LIMITED POWER OF ATTORNEY FOR
SECTION 16 REPORTING OBLIGATIONS
STATE OF OKLAHOMA
KNOW BY ALL THESE PRESENTS:
COUNTY OF OKLAHOMA
I, James D. Palm, do hereby appoint Joel H. McNatt as my true and lawful
attorney-in-fact ("Attorney-in-Fact") and grant such Attorney-in-Fact full power
to act in my name, place and stead and on my behalf to do and execute all or any
of the following acts, deeds and things:
1) To execute and file for and on behalf of me, in my
capacity as one or more of an officer, director, or
significant stockholder of Bronco Drilling Company, Inc.
or any of its subsidiaries (collectively, the
"Company"), reports or other filings under Section 16 of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the
rules thereunder, including without limitation, Forms 3,
4 and 5, including any amendments, corrections,
supplements or other changes thereto;
2) To do and perform any and all acts for and on behalf of
me which may be necessary or desirable to complete and
execute any such reports or other filings and timely
file same with the United States Securities and Exchange
Commission and any stock exchange or similar authority;
and
3) To take any other action of any type whatsoever in
connection with the foregoing which, in the sole opinion
of such Attorney-in-Fact, may be of benefit to, in the
interest of, or legally required by me, it being
understood that the documents executed by such
Attorney-in-Fact on behalf of me pursuant to this Power
of Attorney shall be in such form and shall contain such
terms and conditions as such attorney-in-fact may
approve in such Attorney-in-Fact's discretion.
I hereby grant to such Attorney-in-Fact full power and authority to do
and perform any and every act and thing whatsoever requisite, necessary, or
proper to be done (in such Attorney-in-Fact's sole discretion) in the exercise
of any of the rights and powers herein granted, as fully to all intents and
purposes as I might or could do if personally present, with full power of
substitution or revocation, hereby ratifying and confirming all that the
Attorney-in-Fact shall lawfully does or causes to be done by virtue of this
Power of Attorney and the rights and powers herein granted. I acknowledge that
the Attorney-in-Fact, in serving in such capacity at my request, is not
assuming, nor is the Company assuming, any of my responsibilities to comply with
Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
This Power of Attorney shall remain in full force and effect until I am
no longer subject to Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 with
respect to the my holdings of and transactions in securities issued by the
Company, unless earlier revoked by me in a signed writing delivered to the
Attorney-in-Fact.
Liability. The Attorney-in-Fact shall have no liability or obligation
with respect to the powers granted herein except for and to the extent of such
Attorney-in-Fact's willful misconduct. In no event shall such Attorney-in-Fact
be liable for incidental, indirect, special, consequential or punitive damages.
Severability. The provisions of this Power of Attorney shall be deemed
severable, and the invalidity or unenforceability of any provision hereof shall
not affect the validity or enforceability of any other provision hereof;
provided that if any provision of this Power of Attorney, as applied to me or to
such Attorney-in-Fact or any circumstance, is adjudged by any governmental body,
arbitrator or mediator not to be enforceable in accordance with its terms, then
such governmental body, arbitrator or mediator shall have the power to modify
the provision in a manner consistent with the objectives of this Power of
Attorney such that it is enforceable, and/or to delete specific words or
phrases, and in it its reduced form, such provision shall be enforceable and
shall be enforced, but in any case, only to the extent required to make such
provision enforceable.
Governing Law. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE DEEMED TO BE A CONTRACT UNDER,
AND SHALL BE CONSTRUED, INTERPRETED AND GOVERNED BY AND ACCORDING TO, THE LAWS
OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE EXCLUDING ANY CONFLICT OF LAWS PRINCIPLE WHICH, IF
APPLIED, MIGHT PERMIT OR REQUIRE THE APPLICATION OF THE LAWS OF ANOTHER
JURISDICTION.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has caused this Power of Attorney to be
executed as of this 9th day of September 2005.
/s/ James D. Palm
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James D. Palm
STATE OF OKLAHOMA
COUNTY OF OKLAHOMA
On this 22th day of December 2005, James D. Palm personally appeared
before me, and acknowledged that he executed the foregoing instrument for the
purposes therein contained. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and
official seal.
/s/ Melody R. Medley
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Name: Melody R. Medley
Commission #: 05002010
My Commission Expires: 2/25/2009