Induced Seismicity

The following resources represent a collection of court filings and judicial opinions regarding seismic damage claims. Furthermore, it may be necessary to view certain decisions via an online legal research database.

This list of recent cases is not exhaustive.

• Sierra Club v. Chesapeake Operating, LLC, Devon Energy Production Co. LP, and New Dominion LLC
  • In the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma, docket no. 5:16-cv-00134
    • Complaint for declaratory and injunctive relief under 42 U.S.C. § 6972(a)(1)(B) (February 16, 2016) (Sierra Club filed a lawsuit alleging that defendants contributed to induced seismicity in the state of Oklahoma)
    • Motion to Dismiss Plaintiff’s Complaint by the three Defendants (April 25, 2016)
    • Order Granting Defendants’ Motion to Dismiss Plaintiff’s Complaint (April 4, 2017)
    • Final Judgment entered by the U.S. District Court (April 18, 2017) (dismissal WITHOUT prejudice)
• Sandra Ladra v. New Dominion, LLC
  • ​In the District Court of Lincoln County, Oklahoma docket no. CJ-2014-115
    • Dismissal of Plaintiff’s claims WITH prejudice following a settlement agreement between the parties (September 20, 2017) 
    • Order denying Defendants’ motions to dismiss (December 18, 2015) (Oklahoma District Court denies motion to dismiss seismic claim lawsuit by rejecting statute of limitations defense)
    • Order granting Defendant’s motion to dismiss plaintiff’s complaint (October 16, 2015) (the court contended that only the Oklahoma Corporation Commission had jurisdiction to hear the case. The case was assigned to the Oklahoma Supreme Court in December 2014)
    • Petition (August 4, 2014) (Ladra filed a lawsuit against New Dominion, LLC, for seismic damages claims in Oklahoma)
  • In the Supreme Court of Oklahoma, docket no. 113396
    • Oklahoma Supreme Court Opinion (June 30, 2015) (the Oklahoma Supreme Court reversed and remanded a district court’s ruling)
• Jennifer Lin Cooper v. New Dominion, LLC
  • In the District Court of Lincoln County, Oklahoma, docket no. CJ-15-24
    • Plaintiff’s Motion for Class Certification Pursuant to 12 S.S.2023 (March 19, 2018)
    • Class Action Status Approved (May 23, 2018) (trial is scheduled to begin on September 10, 2018)
    • Class Action Petition (February 10, 2015) (Cooper filed a lawsuit along with 25 unnamed companies against New Dominion LLC and Spess Oil Company for seismic damages claims in Oklahoma)
• Certain Underwriters at Lloyd’s, London Subscribing to Policy No. PGIARK03959 v. New Dominion, LLC
  • In the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, docket no. 1:16-cv-05005
    • Complaint for Declaratory Relief (June 27, 2016)
    • Defendant’s Motion to Dismiss or Stay the Complaint for Declaratory Relief or, in the alternative, Dismiss for Lack of Personal Jurisdiction (July 26, 2016)
    • Opinion and Order denying Defendant’s Motion to Dismiss (September 7, 2016)
    • Stipulation and Order of Voluntary Dismissal WITHOUT prejudice (October 28, 2016)
• Griggs et al. v. New Dominion LLC et al.
  • In the District of Logan County, Oklahoma, docket no. CJ-16-6
    • Class Action Petition (January 12, 2016)
  • In the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma, docket no. 5:16-cv-138
    • Notice of Removal from District Court of Logan County (February 16, 2016)
    • Motion to Remand by all Plaintiffs (April 8, 2016)
    • Order denying Plaintiffs’ Motion to Remand (June 30, 2016)
    • Notice of Voluntary Dismissal by all Plaintiffs (July 21, 2016)
• Griggs et al. v. New Dominion LLC et al.
  • In the District Court of Logan County, Oklahoma, docket no. CJ-17-00174
    • Class Action Petition (July 21, 2017)
  • In the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma, docket no. 5:17-cv-00942
    • Notice of Removal from District Court of Logan County (September 1, 2017)
    • Plaintiffs’ Motion to Remand to State Court (September 7, 2017)
    • Order Granting Plaintiffs’ Motion to Remand (October 17, 2017)
• Felts v. Devon Energy Production Company, LP et al.
  • In the District Court of Logan County, Oklahoma, docket no. CJ-2016-137
    • Petition (January 11, 2016)
    • Defendant Meadowbrook Oil Corporation’s Motion for Summary Judgment (April 23, 2018)
• West et al. v. ABC Oil Company, Inc. et al.
  • In the District Court of Pottowatomie County, Oklahoma, docket no. CJ-16-49
