Kunneman Properties LLC, et al., v. Marathon Oil. Company
Kunneman Properties v. Marathon
6:22-cv-00274-KEW

Welcome to the Kunneman Properties v. Marathon Settlement Website

If You Are or Were a Royalty Owner Paid by Marathon for Gas Production from an Oklahoma Oil-and-Gas Well, You Could Be a Part of a Proposed Class Action Settlement.

Important Update: The Settlement Administrator began issuing Distribution Checks to eligible Class Members on August 3, 2023.

What is this lawsuit about?

The Litigation seeks damages for Defendant’s alleged underpayment of royalty on gas and gas constituents from Oklahoma oil-and-gas wells during the Claim Period. Defendant expressly denies all allegations of wrongdoing or liability with respect to the claims and allegations in the Litigation. The Court has made no final determination with respect to the merits of any of the parties’ claims or defenses.

"Claim Period” means checks or payments dated between and including September 1, 2011, through and including March 31, 2022.

Who is included?

The Settlement Class in the Litigation consists of the following individuals and entities:

All persons who own or owned minerals in the State of Oklahoma subject to an oil-and-gas lease from September 1, 2011, through and including March 31, 2022, under which (1) they received royalty on the sale and disposition of gas from Marathon from Oklahoma oil-and-gas wells; and (2) their royalty payments were reduced for production volumes or production proceeds expended for marketing, gathering, compressing, dehydrating, treating, processing, transporting and fractionating natural gas liquids, or transporting of hydrocarbons produced from the unit.

A list of the persons or entities excluded from the Classes can be found in the Notice of Proposed Settlement, which is available for download from the Important Documents page.

If you belong to the Settlement Class and the Settlement is approved, your legal rights will be affected. Read the Notice carefully to see what your rights and options are in connection with the Settlement.

What does the Settlement provide?

In settlement of all claims alleged in the Litigation, Defendant has agreed to pay Thirty-Five Million ($35,000,000.00) in cash (“Gross Settlement Fund”). In exchange for this payment and other consideration outlined in the Settlement Agreement, the Settlement Class shall release the Released Claims against the Released Parties. The Gross Settlement Fund, less Plaintiffs’ Attorneys’ Fees and Litigation Expenses and Administration, Notice, and Distribution Costs, and other costs approved by the Court (the “Net Settlement Fund”), will be distributed to final Class Members pursuant to the terms of the Settlement Agreement.

The Settlement Agreement also includes the Future Benefits and Methodology for royalty payments for the Settlement Class for a period of ten years.

YOUR LEGAL RIGHTS AND OPTIONS

These deadlines may be moved, canceled, or otherwise modified, so please check this site regularly for updates.

Option and Deadline Event
Do Nothing, Participate In The Settlement By taking no action, your interests will be represented by Plaintiffs as the Class Representatives and by Plaintiffs’ Counsel. As a Class Member, you will be bound by the outcome of the Settlement, if finally approved by the Court, and if you are entitled to a distribution pursuant to the Allocation Methodology, you will receive your portion of the Net Settlement Fund. You will also be bound by the Settlement Agreement and all orders and judgments entered by the Court regarding the Settlement, including the Future Benefits and Methodology.
Exclude Yourself
(received by January 26, 2023, at 5:00 p.m. CT)
(Passed)		 Class Members who did not wish to be a member of the Settlement Class had to exclude themselves from the Settlement Class. If you validly requested exclusion, you will not receive any distribution from the Net Settlement Fund, you cannot object to the Settlement, and you will not have released any claim against the Released Parties. You will not be legally bound by anything that happens in the Litigation.
Object
(received by January 26, 2023, at 5:00 p.m. CT)
(Passed)		 Any Class Member who wished to object to the fairness, reasonableness, or adequacy of the Settlement, any term of the Settlement, the Allocation Methodology, the Plan of Allocation, the request for Plaintiffs’ Attorneys’ Fees and Litigation Expenses and Administration, Notice, and Distribution Costs, or the request for Case Contribution Awards to Class Representatives were able to file an objection.
Attend the Final Fairness Hearing
on February 16, 2023, at 10:00 a.m. CT		 At the Final Fairness Hearing, the Court will consider: (a) whether the Settlement is fair, reasonable, and adequate; (b) any timely and properly raised objections to the Settlement; (c) the Allocation Methodology; (d) the application for Plaintiffs’ Attorneys’ Fees and Litigation Expenses and Administration, Notice, and Distribution Costs; and (e) the application for Case Contribution Awards for the Class Representatives.

For More Information

Visit this website often to get the most up-to-date information.

Call
1-877-654-1979
Email
info@kunneman-marathon.com
Mail
Kunneman Properties v. Marathon
c/o JND Legal Administration
PO Box 91348
Seattle, WA 98111