Illinois Additional Reasons for Lawsuit

What the Additional Reasons for Lawsuit form is

Additional Reasons for Lawsuit (form ATJ 563.1, approved 02/2026) is a two-page attachment to the Illinois statewide Complaint or Petition. Section C of the complaint, Reasons for Lawsuit, has room for eight numbered paragraphs. When you need more, this form continues the numbering from paragraph 9 through paragraph 25. The official copy is on the Illinois Courts Complaint or Petition page, alongside the How to File instructions.

The form says to use it only if you run out of space in section C, to attach it to your Complaint or Petition as an additional page, and to file them together. Like the main form, it states it is approved by the Illinois Supreme Court and must be accepted in all Illinois Circuit Courts.

How it fits with the other forms

The Illinois Complaint or Petition set has three fillable parts:

• Complaint or Petition: the main four-page form that starts the civil case.
• Additional Reasons for Lawsuit (this form): more numbered paragraphs for the facts and legal reasons.
• Additional Defendant/Respondent Information: room to list more than 3 defendants.

On page 2 of the complaint there is a checkbox that reads "I need more space to explain, and I have filled out and attached an Additional Reasons for Lawsuit form." Check it whenever you attach this form so the clerk and judge know a continuation page follows.

Who uses it

Anyone filing the general Complaint or Petition whose facts do not fit in eight paragraphs, for example a case with a longer timeline, several related events, or several defendants whose roles need separate explanation. The complaint itself says that if you sue more than one defendant, you must explain which facts and legal reasons apply to each, which often takes extra paragraphs.

What to have ready

• Your completed or drafted Complaint or Petition, so the caption matches exactly.
• Your list of remaining facts, in date order, starting where paragraph 8 ended.
• Any law or rule you are relying on.

How to fill it out online

Click "Fill Template Now", type into the fields, and download the PDF so you can file it with the complaint. The form has these parts.

Case caption

Select the County and enter the Plaintiff/Petitioner or In Re and Defendants/Respondents names. The form says to enter the case information as it appears on your other court documents, so copy the names from your complaint. If you file both together, the clerk has not assigned a Case Number yet, so leave it blank unless you already have one.

Paragraphs 9 to 25

Each numbered field holds one paragraph. Follow the same approach the complaint asks for in section C: one fact or issue per paragraph, specific names, dates, and places, and the laws or rules that support your case. The official instructions suggest ordering paragraphs by date and note that a paragraph can be as short as one sentence.

Page 2 header and overflow

Page 2 repeats the Case Number line. If you still need more room after paragraph 25, the form says to use a separate piece of paper and continue numbering from 26.

There is no signature block on this form. The signature on page 4 of the Complaint or Petition covers the filing.

Filing in Illinois: e-filing, exemptions, and fees

As of October 2026, the Illinois courts state that e-filing is mandatory in all civil cases in the Supreme, Appellate, and Circuit Courts (Illinois Courts e-filing information for filers without lawyers). The official instructions say most people e-file through Odyssey eFileIL at ilcourts.info/efile, which accepts PDF files, so the completed PDF you download is the kind of document you upload.

The instructions list people who do not have to e-file, such as self-represented people in prison or jail and people with a disability that keeps them from e-filing. Others may qualify for an exemption, for example if they have no internet or computer access at home, no email account, no credit card, debit card, or bank account, or trouble reading, writing, or speaking English. To ask for one, file the Certification for Exemption from E-Filing (ilcourts.info/exempt) with your forms at the Circuit Clerk's office or by mail.

There may be a filing fee, and it varies by county and case type, so check with your Circuit Clerk. If you cannot afford the costs, the instructions point to the statewide Application for Waiver of Court Fees at ilcourts.info/fee-waiver-forms.

Common mistakes

• Restarting the numbering at 1 instead of continuing at 9.
• Forgetting to check the matching box in section C of the complaint.
• Caption names that do not match the complaint exactly.
• Uploading the attachment as a separate filing instead of filing it together with the complaint.
• Attaching evidence. The instructions say to attach only a written document the lawsuit is based on, such as a contract, and to present other evidence later.

Illinois court self-help resources

• Illinois Courts Complaint or Petition form set, including the How to File a Complaint or Petition instructions.
• Illinois Court Help: call or text 833-411-1121, or visit ilcourthelp.gov.
• Illinois Legal Aid Online's directory of local legal self-help centers, plus its legal glossary.

These resources explain court procedure. They, and this page, cannot tell you whether you have a claim, what to ask for, or which law applies. For that, talk to a lawyer or a legal aid organization.