CHAPTER 3 WHEN TO GO BEYOND RECORD TITLE - THE DUTY TO INQUIRE

• Jurisdiction: United States

Advanced Mineral Title Examination
(Jan 2014)
CHAPTER 3
WHEN TO GO BEYOND RECORD TITLE - THE DUTY TO INQUIRE
George A. Snell, III ^*
Steptoe & Johnson, PLLC
Houston
2201 Civic Circle, Suite 508
Amarillo, Texas 79109
(806) 359-8611
(806) 355-3339 FAX
george.snell@steptoe-johnson.com
www.steptoe-johnson.com

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GEORGE A. SNELL is Of Counsel at Steptoe & Johnson in The Woodlands, Texas, but lives in Amarillo, Texas. He focuses his practice in the area of energy law, specifically oil and gas and real property, focusing primarily on the preparation of title opinions for all purposes. George is a nationally recognized author and speaker. His industry knowledge is sought by organizations such as the American Association of Professional Landmen and the National Association of Division Order Analysts. His published works have appeared in the Gas and Mineral Law Sections of various bar associations including the State Bar of Texas, the Dallas Bar Association, and the Houston Bar Association. Snell has also been a featured author and speaker for the Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation in Denver, Colorado, as well as the University of Texas Oil, Gas and Mineral Law Institute. He is licensed in both Oklahoma and Texas. George is a graduate of Baylor University.

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BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

EDUCATION:	J. D. Baylor Law School, Waco, Texas - 1972
B.A. Baylor University, Waco, Texas - 1972

PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES:

Member of the following bar associations: Texas, Oklahoma, Amarillo, Austin, Dallas, Houston and Tarrant County

Member of the following professional landman associations: American, Texas Panhandle, Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Fort Worth, Dallas, Denver, Permian Basin and San Antonio

Member of the National Association of Division Order Analysts (NADOA), the Oklahoma City Chapter (CAPDOA) and the Tulsa Chapter (SADOA)

Member of the State Bar of Texas Title Standards Joint Editorial Board (1992 - Present)

Member of the National Association of Scholars

LAW RELATED PUBLICATIONS:

Significant Differences in Oil and Gas Principles between Producing States: From the Landman's Perspective - Texas and Oklahoma - Co-author - published in The Landman, 11-12/89 and 1-2/90 issues;

Title Examination of Fee Lands (Constructive Notice Revisited) Author/speaker - Mineral Title Examination III (1992) Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation, Denver, Colorado;

Probate Estates in Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana Author/Speaker - 19th Annual NADOA Institute (1992), Dallas, Texas;

A Comparative Review of Oil & Gas Law: Texas-Oklahoma-Arkansas -Co-Author/Co-Speaker - Natural Resources Law Institute (1993), Hot Springs, Arkansas;

Due Diligence Title Review: The Problem Areas, Where to Look and How to Solve. -Author/Speaker - Sixth Annual Dallas Energy Symposium (1994), Dallas, Texas;

Suspense Issues that Affect the Division Order Analyst. - Author/Speaker - 21st Annual NADOA Institute (1994), San Antonio, Texas;

Non-Consenting Mineral Owners. -Author/Speaker - 24th Annual NADOA Institute (1997), New Orleans, Louisiana;

Drafting Tips For Oil & Gas Leases and Conveyance - Author/Speaker - University of Texas 24th Annual Oil, Gas and Mineral Law Institute (1998), Houston, Texas;

State Royalty Payment Statutes - State Check Stub Requirement Statutes - Author/Speaker - 2nd Annual National Oil & Gas Royalty Conference (1998), Houston, Texas;

A Model Form Title Opinion Format - Is it Possible? Is it Practical? - Author - Vol. 25, No. 2 - Oil, Gas and Mineral Law Section Report (December, 2000) - State Bar of Texas;

