Illinois Code § 9-2-65

§ 9-2-65.

Judgment for special tax or assessment. The judgments of the court shall be final as to all the issues involved, and the proceedings in the specified cause shall be subject to review by appeal as hereinafter provided, and not otherwise. By mutual consent, however, a judgment may be vacated or modified notwithstanding the expiration of 30 days from the rendition of the judgment, except as hereinafter provided. The judgment shall have the effect of several judgments as to each tract or parcel of land assessed, and no appeal from any judgment shall invalidate or delay the judgments, except as to the property concerning which the appeal is taken. The judgment shall be a lien on behalf of the municipality making an improvement, for the payment of which the special tax or special assessment is levied, on the property assessed from the date upon which a certified copy of the judgment and assessment roll is recorded in the office of the recorder of each county in which any part of the property is located, to the same extent and of equal force and validity as a lien for the general taxes until the judgment is paid or the property against which the judgment is entered is sold to pay the judgment, if the judgment is recorded within 60 days from the date the assessment roll is confirmed. A judgment recorded beyond the 60 days is not a valid lien against the property. This 60 day recording requirement does not apply to judgments entered before September 23, 1991. When the judgment against any property has been fully paid, the corporate authorities of the municipality shall execute and record, in the recorder's office of the county in which the land is located, a release of the lien of the judgment so paid, and shall deliver a copy of the release to the owner of the property. Nothing in this Section shall interfere with the right of the petitioner to dismiss its proceedings, and for that purpose to vacate a judgment at its election at any time before commencing the actual collection of the assessment. The court in which the judgment is rendered shall enter an order vacating or annulling the judgment of confirmation on motion of petitioner entered at any time after the expiration of 30 days from the rendition of that judgment or confirmation upon a showing by petitioner that no contract was let or entered into for the making of the specified improvement within the time fixed by law for the letting of the contract, that the making of the improvement under the original proceeding was never commenced, or that the making of the improvement under the prior proceedings was abandoned by petitioner. No judgment entered in a proceeding so dismissed and vacated shall be a bar to another like or different improvement. After the contract for the work has been entered into, or the improvement bonds have been issued, however, no judgment shall be vacated or modified or any petition dismissed after the expiration of 30 days from the rendition of the judgment, and the collection of the assessment shall not be in any way stayed or delayed by the corporate authorities, board of local improvements, or any officer of the municipality without the consent of the contractor and bondholder. Subject to Sections 9-2-66 through 9-2-71, the municipality or its assignee may file a complaint to foreclose the lien in the same manner that foreclosures are permitted by law in case of delinquent general taxes. No forfeiture of the property, however, shall be required as a prerequisite to foreclosure. (Source: P.A. 87-728; 87-895.)