Court Orders W.Va. Landowners to Arbitrate Lease Disputes with Chesapeake, Range

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A West Virginia federal judge has denied landowners’ motion to remand and, instead, ordered them to arbitrate their claim against Chesapeake Appalachia and other parties over Chesapeake’s termination of oil and gas leases.

Judge Frederick P. Stamp Jr. of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia agreed with defendants Aug. 23 that the arbitration clauses in the leases are valid and compel dismissal of the lawsuit brought by Mitchell R. and Patricia A. Holmes.

The Holmeses filed their lawsuit against Chesapeake Appalachia LLC (NYSE: CHK), Range Resources-Appalachia (NYSE: RRC) and others, after Chesapeake …