WHEELING – A Valley Grove couple is suing two companies over claims that they continue to trespass on their land in search of oil and gas despite the expiration of the lease.
Gerold and Bonnie Berghoff filed a lawsuit in Ohio Circuit Court against Chesapeake Appalachia LLC and SWN Production Co. LLC, claiming the defendants have continued to trespass on their property after their land lease expired.
The Berghoffs claim they entered into a land lease with Great Lakes Energy Partners LLC, then transferred to Chesapeake, on Nov. 27, 2006, to search and produce oil, gas, and/or coal bed methane gas. The lease expired on Nov. 27, 2011, the complaint states. The couple alleges that the defendants continue to trespass and have illegally produced oil and/or gas on their property.
The Berghoffs are suing for unjust enrichment, trespassing, wrongful taking, as well as damages including negligence, inconvenience, stress and anxiety and other such ailments. The couple is seeking pre- and post-judgment interest, attorney's fees as well as cost of this action, as well as and other relief deemed fit. The Berghoffs are represented by James G. Bordas and Jeremy M. McGraw of Bordas & Bordas PLLC in Wheeling. The case has been assigned to Circuit Judge Jason A. Cuomo.
Ohio Circuit Court case number 15-C-229