This month, Baylor University intervened in a civil lawsuit against Texas oilman Orville Duane Gaither and his two companies alleging fraud in connection with his companies' management of oil and gas production from property owned by the university in Wood County.

The Lufkin law firm of Chandler, Mathis and Zivley and firm lawyer George Chandler filed the petition of intervention in the lawsuit, Pioneer Royalty v. Gaither Petroleum in the 402nd District Court in Wood County.

“We are seeking to intervene in the original lawsuit because our client, Baylor University, feels that it was subjected to fraud by Gaither Petroleum Corporation and the other defendants and is seeking damages due to the defendants' failure to develop the oil resources on the property in which Baylor has an interest in the mineral estate. The university was given the mineral interest as a gift from a Baylor alumni donor,” Chandler said.