Gastar Exploration and Rona Lee McCardle v. Gary Rine, Administrator, etc.

Justice Ketchum:

This case concerns a 1977 deed and its effect on the ownership of a one-half interest in oil and gas beneath a tract of land in Marshall County, West Virginia. When a deed is ambiguous, a court must weigh extraneous evidence like the conduct of the grant- or and grantee to determine. the parties’ intent, A court must also adopt any reasonable inteipretation of the deed most favorable to the grantee.

As we discuss below, we find the 1977 deed is ambiguous and of such doubtful meaning that reasonable minds disagree as to the deed’s intent. The Circuit Court of Marshall County…