You are encouraged to prepare a medical power of attorney along with a living will to have a health care representative. This form must be signed in the presence of two witnesses.

Illinois do-not-resuscitate order (DNR) form is similar to a living will because it also provides instructions for medical workers on how they should be treated. However, the DNR form is the agreement between a patient and health care provider in which the patient states that the medical staff is not allowed to use cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Such patients usually have terminal or incurable conditions.

Other Illinois Forms

Here, you will find the list of Illinois PDF forms. They are used for various purposes, including work search, army application, enrollment, and taxes. These Illinois forms are created and structured according to the appropriate state laws. So, you can select the template, fill it out, and be sure you get a quality and valid document.

You may need a notary acknowledgment at some point in your life. It’s required to prove the authenticity of one’s signature. Often, forms that need to be notarized contain the notary acknowledgment within. Otherwise, you are encouraged to use our template. In Illinois, a notary must adhere to the Notarial Law and legislative acts governing such actions.