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Bice, et al. v. Petro-Hunt, L.L.C., et al.

Docket No. 20080265
Oral Argument: Monday, February 9, 2009 1:30pm

Docket Info

Title
Virginia Bice, Helen A. and Hillis J. Bice,
Helen A. Bice Life Estate, Naomi Brew,
Patricia Burian Ingman, Myran S. and
Mary C. Burian, Estate of Steve Burian,
Arnold and Sharon Burian, Connie F.
Burian Heck, Jane Elizabeth Kiker,
Elmer L. Glovatsky, Timothy Glovatsky,
Shirley and Lawrence W. Jablonsky,
Leo and Selina Kaiser, Russell L. Kiker,
Russell L. Kiker Trust, Sally A. Kiker Trust,
Ardyce Burian Palaniuk, Irene E. Scott
Mineral Trust, Jane Scott, William D. and
Agnes M. Scott, Ervin and Mildred Waldie,
Gregory Lynn Waldie, Mary M. Weber,
Martin A. Weber, Jerry Zabalotny,
William D. Walters, Jr., Imperial Oil
Company c/o William D. Walters, Jr.,
Lillian Hardcastle a/k/a Lillian Kaiser,
Robert T. Smith, Carrie W. Smith, Plaintiffs and Appellants
v.
Petro-Hunt, L.L.C., J.W. Beavers, Jr.,
as Trustee of William Herbert Hunt
Trust Estate, Defendants and Appellees
Case Type
CIVIL APPEAL : OIL, GAS AND MINERALS
Appeal From
Case No. 01-C-00001
Southwest Judicial District, Billings County
Zane Anderson
2009 ND 124768 N.W.2d 496
Oral Argument 2/9/2009

Highlight

Where gas has no market value at the well and the lease requires royalty to be paid based upon the market value of the gas at the well, lessee can deduct post-production costs incurred in making the gas marketable prior to calculating the royalty.
The "at the well" rule in interpreting oil and gas leases is adopted, and the first marketable product doctrine is rejected.
The language of a contract is to govern its interpretation if the language is clear and explicit and does not involve an absurdity.
Normally, whether a risk-capital charge is commercially reasonable is a question of fact, but when the parties stipulate to the facts in the record and request that the court determine the issue according to the parties' motions for summary judgment, the court can decide the issue as a matter of law.
A party resisting summary judgment must present competent admissible evidence establishing a genuine issue of material fact and cannot simply rely upon the pleadings or unsupported, conclusory allegations.

Briefs

Filing Date Description
12/17/2008 APPELLANT BRIEF (e-filed) View
01/02/2009 AMICUS CURIAE BRIEF View
01/20/2009 APPELLEE BRIEF View
02/03/2009 REPLY BRIEF (e-filed) View

Counsel

Party Type Name
APPELLANT PRIVATE PRACTICE Owen L Anderson - 03145
APPELLANT PRIVATE PRACTICE Marvin L Kaiser - 02949
APPELLANT PRIVATE PRACTICE Michael J Maus - 03499
AMICUS CURIAE PRIVATE PRACTICE Debra Lynn Hoffarth - 05668
APPELLEE PRIVATE PRACTICE John W Morrison - 03502

(Note: Attachments may not be available for recently filed cases and/or confidential documents.)

Seq. # Filing Date Description Attachment
1 10/20/2008 NOTICE OF APPEAL : 10/17/2008
2 10/20/2008 ORDER FOR TRANSCRIPT : 10/17/2008
3 11/07/2008 TRANSCRIPT DATED JULY 14, 2008
4 11/07/2008 DISK - TRA of 7-14-08
5 11/17/2008 RECORD ON APPEAL (10 vols.) & separates 19, 33, 36, 51, 56-66, 121, 137, 138, 141, & 213
6 11/25/2008 Letter dated November 24, 2008, that defendants elected not to tax costs under NDRCivP 54(e)
7 11/28/2008 Letter dated November 26, 2008, from Ronald H. McLean regarding costs
8 12/17/2008 Notice of Appearance of Owen L. Anderson as co-counsel for Appellants
9 12/17/2008 APPELLANT BRIEF (e-filed) View
10 12/17/2008 E-FILED BRIEF (ATB)
11 12/17/2008 APPELLANT APPENDIX (e-filed)
12 12/17/2008 E-FILED APPENDIX (ATA)
13 12/18/2008 Received $25 surcharge for ATB & $82.50 for ATA (Receipt #18655)
14 12/19/2008 Received 7 copies of ATB from Central Duplicating
15 12/19/2008 Received 6 copies of ATA from Central Duplicating
16 12/31/2008 DISK - amicus curiae brief of Herbert L. Meschke
17 01/02/2009 MOTION FOR Leave to File Amicus Brief
18 01/02/2009 ACTION BY CHIEF JUSTICE - Granted
19 01/02/2009 AMICUS CURIAE BRIEF View
20 01/20/2009 APPELLEE BRIEF View
21 01/20/2009 APPELLEE APPENDIX
22 01/20/2009 DISK - AEB
23 02/03/2009 REPLY BRIEF (e-filed) View
24 02/03/2009 E-FILED BRIEF (RYB)
25 02/03/2009 Copies of RYB made.
26 02/09/2009 APPEARANCES: Owen L. Anderson, Jane L. Dynes, Michael J. Maus; John W. Morrision
27 02/09/2009 ARGUED: Anderson; Morrison
28 02/09/2009 ORAL ARGUMENT WEBCAST
29 07/09/2009 DISPOSITION
30 07/09/2009 UNANIMOUS OPINION : Crothers, Daniel John View
31 07/09/2009 Costs on Appeal taxed in favor of Appellees
32 07/10/2009 Judgment E-Mailed to Parties
33 08/06/2009 MANDATE
34 08/10/2009 RECEIPT SIGNED BY DISTRICT COURT CLERK'S OFFICE
35 10/13/2020 EXPUNGED - Nonpermanent record items destroyed