5 ILCS 255

in effect

5 ILCS 255/0.01

(5 ILCS 255/0.01) (from Ch. 101, par. 0.01) Sec. 0.01. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Oaths and Affirmations Act. (Source: P.A. 86-1324.)

(5 ILCS 255/1) (from Ch. 101, par. 1) Sec. 1. Oaths and affirmations. All courts, and all judges and the clerk thereof, the county clerk, deputy county clerk, notaries public, and persons certified under the Illinois Certified Shorthand Reporters Act of 1984 have the power to administer oaths and affirmations to witnesses and others, concerning anything commenced or to be commenced, or pending before them respectively. (Source: P.A. 90-294, eff. 8-1-97.)

5 ILCS 255/2

(5 ILCS 255/2) (from Ch. 101, par. 2) Sec. 2. Affidavits and depositions. All courts, and judges, and the clerks thereof, the county clerk, deputy county clerk, the Secretary of State, notaries public, and persons certified under the Illinois Certified Shorthand Reporters Act of 1984 may administer all oaths of office and all other oaths authorized or required of any officer or other person, and take affidavits and depositions concerning any matter or thing, process or proceeding commenced or to be commenced, or pending in any court or before them, or on any occasion wherein any affidavit or deposition is authorized or required by law to be taken. The same functions may be performed by any commissioned officer in active service of the armed forces of the United States, within or without the United States. Oaths, affidavits or depositions taken by or affirmations made before such officers need not be authenticated nor attested by any seal nor shall any instruments executed or proceedings had before such officers be invalid because the place of the proceedings or of the execution is not stated. (Source: P.A. 97-36, eff. 1-1-12.)

5 ILCS 255/3

(5 ILCS 255/3) (from Ch. 101, par. 3) Sec. 3. Whenever any person shall be required to take an oath before he enters upon the discharge of any office, place or business, or on any other lawful occasion, it shall be lawful for any person empowered to administer the oath to administer it in the following form, to-wit: The person swearing shall, with his hand uplifted, swear by the ever-living God, and shall not be compelled to lay the hand on or kiss the gospels. (Source: R.S. 1874, p. 725.)

5 ILCS 255/4

(5 ILCS 255/4) (from Ch. 101, par. 4) Sec. 4. Whenever any person required to take or subscribe an oath, as aforesaid, and in all cases where an oath is upon any lawful occasion to be administered, and such person shall have conscientious scruples against taking an oath, he shall be admitted, instead of taking an oath, to make his solemn affirmation or declaration in the following form to-wit: You do solemnly, sincerely and truly declare and affirm. Which solemn affirmation or declaration shall be equally valid as if such person had taken an oath in the usual form; and every person guilty of falsely and corruptly declaring, as aforesaid, shall incur and suffer the like pains and penalties as are or shall be inflicted on persons convicted of willful and corrupt perjury. (Source: R.S. 1874, p. 725.)

5 ILCS 255/5

(5 ILCS 255/5) (from Ch. 101, par. 5) Sec. 5. All oaths, affirmations, affidavits and depositions, administered or taken as provided in this act, shall subject any person who shall so swear or affirm willfully and falsely, in matter material to any issue or point in question, to the like pains and penalties as are inflicted by law on persons convicted of willful and corrupt perjury. (Source: R.S. 1874, p. 725.)

5 ILCS 255/6

(5 ILCS 255/6) (from Ch. 101, par. 6) Sec. 6. When any oath authorized or required by law to be made is made out of the state, it may be administered by any officer authorized by the laws of the state in which it is so administered, and if such officer have a seal, his certificate under his official seal shall be received as prima facie evidence without further proof of his authority to administer oaths. (Source: R.S. 1874, p. 725.)

5 ILCS 255/7

(5 ILCS 255/7) Sec. 7. Definition of judge. For the purposes of this Act, "judge" means (i) an incumbent judge of the Illinois Supreme, Appellate, or Circuit Court, whether elected or appointed, (ii) a retired judge of the Illinois Supreme, Appellate, or Circuit Court, and (iii) an incumbent or retired associate judge of the Illinois Circuit Court. The term "judge" does not include a judge who has been convicted of a felony or who has been removed from office by the Illinois Courts Commission. (Source: P.A. 95-498, eff. 1-1-08.)

Source: Open US Law by Vaquill AI (CC BY 4.0)URL: https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs.aspFetched: 10/17/2026