Effect of judgment

Effect of judgment. 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. However, by mutual consent of the district and the affected property owner or owners such a judgment may be vacated or modified notwithstanding the expiration of 30 days from the rendition of the judgment except as hereinafter provided. Such judgment shall have the effect of several judgments as to each tract or parcel of land assessed, and no appeal from any such judgment shall invalidate or delay the judgments except as to the property concerning which the appeal is taken. Such judgment shall be a lien on behalf of the district 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 said judgment and assessment roll is recorded in the office of the recorder of deeds 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 any such judgment is entered is sold to pay the judgment. Nothing in this Section shall interfere with the right of the petitioner to dismiss its proceedings and for that purpose to vacate such 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 such a proceeding so dismissed and vacated shall be a bar to another like or different improvement. However, after the contract for the work has been entered into or the improvement bonds have been issued, no judgment shall be vacated or modified or any petition dismissed after the expiration of 30 days from the rendition of the judgment, nor the collection of the assessment be in any way stayed or delayed by the board or any officer of the district without the written consent of the contractor and any and all bondholders. Subject to the provisions of Sections 9-2-66 through 9-2-71 of the Illinois Municipal Code, as now or hereafter amended, the district 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. However, no forfeiture of the property shall be required as a prerequisite to such foreclosure. (Source: P.A. 85-1137.)