AI Dispute Engine

Illinois · 765 ILCS 710 (Security Deposit Return Act)

Public Records / FOIA Request in Cook County, Illinois

Answer a few plain-English questions and get a professional FOIA records request letter written from your perspective, grounded in Illinois law. Your first letter is free — no credit card.

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Illinois law at a glance

Response deadline
45 days
Max damages
2x
Small claims limit
$10,000
Statute
765 ILCS 710 (Security Deposit Return Act)

Deposit must be returned within 45 days (30 days for itemized statement). Chicago has stricter local ordinances requiring interest on deposits and 2x damages for violations.

What you'll need

  • A clear description of the records you want
  • Relevant date ranges
  • The agency's records custodian address
  • A fee-waiver justification if applicable

When to send it

  1. Day 0
    Narrow the request so the agency cannot call it overbroad.
  2. Day 1
    Send the request to the designated records custodian.
  3. 5-20 business days
    Statutory response window depending on jurisdiction.
  4. If denied
    File the administrative appeal citing the exemptions test.

How it works in Cook County

STEP 1
Tell us what happened
Answer short questions about your public records / foia request in Cook County, IL. No legal wording required.
STEP 2
AI drafts your letter
Your answers are mapped to Illinois statutes such as 765 ILCS 710 (Security Deposit Return Act) and written in your own voice.
STEP 3
Download and send
Get your letter instantly, then send it certified mail. Most disputes settle before court.

Uses the FOIA / Records Request template — Demand public records from a federal, state, or local agency.

What happened when other people sent theirs

“I'd written off my deposit completely. The letter cited the exact statute and the deadline they'd blown — I had a check nine days later.”
Marcus T. · Recovered $1,850 from a former landlord
“I had no idea how to word any of this. I answered a few questions and got something that actually sounded like it came from an attorney's office.”
Priya R. · Billing dispute resolved in two weeks
“Sent it certified mail like the timeline said. They called me the day it was delivered and reversed the charge.”
Danielle W. · Charge reversed after one letter

Submitted directly by AI Dispute Engine customers. Last names shortened for privacy. Outcomes vary — no result is guaranteed.

Public Records / FOIA Request FAQs — Cook County, IL

Do I have to say why I want the records?

No. Public records laws generally do not require a reason.

What if they demand huge fees?

Ask for an itemized fee estimate and request a public-interest fee waiver.

Does this public records / foia request letter work in Cook County, IL?

Yes. Your letter is generated against Illinois law, including 765 ILCS 710 (Security Deposit Return Act), and formatted for delivery to a recipient in Cook County.

What is the small claims limit near Cook County?

Illinois caps small claims at $10,000, and the statutory response window is 45 days with damages up to 2x.

Other disputes in Cook County

Public Records / FOIA Request in other cities

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