§ 5/12-811 Trial and judgment

§ 12-811. Trial and judgment.

(a) The judgment creditor or the judgment debtor may contest the truth or sufficiency of the employer's answer and, in accordance with local court rules, the court shall immediately, unless for good cause the hearing is postponed, proceed to try the issues. The answer of the employer may be contested without further pleading.

(b) At any time on or before the return date, the judgment debtor may request a hearing to dispute the wage deduction because the wages are exempt by notifying the clerk of court before that time, using forms as may be provided by the clerk of the court. To obtain a hearing in counties with a population of 1,000,000 or more, the judgment debtor must notify the clerk of court in person and in writing at the clerk's office before the return date specified in the summons or appear in court on the date and time specified in the summons. To obtain a hearing in counties with a population of less than 1,000,000, the judgment debtor must notify the clerk of the court in writing at the clerk's office on or before the return date specified in the summons. The Clerk of Court will provide a hearing date and the necessary forms that must be prepared by the judgment debtor or the attorney for the judgment debtor and sent to the judgment creditor and the employer, or their attorney, regarding the time and location of the hearing. This notice may be sent by regular first class mail. At the hearing the court shall immediately, unless for good cause the hearing is continued, proceed to try the issues.

(d) If the finding is against an employer, a deduction order shall be entered against the employer and in favor of the judgment debtor to whom the employer is indebted, in the same manner as if the facts are admitted.

(e) No deduction order shall be entered in favor of the judgment creditor unless the affidavit filed by the judgment creditor certifies that a copy of the wage deduction notice has been mailed to the judgment debtor, under Section 12-805, and the employer's answer provides a summary of the computation used to determine the amount of non-exempt wages. If the employer is a federal agency employer, a deduction order shall be entered in favor of the judgment creditor if (i) the affidavit filed by the judgment creditor certifies that a copy of the wage deduction notice has been mailed to the judgment debtor under Section 12-805 and (ii) the federal agency employer identifies, on or with its periodic payments made under subsection (b-5) of Section 12-808, the computation method used to determine the amount of non-exempt wages. A federal agency employer shall not be required to provide a summary of the computation used to determine the amount of non-exempt wages.