Illinois Small Claims Summons is a legal document issued by the court to notify a defendant of a pending small claims lawsuit. It informs the defendant of the date and time of the hearing, as well as the amount of the claim. There are two types of Illinois Small Claims Summons: 1. Summons for Direct Filing: This type of summons is issued when a plaintiff files a small claims lawsuit directly with the court. 2. Summons for Service by Sheriff: This type of summons is issued when a plaintiff serves the defendant with a copy of the small claims lawsuit via a sheriff. In both cases, the summons informs the defendant of the date and time of the hearing, the amount of the claim, and the court’s instructions. The defendant must respond to the summons by either appearing in court or submitting an Answer to the court. Failure to do so may result in a default judgment in favor of the plaintiff.