    • Class Action Petition (February 18, 2016)
    • Case removed to Federal court (April 7, 2016)
  • In the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma, docket no. 5:16-cv-00264
    • Motion to Remand to State Court by All Plaintiffs (April 29, 2016)
    • Plaintiffs’ Motion to Remand is Withdrawn (September 19, 2016)
    • Plaintiffs’ Amended Complaint (October 14, 2016)
    • Plaintiffs’ Second Amended Complaint (July 18, 2017)
    • All Defendants filed Motions to Dismiss Plaintiffs’ Second Amended Complaint (September 15, 2017)
    • Order granting Defendants’ Motions to Dismiss (August 13, 2018)
• Lene v. Chesapeake Operating, LLC, et al.
  • In the District Court of Logan County, Oklahoma, docket no. CJ-16-27
    • Petition (February 12, 2016)
• Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma v. Eagle Road Oil LLC et al.
  • In the District Court of the Pawnee Nation, docket no. CIU-17-003
    • Petition (March 3, 2017)
• Bryant v. Eagle Road Oil LLC et al.
  • In the District Court of Pawnee County, Oklahoma, docket no. CJ-17-18
    • Petition (March 8, 2017)
• Reid et al. v. White Star Petroleum, LLC et al.
  • In the District Court of Payne County, Oklahoma, docket no. CJ-16-543
    • Class Action Petition (December 5, 2016)
    • Order staying the case until Sept. 6, 2018 (March 1, 2018)
• Adams et al. v. Eagle Road Oil, LLC et al.
  • In the District Court of Pawnee County, Oklahoma, docket no. CJ-16-78
    • Class Action Petition (November 17, 2016)
  • In the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma, docket no. 4:16-cv-00757
    • Case moved to Federal Court (December 21, 2016)
• Hearn v. BHP Billiton Petroleum (Arkansas) Inc. et al.
  • In the Circuit Court of Faulkner County, docket no. 23CV-11-492
    • Class Action Complaint (May 24, 2011)
    • Case moved to Federal Court (June 9, 2011)
  • In the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas, docket no. 4:11-cv-00474 (lead case)
    • Case consolidated with Frey et al. v. BHP Billiton Petroleum (Arkansas) Inc. et al., Lane et al. BHP Billiton Petroleum Arkansas Inc. et al., Case 4:11-cv-0477; and Palmer et al. v. BHP Billiton Petroleum (Arkansas) Inc. et al. Case 4:11-cv-0476 (August 20, 2013)
    • Plaintiffs’ Joint Motion for Dismissal with Prejudice (August 28, 2013)
    • Order of Dismissal granting Plaintiffs’ Joint Motion to Dismiss WITH prejudice (August 29, 2013)
• Frey et al. v. BHP Billiton Petroleum (Arkansas) Inc. et al.
  • In the Circuit Court of Faulkner County, docket no. 23CV-11-488
    • Class Action Complaint (May 23, 2011)
    • Case moved to Federal Court (June 9, 2011)
  • In the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas docket no. 4:11-cv-00475
    • Case consolidated Mahan et al. v. Chesapeake Operating Inc., and then consolidated with Hearn v. BHP Billiton Petroleum (Arkansas) Inc. et al. (August 20, 2013)
• Mahan et al. v. Chesapeake Operating Inc.
  • In the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas, docket no. 4:13-cv-184
    • Complaint (April 1, 2013)
    • Case consolidated with Frey et al. v. BHP Billiton Petroleum (Arkansas) Inc. et al. (August 20, 2013)
• Lane et al. BHP Billiton Petroleum (Arkansas) Inc. et al.
  • In the Circuit Court of Faulkner County, docket no. 23CV-11-482
    • Class Action Complaint (May 20, 2011)
    • Case moved to Federal Court (June 9, 2011)
  • In the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas docket no. 4:11-cv-0477
    • Case consolidated Mahan et al. v. Chesapeake Operating Inc., and then consolidated with Hearn v. BHP Billiton Petroleum (Arkansas) Inc. et al. (August 20, 2013)
• Palmer et al. v. BHP Billiton Petroleum (Arkansas) Inc. et al.
  • In the Circuit Court of Faulkner County, docket no. 23CV-11-491
    • Class Action Complaint (May 24, 2011)
    • Case moved to Federal court (June 9, 2011)
  • In the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas, docket no. 4:11-cv-0476
    • Case consolidated Mahan et al. v. Chesapeake Operating Inc., and then consolidated with Hearn v. BHP Billiton Petroleum (Arkansas) Inc. et al. (August 20, 2013)

For more information, please contact the Guide Author, Chloe Marie, Research Specialist at The Center for Agricultural and Shale Law.  

Email: cjm445@psu.edu

The Center for Agricultural and Shale Law

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