2026 Articles

2025 Joint Midyear Meeting Photos March 2026 The Illinois State Bar Association and the Illinois Judges Association proudly co-hosted the 2025 Joint Midyear Meeting on December 11–12 at the JW Marriott Chicago, bringing members of the legal community together for two days of connection and collaboration.

2026 Annual Meeting Photos September 2026 ISBA members and guests gathered at the Ritz-Carlton in St. Louis on June 11–12, 2026, for the Annual Meeting, which featured outstanding CLE programming, networking, and business meetings. Thank you to everyone who attended and helped make the Annual Meeting a success!

Amendments to Oil and Gas Act By Craig R. Hedin September 2026 The Illinois Legislature amended portions of the Illinois Oil and Gas Act pursuant to Senate Bill 3113 which passed both houses on May 31, 2026, and was approved by the governor on July 10, 2026. The amendment became Public Act 104-0567, and included changes to sections 225 ILCS 725/1, 725/6, 725/8(a), 725/8(e), and 725/26.

Illinois Oil and Gas Advisory Board By Craig R. Hedin June 2026 Various issues were discussed at the April 16, 2026, Illinois Oil and Gas Advisory Board meeting, including approving past minutes, update on the plugging of orphan wells, update on the Mitigating Emissions for Marginal Conventional Wells Grant, revisions to OG-09 form and the new OG-09A form, and more.

Illinois Oil and Gas Advisory Board By Craig R. Hedin March 2026 Key points from the Illinois Oil and Gas Advisory Board meeting, which occurred on January 22, 2026.

IPRB Releases 2025 Illinois Oil Production By Craig R. Hedin March 2026 New data is available from the Illinois Petroleum Resources Board regarding the volumes of crude oil produced in the State of Illinois for 2025.

Member Appreciation & Recognition Reception Highlights June 2026 On May 14, 2026, ISBA members and colleagues gathered at the beautiful Morton Arboretum in Lisle to celebrate the 2025–26 ISBA Award Recipients, connect with fellow legal professionals, and enjoy an evening of meaningful conversation and camaraderie.

Miscellaneous Notes on Mineral Issues By Craig R. Hedin June 2026 A compilation of updates regarding reversal of the Biden-era methane restrictions; revisions pertaining to the amount of a bond to drill, deepen, convert, or operate an oil and gas well; potential review and revision of spacing regulations with respect to oil and gas wells; and an update regarding a previous ruling that Cook County's tax sales violated the Fifth Amendment and Eighth Amendment.

Oil and Gas Law for the Non-Oil and Gas Lawyer By John C. Robison, Jr. March 2026 An overview of oil and gas law is presented for the practitioner who only occasionally encounters real estate with oil and gas issues.

Oil and Gas Permitting Report May 1, 2026 June 2026 An accounting of the number and status of oil and gas permits as of May 1, 2026.

Revamping the Procedure for Illinois Tax Deeds By Cullen Manning September 2026 This year, Illinois passed sweeping reform of tax deed law. Illinois H.B. 4537 was signed into law in July and provides for new procedures that counties have to follow when issuing tax deeds. The bill was passed in response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in Tyler v. Hennepin Cnty. and was prompted by the concern that taxpayers are unjustly losing equity in real estate through tax sales and deeds.

SB 25 and the Surface–Mineral Relationship: Implications for Illinois Mineral Law Practitioners By John H. Henderson June 2026 Senate Bill 25 marks a significant shift in Illinois’ approach to grid reliability and energy infrastructure. SB 25’s framework emphasizes long-term utility planning through integrated resource planning and a “diverse portfolio” that may include storage resources and demand-side programs.

Solar Development, County Discretion, and Mineral Rights: Lessons From Equity Solar and Tate Road Solar By John H. Henderson September 2026 A county may approve a utility-scale solar project above a coal reserve, but the permit does not answer who may use the surface years later, who bears subsidence risk, whether future mining can proceed, or how conflicts between competing uses will be resolved. Two recent Illinois appellate decisions nevertheless make county review newly important by dividing over how much discretion counties retain when acting on commercial solar applications.

Status of Challenges to Tax Deed Proceedings By Craig R. Hedin March 2026 On February 6, 2026, Senate Bill 3940 was filed by Senator Celina Villanueva. The Bill is an attempt to bring Illinois into compliance with the U.S. Supreme Court holding in the case of Tyler v. Hennepin County, Minnesota, which was decided on May 25, 2023.

U.S. EPA Extends Compliance Deadlines for NSPS By Craig R. Hedin March 2026 In July of 2025, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issued an interim final rule to extend several compliance deadlines in the 2024 New Source Performance Standards and Emissions Guidelines for Oil and Gas Operations commonly known as OOOOb/c.