LibGuides: Illinois Legal Research: Treatises, Encylopedias and Practice Materials

General Sources

Treatises, encyclopedias and practice guides discuss the principles, theory and application of the law. The following cover general Illinois law. The following are print sources, but online versions are available -- they're linked in the box on the left.

Illinois Practice Series
Location: Illinois Alcove, KFI1280 .I4 Index. This is a multivolume set, with separate volumes on numerous subjects--civil procedure, criminal practice and procedure, business organizations, real estate, family law, law of medical practice, DUI, construction law, and several others.
Illinois Law and Practice
Location: Illinois Alcove, KFI1265 .I442x. Encyclopedia providing coverage of a broad range of legal topics, based on current Illinois case law, statutes, and rules.
Illinois Appellate Practice
Location: Illinois Alcove, KFI1755 .Q5. Useful for those intending to appeal a case. Intended for attorneys, but has detailed procedural information, forms and sample briefs that could be helpful for the general public.
Illinois Jurisprudence
Location: KFI1230.5 .L38 1992. An encyclopedia on Illinois law that provides encyclopedic analysis of broad subjects--Criminal Law, Family Law, etc.
Midwest Transaction Guide
Location: Illinois Alcove, KFI1413 .Y68. 14 volumes. Guide to business, wills and trusts, commercial, real estate and personal transactions covers Illinois, Indiana and Michigan. Summarizes state and federal law and secondary legal sources. The practice guide sections include discussions of current business practices, tips for drafting and reviewing documents, a procedural guide and a collection of forms for each state.

IICLE Online This link opens in a new window
Illinois Continuing Legal Education materials, published to support practitioners and others working on legal issues in Illinois in a majority of practice areas. Includes theoretical groundwork as well as practice tips and forms.
Only Available on-campus.

Online Sources

Many of the sources listed on this page are also available online through Westlaw and Lexis+ (law students and faculty only):

Illinois Practice Series
Westlaw ILPRAC
Illinois Law and Practice
Westlaw IL-LP
Illinois Jurisprudence
Lexis ILL;ILJUR
Midwest Transaction Guide
Lexis ILL;MWBUS
Gitlin on Divorce
Lexis ILL;GITLIN
Illinois Tort Law
Lexis ILL;ILTORT
Employment in Illinois
Lexis ILL;ILEMP

IICLE Online This link opens in a new window
Illinois Continuing Legal Education materials, published to support practitioners and others working on legal issues in Illinois in a majority of practice areas. Includes theoretical groundwork as well as practice tips and forms.
Only Available on-campus.

Forms

Illinois Civil Practice Forms
Location: Illinois Alcove, KFI1730 .A65 C55. Arranged by subject. Provides statutes and caselaw, key numbers, ALR articles, and other secondary materials. Has illustrations, reminders, and practice tips.
Nichols Illinois Civil Practice, with Forms.
Location: Illinois Alcove, KFI1730 .N5. Arranged by procedural posture. Early volumes are general considerations, then it moves to summons and appearance, through appeal. Provides key numbers, statutes, caselaw, and citations to ALR articles. Includes illustrations, reminders, and practice tips. ADR Handbook is a resource for resolution other than by trial.
Illinois Forms: Practice-Oriented Forms for Illinois Legal and Business Transactions
Location: KFI1268 .I56. Arranged by subject. Provides a detailed subject index embracing things like parties (adjoining landowners), litigation subjects (mechanics liens), and transactions (mergers, consolidations, and acquisitions). Provides detailed checklists. Focus includes property, contract, and business organizations. Some coverage of estate planning, family law, and consumer protection.

Online Forms

The sources listed below are available online through Westlaw (law students and faculty only):

Illinois Civil Practice Forms
Westlaw IL-CIVPRAC
Nichols Illinois Civil Practice with Forms
Westlaw NICHOLS-ILCP

State of Illinois Forms

Illinois Business Portal
Business forms that must be filed with a state agency. Search by topic, agency, or keyword.
Illinois Secretary of State
Forms to file with the Secretary of State. Includes forms related to motor vehicles, business organizations, administrative hearings, and voter registration.
Champaign County Circuit Clerk--Forms and Resources
Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County--Court Forms

Secondary Sources

Secondary sources explain and interpret the primary sources. Some key secondary sources are treatises, encyclopedias, and forms. This page includes some general secondary sources for Illinois law. The print versions are listed in the center of the page and the online versions are linked on the left.

Sources by Area of Law

IICLE - Representing Residential Tenants (Print)
Location: Illinois Alcove, KFI1317 .R47 1998. Provides explanations, citations to statutes and caselaw, and even some forms and checklists. For example, Chapter 4, Eviction and Rent Claim Defenses and Counterclaims, discusses the entire legal process of representing a tenant in an eviction action, and is arranged sequentially, starting with the initial client interview and progressing through an eviction proceeding up to post-judgment motions and eviction appeals.
IICLE - Forcible Entry and Detainer Actions (Print)
Location: Illinois Alcove, KFI1317 .V36 2007. This IICLE publication explains the law of eviction. Unfortunately, it is written in a very dense style that may be difficult for non-attorneys or non-law students to understand.
Gitlin on Divorce
Location: Illinois Alcove, KFI1300 .G57 2022. 3-volumes. Comprehensive discussion of Illinois divorce law. Includes forms and charts, such as those disclosing patterns in spousal maintenance awards by Illinois courts.
Illinois Personal Injury
Location: Illinois Alcove, KFI1397.P3 I45 1989. 13 volumes. Coverage of Illinois personal injury law includes citations to relevant Illinois Supreme Court cases, state court of appeals decisions, and other specialized court cases. Includes a general index, a tables volume, and a binder for the Quarterly Alerts.
Illinois Tort Law
Location: Illinois Alcove, KFI1395 .P64 2000. Quick-reference guide that summarizes the legal requirements of most causes of action based in tort, and examines in detail the common law and statutory requirements of each cause of action.
Employment in Illinois
Location: Illinois Alcove, KFI1531 .S282. 1 volume. Preface says it is intended as a guide for small businessmen, rather than a very detailed treatise for attorneys; organizes the mix of federal and state laws and regulations that affect employers.
Horner Probate, Practice and Estates
Location: Illinois Alcove, KFI1344 .H67x. 8 volumes. Covers the steps, issues, and legal requirements of probate and estate proceedings. Covers durable power of attorney, guardianship, will contests, and executors and administrators. Updated by an annual pocket part. Includes checklists and forms, tables of citations, regulations, and cases; lists of index topics; and indexes to text and forms.