Dec 9, 2016 1 min read

A Washington County jury awarded $1 million to an East Finley Township couple Thursday in their dispute with Consol Energy over the breach of a settlement agreement with the mining company.

Patricia and Jon Holbert Carter’s lawsuit against Consol stemmed from a previous case brought by Consol against them in which both sides contested the ownership of the coal and mining rights to the Carters’ land. That case resulted in a settlement agreement.

In the case decided Thursday, the Carters alleged Consol made an argument to the state Supreme Court that it was barred from making under the terms of the settlement, resulting in a dismissal of the case. The Carters argued that the dismissal prevented them from receiving a bonus payment they were due under the settlement if they could prove in appellate proceedings they owned the coal or mining rights to the land.

Attorneys from the firm Burns White, which represented Consol, weren’t immediately available for comment Friday.

The trial in the more recent suit began Tuesday before Senior Judge William Nalitz.