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No. 13-0156
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KEY OPERATING & EQUIPMENT, INC. v. WILL HEGAR AND LOREE HEGAR

Oral argument was held on February 4, 2014. The Court issued an opinion resolving the case on June 20, 2014. File Closed

In the news...

Tracking 2 articles about this case.

June 20, 2014

Eight sets of opinions, one grant [Jun. 20, 2014]

from SCOTXblog

This article also mentions 10 other cases.

The Court has issued opinions:

December 13, 2013

Two opinions and four grants [Dec. 13, 2013]

from SCOTXblog

This article also mentions 7 other cases.

Opinion

June 20, 2014

Johnson
Hecht
Green
Willett
Guzman
Lehrmann
Boyd
Devine
Brown

Justice Johnson delivered the opinion of the Court. PDF

 

Court of Appeals

Appellate District:1st Court of Appeals
Outcome Below:Affirmed
COA Docket No.:01-10-00350-CV
Opinion Author:Honorable Harvey G. Brown

Trial Court

Trial Court:21st District Court
County:Washington
Trial Judge:Honorable Terry Flenniken
Trial Docket:33,968

Entries on SCOTX Orders Lists

Docket Entries

Date Event Outcome  
2014-08-07 Case Stored  
2014-08-01 Mandate issued  
2014-06-20 Opinion issued   Court of Appeals' judgment reversed & judgment rendered
2014-06-20 Court approved judgment sent to attorneys of record Issued
  This case was awaiting the Court's decision after oral argument between February 4, 2014 and June 20, 2014.  
2014-02-04 Oral argument  
2014-01-08 Oral Argument Submission Form from Attorney received  
2013-12-18 Oral Argument Submission Form from Attorney received  
2013-12-13 Case set for oral argument   Case set for oral argument
2013-12-13 Petition for Review granted
2013-12-13 Petition for Review disposed Filing granted
2013-11-20 Amicus Curiae Brief received  
2013-11-05 Letter Filed  
2013-10-29 Reply Brief (Petitioner)  
2013-10-10 Brief on the Merits (Respondent)  
2013-09-23 Brief on the Merits (Petitioner)  
2013-09-05 Case Record Filed  
2013-08-27 Record Requested in Petition for Review
2013-08-23 Brief on the Merits Requested  
2013-08-22 Amicus Curiae Letter Received  
  This case was waiting for a decision about briefing or a possible grant between May 29, 2013 and August 22, 2013.  
2013-05-29 Response to Petition (Respondent)  
2013-05-03 Supreme Court of Texas Requested Response  
2013-04-02 Case forwarded to Court
2013-04-01 Response Waiver filed  
2013-03-25 Petition for Review (Petitioner)  
2013-03-13 Motion for Extension of Time to File Petition for Review disposed   Filing granted
2013-03-13 Phone call from Clerk's Office  
2013-03-12 Amendment to Motion filed  
2013-03-11 Phone call from Clerk's Office  
2013-03-07 Response to Motion for Extension of Time to File Petition for Review  
2013-03-07 Call received  
2013-03-06 Certification (various) in case received  
2013-03-06 Phone call from Clerk's Office  
2013-03-05 Phone call from Clerk's Office  
2013-03-05 Motion for Extension of Time to File Petition for Review filed  

Parties

Party Counsel Role
Hegar, Will
Mr. Mark C. Harwell
Respondent
Key Operating & Equipment, Inc.
Mr. Jeffrey M. Burns
Petitioner

Amicus Curiae

Amicus Curiae Counsel
Texas Oil & Gas Association
Mr. Everard A. Marseglia Jr.
Ms. Jillian Marullo
 

The effect of pooled mineral rights on rights to access the surface

The owner of a surface tract wanted to stop trucks from using a road across that property to operate wells on a neighbor's property. The one fact that the Texas Supreme Court holds to be dispositive is that the mineral rights underneath that property had been pooled with the mineral rights that were being drilled underneath a neighbor's property.

The Court observed that "the 'primary legal consequence' of pooling" is "that production anywhere on a pooled unit is treated as production on every tract in the unit." From that basis, the Court concluded that, just as a mineral rights owner would have an implied easement to access the surface of a single piece of property to drill beneath it, it would have access to the entire surface over the entire pooled mineral interest to drill anywhere within that unit.

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