Jared Hudson could have been one of the most accomplished fossil hunters on 'Dino Hunters,' if it wasn't for one setback — a lawsuit. Read on for more.
Dino Hunters revolves around a group of ambitious fossil hunters eager to spend days and days digging around their farmlands looking for the one, tiny bone that's bound to change their lives.
The brand new documentary series airing on the Discovery Channel and produced by Half Yard Productions features self-taught experts dead-set on causing some real stir with just one find. Take Jared Hudson, who claims he found a T-Rex — only to have a lawsuit filed against him.
Article continues below advertisement
Jared Hudson's company excavated a T-Rex and was met with a lawsuit.
The dispute that turned into a lawsuit actually started in Faith, S.D., nearby the Hell Creek Formation, where the famous T-Rex, Sue, was found. Sue actually happens to be what inspired Jared to go into excavating himself. Darwin and Patty Hauser, a ranching couple located just outside of Faith, sued the dinosaur excavating company, In the Beginning Fossils, which is run by Jared.
Article continues below advertisement
According to the Hausers, In the Beginning sold a T-Rex skeleton dug up on their property, with their permission, to Colorado company Wizard Bear Holdings. But, if it was with their permission, why the lawsuit? Well, the issue lies in the argument of what exactly was sold: Was it a prepared skeleton or an unprepared one?
A prepared skeleton would give In the Beginning a larger cut of the sale, but the Hausers say that what was sold was not prepared. "The fossil was in substantially the same condition at the time of sale as it was in upon the removal from the Hauser Ranch and is therefore deemed not prepared," the complaint against In the Beginning read. The landowners were looking for 60 percent of the sale, while In the Beginning deemed the Hausers' contribution worthy of 50 percent.
Article continues below advertisement
The couple was asking for declaratory relief, meaning that they were looking for judgement determining their right to 60 percent of the sale. Declaratory relief does not ask for the courts to order for anything to be done or for the courts to award damages. They argued that their right to the 60 percent was due to the fact that "cleaning a portion of the Fossil and removing matrix from certain parts of the Fossil does not mean the Fossil is 'prepared.'"
Article continues below advertisement
In the Beginning argues that they did not just clean the bones, but instead "spent countless hours preparing, cleaning, and marketing the fossil for sale." It is unknown how much the fossil actually sold for.
As Deadline reveals, the unexpected turn of events left a significant impact on Jared's whole life and career. In addition to the legal dispute, he was starting to lose access to all of his favorite hunting spots as people turned to give him the cold shoulder. Jared is looking for Dino Hunters to be a way to "clear his name" and find a fossil as great as the T-Rex that led to the lawsuit.
Catch new episodes of Dino Hunters every Friday at 9 p.m. ET on the Discovery Channel.
ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7pbXSramam6Ses7p6wqikaKhfn66zscNmn66co6S7bsDRnq9mpJGswLa10w%3D%3D