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Rule 280.2.Complaint in Credit Card or Debt Buyer Collection Actions.

Article II. Rules on Civil Proceedings in the Trial Court · Part I. Credit Card or Debt Buyer Collection Actions · Last amended 2019 · Last verified July 20, 2026

In one sentenceRule 280.2 tells a plaintiff exactly what to attach to a credit-card or debt-buyer complaint: a signed collection affidavit, supporting account records, and a statute-of-limitations statement.

Full Text of Ill. S. Ct. R. 280.2

Text sizeJump to: (a) (b) (c) (d) (e)

In addition to the requirements set forth in Rules 131 and 282(a), the complaint in a credit card or debt buyer collection actions shall:
(a) Print the name of the person who signs the complaint under the signature line;
(b) Attach a completed Credit Card or Debt Buyer Collection Affidavit, prepared by utilizing, or substantially adopting the appearance and content of, the form provided in the Article II Forms Appendix;
(c) In addition to the affidavit, the plaintiff shall attach one of the following to the complaint:
(1) The written contract giving rise to the debt that is the subject of the complaint (the “Consumer Debt”); or
(2) If the case is based on an unwritten contract, a copy of a document provided to the consumer while the account was active, demonstrating that the consumer debt was incurred by the consumer. For a revolving credit account, a statement reflecting the charge-off balance shall be deemed sufficient to satisfy this requirement. The statement reflecting the charge-off balance will not reflect any post-charge-off payments or credits by or to the charge-off creditor, the debt buyer, or their attorneys.
(d) Include a statement that the suit is filed within a relevant statute of limitations; and
(e) Have the Credit Card or Debt Buyer Collection Affidavit signed by the plaintiff or the plaintiff’s designated agent. For purposes of this Rule, the attorney for the plaintiff may not sign the affidavit on behalf of the plaintiff or plaintiff’s designated agent.
End

Plain-English Summary

On top of the ordinary complaint rules, a credit-card or debt-buyer suit has to carry its own proof. The person who signs the complaint must be identified by a printed name under the signature line, and the plaintiff must attach a completed collection affidavit using the approved form.

The complaint also needs documentary backup: either the written contract behind the debt, or, if the account never had a written contract, a document sent to the consumer while the account was active — a statement showing the charge-off balance is enough for a revolving account. That statement can’t include payments or credits applied after the charge-off.

Two more safeguards round out the rule. The complaint must state that the suit is timely under the relevant statute of limitations, and the collection affidavit has to be signed by the plaintiff or its designated agent, not by the plaintiff’s lawyer. That last requirement keeps the sworn statement in the hands of someone with actual knowledge of the debt.

Frequently Asked Questions

What has to be attached to a credit-card or debt-buyer complaint?
A completed collection affidavit, plus either the written contract behind the debt or, for accounts without one, a document showing the charge-off balance.
Can the plaintiff’s attorney sign the collection affidavit?
No — the rule requires the plaintiff or the plaintiff’s designated agent to sign it.
What if there’s no written contract for the debt?
A document sent to the consumer while the account was active will do; for revolving accounts, a statement of the charge-off balance satisfies the requirement.
Why does the complaint need a statute-of-limitations statement?
To guard against suits filed on debts that are already too old to collect.
What form does the collection affidavit have to follow?
The Credit Card or Debt Buyer Collection Affidavit form in the Article II Forms Appendix, or one that substantially matches its appearance and content.

Amendment History

Adopted June 8, 2018, eff. Oct. 1, 2018; amended July 19, 2019, eff. Nov. 1, 2019.

Source & verification. Rule text, official Committee Comments, and amendment history are reproduced verbatim from the Illinois Supreme Court Rules, promulgated by the Supreme Court of Illinois. Last verified July 20, 2026. · Official source
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