(815 ILCS 705/26) (from Ch. 121 1/2, par. 1726)

Sec. 26. Private civil actions. Any person who offers, sells, terminates, or fails to renew a franchise in violation of this Act shall be liable to the franchisee who may sue for damages caused thereby. This amendatory Act of 1992 is intended to clarify the existence of a private right of action under existing law with respect to the termination or nonrenewal of a franchise in violation of this Act. In the case of a violation of Section 5, 6, 10, 11, or 15 of the Act, the franchisee may also sue for rescission.

No franchisee may sue for rescission under this Section 26 who shall fail, within 30 days from the date of receipt thereof, to accept an offer to return the consideration paid or to repurchase the franchise purchased by such person. Every offer provided for in this Section shall be in writing, shall be delivered to the franchisee or sent by certified mail addressed to the franchisee at such person's last known address, shall offer to return any consideration paid or to repurchase the franchise for a price equal to the full amount paid less any net income received by the franchisee, plus the legal rate of interest thereon, and may require the franchisee to return to the person making such offer all unsold goods, equipment, fixtures, leases and similar items received from such person. Such offer shall continue in force for 30 days from the date on which it was received by the franchisee and shall advise the franchisee of such rights and the period of time limited for acceptance thereof. Any agreement not to accept or refusing or waiving any such offer made during or prior to the expiration of said 30 days shall be void.

The term "franchisee" as used in this Section shall include the personal representative or representatives of the franchisee.

Every person who directly or indirectly controls a person liable under this Section 26, every partner in a firm so liable, every principal executive officer or director of a corporation so liable, every manager of a limited liability company so liable, every person occupying a similar status or performing similar functions, and every employee of a person so liable, who materially aids in the act or transaction constituting the violation, is also liable jointly and severally with and to the same extent as such person, unless said person who otherwise is liable had no knowledge or reasonable basis to have knowledge of the facts, acts or transactions constituting the alleged violation.

Every franchisee in whose favor judgment is entered in an action brought under this Section shall be entitled to the costs of the action including, without limitation, reasonable attorney's fees.

(Source: P.A. 96-648, eff. 10-1-09.)