The legislature enacted the original version of the Ohio Dormant Mineral Act (DMA) in 1989 to allow for the abandonment of old unused severed mineral interests (other than coal) and to automatically vest them in the owner of the surface of the property.
For most surface owners, the filing of a quiet title action based on the 1989 DMA is the only reliable method for clearing title to their mineral rights from old mineral severances. Nevertheless, almost all of the legal issues surrounding the 1989 DMA remain pending before the Ohio Supreme Court, and most DMA cases pending before Ohio's trial courts are stayed. Based on recent events, however, this will likely change soon...
Ohio Gas & Oil MagazineView PDF