1977 appointed William Weidert as temporary receiver to administer and manage various oil and gas wells that were the assets of the partnerships.  These wells were the subject of litigation in several state and federal courts.  Weidert entered an appearance in one of these actions, Lion Oil Co. v. Barnett, No. 77-1015, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Arkansas.  Within ten days of his appointment, he had filed in the Lion Oil Co. proceeding a copy of the order appointing him as receiver, but not a copy of the SEC complaint.


3
Soon thereafter, Weidert died, and on June 24, 1977, the Eastern District of Pennsylvania appointed Frank Concannon as substitute temporary receiver.  Within ten days of Concannon's appointment, a noticeamong those who had applied to exclude from the receivership oil wells located on their property.


4
Concannon began to operate the various oil and gas wells in the receivership, including the Gregory-Jerry wells.  On May 2, 1978, Concannon filed in the Western District of Arkansas a copy of the SEC complaint and the order of his appointment as receiver.  This filing was intended to comply with 28 U.S.C. § 754, although it was made months after the ten-day period stipulated in section 754.


5
Nearly a year after the complaint and order were filed, the Gregorys and the Jerrys sued in Arkansas Chancery Court for cancellation of the leases held by the receivership and for money damages for certain injuries to their land.  The cancellation issue was based