Haken v. Harper Oil Co.

BRIGHTMIRE, Judge.

The decisive question here is whether or not the trial court’s decree — requiring lessees under an oil and gas lease to develop within 180 days or suffer cancellation of the lease — is clearly against the weight of the evidence.

I

The dispute was submitted to the court for decision based upon stipulated facts. Lessor owns a quarter section of land in Garfield County. On February 27, 1976, that section became the subject of an oil and gas lease — apparently a producer’s 88 executed form — in favor of Harper Oil Co. *1229for a primary term of three years. Apparently, Harper sought…