Legal Question in Administrative Law in Illinois

Is it legal in IL for someone to buy a plot in a cemetery and put a stone up for a dead man of NO RELATION even though the guy is buried in a different cemetery? Long version: my dad is buried in cemetery A, but his grieving girlfriend whom he never married and never lived with, bought a plot an put a stone up representing him in cemetery B, so that he could be "next to her". The city told me thats fine. Really? If so, under that same logic, I could put up a stone representing Michael Jackson or Abe Lincoln there too! I find it to be ridiculous and I am looking for any law that can help me have the stone in cemetery B removed. My dad is not in Cemetery B! Thank you. I know this sounds too crazy to be true, but it is.


Asked on 4/16/14, 1:07 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
Chen Kasher Chen Kasher

You are correct that there is a lot of regulation on cemeteries. Unfortunately, much of it targets desecration and related acts (e.g., if she removed your father's remains or ruined his tombstone). There is also law regarding internment and who has the right to do so. But people are entitled to privately grieve using their own tombstones.

If you are really annoyed by this, I'd consider complaining to the state agency that regulates cemeteries. Enclose pictures of the wrong tombstone and an affidavit detailing what happened.

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Answered on 4/17/14, 10:29 am


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