...A pipeline company trampled on landowners’ property rights by building a pipeline before getting proper legal authority, a state appeals court ruled Thursday, awarding $10,000 each to three people with fractional ownerships.

“Sure, to a multibillion-dollar pipeline company it’s pocket change, but it means something to the landowners who’ve had to fight this,” said Center for Constitutional Rights attorney Pam Spees, who represented Theda Larson Wright and siblings Peter and Katherine Aaslestad, who are not related to Wright. ...

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