Legal Question in Landlord & Tenant Law in Illinois

Re: eviction notice

If you can go to the court date, explain your circumstances to the court and ask that the matter be continued until such a date that you can deal with it. If you cannot make the court date, try writing a letter to the judge explaining your condition and circumstances and ask that the matter be continued until such time as you can appear. You must send a copy of the letter to the attorney for your landlord.

However, because you are in Cook County, I would strongly recommend that you contact one of the area legal clinics (check the area law schools -- I know John Marshall has one) or legal aid agencies (such as Chicago Volunteer Lawyers) that handle landlord-tenant disputes and tell them your situation is an emergency.