Ready v. Texaco, Inc.

Plaintiffs filed an action in trespass alleging ownership of certain described Wyoming and United States oil and gas leases, the conducting by defendant of geophysical exploration by seismographic method of the lands described in the leases without payment therefor and without plaintiffs’ consent or authorization. Demand was made for $5,648 actual and $35,000 punitive damages — $5,400 of the former claimed to be the reasonable value of the shooting rights. The answer admitted ownership of the leases as well as defendant’s seismographic operations for oil and gas on a portion of the described…