WEST UNION — Doddridge County mineral interest owners are suing natural gas producers, alleging breach of fiduciary duty.
Patty J. Crihfield and R. Keith Crihfield filed a complaint Dec. 14 in Doddridge Circuit Court against EQT Production Company of Pittsburgh, EQT Corp., EQT Energy LLC, et al, alleging they breached their contractual duties of good faith and fair dealing.
According to the complaint, as a result of the defendants' actions, the Crihfields have suffered monetary damages from being deprived of their royalty payments from the defendants. They also incurred unnecessary costs, expenses and taxation, the suit says.
The plaintiffs allege the defendants converted the plaintiffs' natural gas to liquids and sold it for money without compensating the Crihfields and undertook a design and plan to avoid paying the plaintiffs.
The Crihfields seek trial by jury, compensatory and punitive damages, attorney fees, court costs and disbursement, interest and all other just and proper relief. They are represented by attorney Marvin W. Masters of The Masters Law Firm LC in Charleston.
Doddridge Circuit Court Case number 16-c-64