Shut-In Gas Royalty - How to Avoid a Train Wreck - Author/Speaker - St. Mary's University School of Law Mineral/Royalty Owners & Producers Institute (2002), Midland, Texas;

Constructive Notice (A Multi-state perspective) - Author/Speaker - 20th Annual Advanced Oil, Gas & Energy Resources Law Institute (2002), Dallas, Texas;

Pooling - From A to Horizontal - Author/Speaker - St. Mary's University School of Law, Mine Fields & Minerals Institute (2003), Midland, Texas;

Accessing Local Records - Preparing the Chain of Title - Author/Speaker - Mineral Title Examination IV (2007) Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation, Denver, Colorado;

Legal Descriptions and Wellbore Assignments - Co-Author/Speaker - 25th Annual Advanced Oil, Gas & Energy Resources Law Institute (2007), Houston, Texas.

Preparing Oil and Gas Title Opinions - How Title Standards Can Help - Author/Speaker - 34th Ernest E. Smith Oil, Gas & Mineral Law Institute (2008), Houston, Texas.

Basics of Oil & Gas Conveyances - Author/Speaker - 29th Annual Advanced Oil, Gas & Energy Resources Law Course (2011), Houston, Texas.

Indices, Recording Systems and Notice - Author/Speaker - Mineral Title Examination V (2012), Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation, Denver, Colorado.

Shale Plays: Comparative Law Discussion of Other Shale States - Author/Speak - 30th Annual Advanced Oil. Gas & Energy Resources Law Course (2012), Houston, TX

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CONTRIBUTING FRIENDS

(As of 10/31/13)

