Failure to perform an action or obligation that is legally required, such as to appear in court or to respond at a time assigned.

A decision made by the court. 

A general term used to refer to legal documents filed in a case.

A notification that a lawsuit has been filed against the named recipient stated on the summons.

An issuance that attempts to enforce the judgment entered by the court by authorizing a sheriff to carry it out.

Docketing is a process of entering case information about legal proceedings in a docket. A docket includes information about legal documents filed and the parties involved in a case.

• If there is no activity in the file for five years, then the file is destroyed.
• If records are inactive for two years, then they are moved offsite.

• Case Number
• Docket Number
• Party Name
• Defendant name
• Reference Document
• Cause

Claims over $50,000; examples of case types include the following:

• Auto Negligence
• Contract and Debt
• Foreign Judgments
• Ejectment
• Eminent Domain
• Real Property/Foreclosures

All Circuit Civil lawsuits and pleadings filed are maintained in the File and Docketing area at the Main Courthouse, on third floor in room 3.2300. You also can search for a case docket online.

Attorneys can electronically file documents at any time. If a case needs to be heard immediately, you should file your pleadings with the appropriate department within normal operational hours.

Upon the filing of appropriate pleadings, the Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller uses their Writ of Execution form. For other Writs (such as a Writ of Possession), the requesting party must provide the writ form. The Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller requires a fee in order to issue a Writ of Garnishment, Attachment, Replevin or Distress.

The Clerk will issue a Default when the proper pleadings are filed. If you want a copy of the Default, or to have copies sent to other parties within the case, you must include a stamped envelope with the address where the copy/copies should be sent.

If you do not respond to a summons, the court will issue a judgment against you.

If you did not send a stamped envelope, addressed to where the copy should be sent, and/or if you did not send your copy of the pleading, you will have to pay a copy fee per page in order to have a copy made.

See Fees & Costs.