Section 2-616 of the Illinois Civil Practice Law provides for amendments to pleadings on just and reasonable terms before final judgment.

Loyola Academy v. S & S Roof Maintenance, 146 Ill.2d 263 provides the standard for amending pleadings in Illinois. The Loyola Academy court looked to four factors in determining the appropriateness of allowing leave to file an amended pleading:

The four factors are the following:

  1. Whether the proposed amendment would cure the defective pleading;
  2. Whether other parties would sustain prejudice or surprise by virtue of the proposed amendment;
  3. Whether the proposed amendment is timely; and
  4. Whether previous opportunities to amend the pleadings could be identified.