Arkansas	California
Tom Daily	James M. Day, Jr. (Kit) × 102
Daily & Woods	Sean B. Murphy × 107
58 South 6th Street	Josh Baker
Fort Smith, AR 72902-1446	Day, Carter & Murphy, L.L.P.
Stephens Building	3620 American River Drive, Suite 205
(479) 782-0361 × 37	Sacramento, CA 95864
(479) 782-6160 FAX	(916) 570-2500
tdaily@dailywoods.com	jday@daycartermurphy.com
Firm Website: www.daycartermurphy.com
Colorado	Kansas
Greg Danielson	Chris Steincamp
Davis Graham & Stubbs, L.L.P.	Depew Gillen Rathbun & McInteer, L.C.
1550 17th Street, Suite 500	8301 E. 21st Street North, Suite 450
Denver, CO 80202	Wichita KS 67206-2936
(303) 892-9400	(316) 262-4000
(303) 892-7438	(316) 265-3819 FAX
(303) 393-1397 FAX	chris@depewgillen.com
greg.danielson@dgslaw.com	Firm Website: www.depewgillen.com
Firm Website: www.dgslaw.com
Indiana and Illinois	Kentucky
Brandon S. Renner	George Mason
William C. Illingworth	George Mason Law Firm
Jackson Kelly, PLLC	103 Wind Haven Drive, Suite 201
21 Southeast 3rd Street, Suite 900	Nicholasville, KY 40356
Evansville, IN 47708-1412	(859) 224-8277
(812) 401-6770	(859) 327-4740 Mobile
(812) 401-6786 FAX	George@georgemasonlf.com
(812) 454-6888 Cell - Brandon
(618) 214-7843 Cell - William	Kentucky
bsrenner@jacksonkelly.com	Bryan R. Reynolds
wcillingworth@jacksonkelly.com	Sullivan Mountjoy Stainback & Miller, P.S.C.
Firm Website: www.jacksonkelly.com	P.O. Box 727
Owensboro, KY 42302-0727
(270) 926-4000
(270-691-1609
(270) 929-9560 Cell
breynolds@smsmlaw.com
Kentucky	Kentucky
Wayne F. Collier	Chris Van Bever
Kinkead & Stilz, PLLC	G. Christopher Van Bever, P.S.C.
National City Plaza	103 Wind Haven Drive, Suite 201
301 East Main Street, Suite 800	Nicholasville, KY 40356
Lexington, KY 40507-1520	(859) 321-2588
(859) 296-2300	(859) 321-2588 Mobile
(859) 296-0978 Ext. 228 Work	chrisvanbever@insightbb.com
wcollier@ksattorneys.com
Louisiana	Michigan
Richard W. "Rick" Revels	Susan Hlywa Topp
Liskow & Lewis	Topp Law PLC
P. O. Box 52008	213 East Main
Lafayette, LA 70505	P. 0. Box 1977
(337) 232-7424 X 2341	Gaylord, MI 49734
(337) 267-2399 FAX	(989) 731-4014
rwrevels@liskow.com	(989) 731-4804 FAX
Firm Website: www.liskow.com	(989) 619-4886 Cell
susan@topplaw.com
Firm Website: www.topplaw.com
Mississippi and Alabama	New Mexico
W. Eric West	Greg Nibert (Carolyn)
McDavid, Noblin & West, PLLC	Hinkle, Hensley, Shanor & Martin, L.L.P.
248 E. Capitol Street, Suite 840	P. O. Box 10
Jackson, MS 39201	Roswell, NM 88202-0010
(601) 948-3305	(575) 622-6510
(601) 354-4789 FAX	gnibert@hinklelawfirm.com
ewest@mnwlaw.com	Firm Website: www.hinklelawfirm.com
Firm Website: www.mnwlaw.com
Montana	New York
Brian R. Bjella	John H. Heyer
Craig C. Smith	Attorney at Law
Crowley Fleck, PLLP	604 Exchange National Bank Bldg.
P. 0. Box 2798	P. 0. Box 588
Bismarck, ND 58502	Olean, NY 14760
(701) 223-6585	(716) 372-0395
brbjella@crowleyfleck.com	(716) 372-0446 FAX
csmith@crowleyfleck.com	jhh@heyerlaw.com
Firm Website: www.crowleyfleck.com	Firm Website: www.heyerlaw.com
North Dakota	Ohio
Brian R. Bjella	Timothy M. McKeen
Craig C. Smith	Steptoe & Johnson PLLC
Crowley Fleck, PLLP	1233 Main Street, Suite 3000
P. O. Box 2798	Wheeling, WV 26003
Bismarck, ND 58502	(304) 233-0000
(701) 223-6585	timothy.mckeen@steptoe-johnson.com
brbjella@crowleyfleck.com	Firm Website:www.steptoe-johnson.com
csmith@crowleyfleck.com
Firm Website: www.crowleyfleck.com
Oklahoma	Pennsylvania
Timothy C. Dowd	Russell L. Schetroma
Elias, Books, Brown, & Nelson	Steptoe & Johnson, PLLC
211 N. Robinson, Suite 1300	201 Chestnut Street, Suite 200
Oklahoma City, OK 73102-7114	Meadville, PA 16335
(405) 232-3722	(814) 336-6400
(405) 232-3746 FAX	(814) 282-8301 Cell
timdowd@eliasbooksbrown.com	(814) 336-6570 FAX
Firm Website: www.eliasbooks.com	russell.schetroma@steptoe-johnson.com
Firm Website:www.steptoe-johnson.com
Texas	Utah
George A. Snell, III (Bonnie)	Angela L. Franklin
Steptoe & Johnson, PLLC	Holland & Hart, L.L.P.
2201 Civic Circle, Suite 508	222 South Main Street, Suite 2200
Amarillo, Texas 79109	Salt Lake City, UT 84101
(806) 359-8611	(801) 799-5964
(806) 355-3339 FAX	alfranklin@hollandhart.com
(806) 670-1480 Cell	Firm Website: www.hollandhart.com
George@georgesnell.com
george.snelI@steptoe-johnson.com
FirmWebsite:www.Steptoe-Johnson.com
West Virginia	Wyoming
Richard L. Gottlieb	Craig Newman

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