June 6, 2013 – TriCities – US judge shocked by Va. role in lawsuit

US judge shocked by Va. role in lawsuit

Posted: Thursday, June 6, 2013 5:42 pm | Updated: 8:15 pm, Thu Jun 6, 2013.

Associated Press |

A federal judge has expressed shock that an assistant Virginia attorney general has been assisting two natural gas companies that are being sued by landowners who allege the companies bilked them out of natural gas royalties.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Pamela Meade Sargent said in a filed court opinion that the relationship was revealed in emails provided to the court by the plaintiffs in the case against EQT Production Co. and CNX Gas Co., two Pittsburgh-area energy companies.