(725 ILCS 150/4) (from Ch. 56 1/2, par. 1674)

Sec. 4. Notice to owner or interest holder. The first attempted service of notice shall be commenced within 28 days of the filing of the verified claim or the receipt of the notice from the seizing agency by Illinois State Police Notice/Inventory of Seized Property (Form 4-64), whichever occurs sooner. A complaint for forfeiture or a notice of pending forfeiture shall be served upon the property owner or interest holder in the following manner:

(1) If the owner's or interest holder's name and current address are known, then by either:

(A) personal service; or

(B) mailing a copy of the notice by certified mail, return receipt requested, and first class mail to that address.

(i) If notice is sent by certified mail and no signed return receipt is received by the State's Attorney within 28 days of mailing, and no communication from the owner or interest holder is received by the State's Attorney documenting actual notice by said parties, then the State's Attorney shall, within a reasonable period of time, mail a second copy of the notice by certified mail, return receipt requested, and first class mail to that address.

(ii) If no signed return receipt is received by the State's Attorney within 28 days of the second attempt at service by certified mail, and no communication from the owner or interest holder is received by the State's Attorney documenting actual notice by said parties, then the State's Attorney shall have 60 days to attempt to serve the notice by personal service, which also includes substitute service by leaving a copy at the usual place of abode, with some person of the family or a person residing there, of the age of 13 years or upwards. If, after 3 attempts at service in this manner, no service of the notice is accomplished, then the notice shall be posted in a conspicuous manner at this address and service shall be made by posting.

The attempts at service and the posting, if required, shall be documented by the person attempting service and said documentation shall be made part of a return of service returned to the State's Attorney.

The State's Attorney may utilize any Sheriff or Deputy Sheriff, any peace officer, a private process server or investigator, or any employee, agent, or investigator of the State's Attorney's Office to attempt service without seeking leave of court.

After the procedures set forth are followed, service shall be effective on an owner or interest holder on the date of receipt by the State's Attorney of a return receipt, or on the date of receipt of a communication from an owner or interest holder documenting actual notice, whichever is first in time, or on the date of the last act performed by the State's Attorney in attempting personal service under subparagraph (ii) above. If notice is to be shown by actual notice from communication with a claimant, then the State's Attorney shall file an affidavit providing details of the communication, which may be accepted as sufficient proof of service by the court.

After a claimant files a verified claim with the State's Attorney and provides an address at which the claimant will accept service, the complaint shall be served and notice shall be perfected upon mailing of the complaint to the claimant at the address the claimant provided via certified mail, return receipt requested, and first class mail. No return receipt need be received, or any other attempts at service need be made to comply with service and notice requirements under this Act. This certified mailing, return receipt requested, shall be proof of service of the complaint on the claimant.

For purposes of notice under this Section, if a person has been arrested for the conduct giving rise to the forfeiture, then the address provided to the arresting agency at the time of arrest shall be deemed to be that person's known address. Provided, however, if an owner or interest holder's address changes prior to the effective date of the notice of pending forfeiture, the owner or interest holder shall promptly notify the seizing agency of the change in address or, if the owner or interest holder's address changes subsequent to the effective date of the notice of pending forfeiture, the owner or interest holder shall promptly notify the State's Attorney of the change in address; or if the property seized is a conveyance, to the address reflected in the office of the agency or official in which title to or interest in the conveyance is required by law to be recorded.

(2) If the owner's or interest holder's address is not known, and is not on record, then notice shall be served by publication for 3 successive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation in the county in which the seizure occurred.

(3) After a claimant files a verified claim with the State's Attorney and provides an address at which the claimant will accept service, the complaint shall be served and notice shall be perfected upon mailing of the complaint to the claimant at the address the claimant provided via certified mail, return receipt requested, and first class mail. No return receipt need be received or any other attempts at service need be made to comply with service and notice requirements under this Act. This certified mailing, return receipt requested, shall be proof of service of the complaint on the claimant.

(4) Notice to any business entity, corporation, limited liability company, limited liability partnership, or partnership shall be completed by a single mailing of a copy of the notice by certified mail, return receipt requested, and first class mail to that address. This notice is complete regardless of the return of a signed return receipt.

(5) Notice to a person whose address is not within the State shall be completed by a single mailing of a copy of the notice by certified mail, return receipt requested, and first class mail to that address. This notice is complete regardless of the return of a signed return receipt.

(6) Notice to a person whose address is not within the United States shall be completed by a single mailing of a copy of the notice by certified mail, return receipt requested, and first class mail to that address. This notice shall be complete regardless of the return of a signed return receipt. If certified mail is not available in the foreign country where the person has an address, then notice shall proceed by publication under paragraph (2) of this Section.

(7) Notice to any person whom the State's Attorney reasonably should know is incarcerated within the State shall also include the mailing a copy of the notice by certified mail, return receipt requested, and first class mail to the address of the detention facility with the inmate's name clearly marked on the envelope.

(Source: P.A. 102-538, eff. 8-20-21.)