The Illinois Summons In a Civil Case (IND Electronic Version) is a legal document issued by the court. It is used to formally notify a party or defendant of a civil lawsuit that has been filed against them. The summons informs the defendant of the case number, court venue, the plaintiffs claim and relief sought, and the time limit in which the defendant must respond. This document also warns the defendant that if they fail to respond in the allotted time frame, a default judgment may be entered against them. The Illinois Summons In a Civil Case (IND Electronic Version) comes in two formats: the Original Summons and the Joint Summons. The Original Summons must be served on the defendant by a sheriff or a certified process server, and must be returned to the court. The Joint Summons, on the other hand, can be served by any person of legal age and does not need to be returned to the court.