Cases & Deals

International Development Corporation obtains dismissal of "title washing" challenge to its mineral rights

Client(s) International Development Corporation

Jones Day represented International Development Corporation (IDC) against a challenge from the heirs of prior owners of oil and gas rights in northeastern Pennsylvania. The heirs alleged that IDC's title to the mineral rights was invalid following a defective tax sale in 1906. The heirs alleged that the concept of "title washing," which allowed separately owned mineral estates to be sold at tax sales with the corresponding uninhabited surface estate, was unconstitutional, and that the prior owners of the mineral estate had not been legally deprived of those mineral rights in 1906. The heirs discontinued the action after preliminary motions practice and during early discovery.

Int'l Dev. Corp. v. Cuccia, et al., No. 949 CV 2010 (Ct. C.P. Tioga Cty, Pa.)