Oklahoma Earthquake Case Approved for Class Action Status

On Friday, Judge Lori Walkley of Norman determined that the earthquake case filed over the Prague earthquakes of November, 2011, should move forward as a class action.

The case is Cooper v. New Dominion, Lincoln County Case No. 2015-24, and Judge Walkley presides in Cleveland County by a Supreme Court appointment - after a judge in Lincoln County recused.

Under the Court's order, Oklahoma citizens with residential or business properties in Lincoln, Payne, Logan, Oklahoma, Cleveland, Pottawatomie, Seminole, Okfuskee, and Creek counties, and damaged from the quakes near Prague in November 2011, will be able to participate in the action before Judge Walkley.

The case is scheduled for trial beginning September 10th, and is expected to last about two weeks.

Under the Court's order, common issues related to proving the November 2011 Prague earthquakes were caused by New Dominion's wastewater disposal operations will be tried for the benefit of everyone in the nine county area. If Plaintiffs are successful in September, anyone within the class area will only have to prove their damages related to the earthquakes to win a judgment against New Dominion.

Scott Poynter of Poynter Law Group (serving also as Of Counsel to Steel, Wright, Gray & Hutchinson) is to be appointed as Counsel for the Class. Mr. Poynter may be reached at scott@poynterlawgroup.com.

A copy of Judge Walkley's Summary Order is available by clicking here.