2002 Articles

Assessment and taxation of interests in oil and gas as real estate By John C. Robison, Jr. November 2002 The recent case of Pawnee Oil & Gas v. County of Wayne, 323 Ill. App. 3d 426, 751 N.E.2d 1268, 256 Ill. Dec. 431 (5th Dist. 2001), leave to appeal denied, illustrates both the theoretical and practical problems of assessing and taxing interests in oil and gas as real estate.

Denial of appeal moves SDO forward March 2002 Save Domestic Oil has won another round in federal court, moving it one step closer to an investigation into its charges that four foreign countries forced down U.S. crude oil prices in 1998 by illegally dumping low priced oil on U.S. Markets.

Donaldson v. CIPS: a case of pennywise, pound foolish? By James K. Weston, Sr. June 2002 The Illinois Supreme Court recently decided the case of Zachary Donaldson, et al., v. Central Illinois Public Service Company, et al., Docket No. 89679, opinion filed February 22, 2002.

Editor’s note November 2002 Submission of articles to this newsletter is welcomed and encouraged.

Editor’s note By Christopher L. Weber June 2002 Submission of articles to this newsletter is welcomed and encouraged.

FERC holds key to fair competition By David Sweet March 2002 For most of the last decade, the independent natural gas producer has not been adequately rewarded for producing a superior product more proficiently.

Killion v. Meeks: Tax deed trumps adverse possession, but what else? By James K. Weston November 2002 In a recently filed opinion in the case of Killion v. Meeks, (2002 WL 31058293, Ill. App. 5th Dist. 2002, September 13, 2002), the Fifth Appellate District determined that title through a tax deed trumped claims to title be an adverse possessor.

Notes from the chair By James K. Weston November 2002 Welcome to the first edition of Mineral Law, the newsletter of the ISBA Mineral Law Section, for the 2002-2003 year. We will make every effort to continue the sterling efforts of prior administrations.

Notes from the editor March 2002 Submission of articles to this newsletter is encouraged.

The oil and gas lease* By Ivan A. Elliott, Jr. November 2002 "This is a Standard Producers 88 lease, so you can sign it without reviewing its fine print."

To buy or not to buy: Who gets the shaft? By James K. Weston, Sr. November 2002 Over the long term, ownership of severed mineral estates and interests has been stable.