Cockren

FACTS AND PROCEEDINGS

A. Rommel Trust Was Established in 2003 William J. Rommel established The William J. Rommel Revocable Trust via written instrument on October 8, 2003, with himself as the trustee. The 2003 Rommel trust was drafted by attorney Stephen Dake. On October 28, 2003, Rommel executed a Memorandum of Trust Instrument, indicating he had “conveyed all of his real property located in Kern County, and personal property[,] to the Trustee.” The memorandum was recorded in the official records of the County of Kern on November 4, 2003.

B. Rommel Received Oil, Gas, and Mineral Interests in 2007, and Entered into a Lease Based on Those Interests in 2011 On October 2, 2007, Rommel received, via a quitclaim deed from Lucille Barkley, an interest in “oil, gas and minerals or other hydrocarbons in and under” a specific parcel

2. of real property located in Kern County (oil interests or oil and gas interests or mineral interests or oil rights). On June 28, 2011, Lucille Barkley executed a “Correcting Quitclaim Deed” regarding the previously gifted oil interests; the corrected deed was recorded on July 7, 2011. The same day as the recordation of the corrected deed, Rommel…