In addition to requiring registration with the Department of Financial & Professional Regulation (see harp Thinking No. 65 (June 2012)), the Illinois Collection Agency Act (225 ILCS 425) contains a plethora
of provisions regulating collection agencies’ conduct. Some of these regulate the agency’s relations with its principal/creditor, but others regulate how agencies may go about attempting to collect the debts assigned to them. We will focus on the latter as they are more likely to result in claims of concern to Sharp Thinking readers.

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A judgment obtained by a collection agency that sues in its own name without registering under the Collection Agency Act (225 ILCS 425) is void, an Illinois Appellate Court panel has ruled. However, when registered and holding a written assignment separate from the contract listing the debt with the agency, a
collection agency may sue to collect in its own name, even though it is only an assignee for collection,
another panel has ruled.

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