CLARKSBURG – A lawsuit against Antero Resources Corp. was removed to federal court due to the complete diversity of citizenship.
The plaintiffs are all West Virginia citizens, but Antero is a Delaware corporation, the notice of removal states. Antero argues that the amount in controversy also exceeds the $75,000 state court limit.
"Although the complaint does not specify the exact amount of damages sought by the plaintiffs, the amount in controversy in this case, based on the plaintiffs' allegations as pleaded in the complaint, more likely than not exceeds $75,000, exclusive of interest and costs," the notice states.
Ruth H. Wells, Arlen Glenn Wells Jr. and Nancy L. Inman filed the lawsuit in Doddridge Circuit Court in December before it was removed to federal court on Jan. 14.
The plaintiffs have interest in the oil and gas in a 1961 lease with Antero and they received a letter from Antero on April 9 modifying the lease, according to the suit.
The plaintiffs claim they did not agree with the modifications and did not sign the proposed modification of the oil and gas lease.
They allege Antero materially breached the lease by pooling and/or unitizing the plaintiffs' property into four units and further drilling and producing oil and gas from the units.
The plaintiffs claim Antero acted in bad faith in an "outrageous, vexatious, wanton and/or oppressive manner."
The plaintiffs are seeking judgment against Antero for compensatory damages with pre- and post-judgment interest. They are represented by Daniel L. McCune and S. David Wilharm of Rokisky McCune Wilharm & Blair; Christian E. Turak of Gold Khourey & Turak; and Daniel J. Guida of Guida Law Offices.
Antero is represented by W. Henry Lawrence, Justin A. Rubenstein, Lauren K. Turner and Shaina L. Richardson of Steptoe & Johnson.
U.S. District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia case number 1:20-cv-00009