An Illinois Order To Show Cause is a court order issued by a judge that requires a person to appear in court to explain why he or she should not be held in contempt of court for failing to follow an earlier court order. It is also used in cases where a party may be violating the terms of an injunction or restraining order. There are two types of Illinois Order To Show Cause: Temporary Restraining Order (TO) and Preliminary Injunction. A TO is an order issued by the court to prevent a defendant from engaging in certain activities or from taking certain actions, usually for a specified period of time. A Preliminary Injunction is an order that commands a party to take, or refrain from taking, certain actions until a final judgement is made in the case. Both types of orders are issued by a judge after a hearing in which both sides are allowed to present evidence and arguments.