West Virginia Federal Court Upholds Oil & Gas Lease Terms
On February 8, 2013, federal District Court Judge John Preston Bailey struck down a lawsuit attempting to void an oil and gas lease agreement. The lessors argued that the lease should be voided based upon an inconsistency in the “commencement” date in the lease document according to the West Virginia Record. Judge Bailey refused to void the lease stating “the appropriate remedy in this case is to resolve the discrepancy [of the commencement date] by endorsing the date supplied by Range.” The Lessors have appealed the District Court’s ruling and opening briefs before the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals are due by April 22.