Oil, Gas, and Mineral Law Commons^™

Texas Fetal Rights: Is There A Future For The Rights Of Future Texans., S. Jeffrey Gately

St. Mary's Law Journal

In Texas, contrary interpretations, whether a fetus is a person or non-person, create unpredictable and irreconcilable outcomes. The author contrasts the differences found in Texas law regarding the rights of unborn children in the areas of property, family, criminal, and tort law. At conception, a fetus enjoys property rights. However, under the auspices of family law, a mother may not collect child support until birth but may seek contribution for prenatal care prior to birth. Criminal protection of a fetus is unavailable in Texas unless the fetus is born alive. If criminal activity results in still birth or fetal destruction, …

Applying Edgewood V. Kirby To Analysis Of Fundamental Rights Under The Texas Constitution., Albert H. Kauffman, Carmen Maria Rumbaut

St. Mary's Law Journal

State constitutions are affirmative grants of power under which both stated and implied fundamental rights can be sought. A proposed test for fundamental rights under the Texas Constitution looks at three factors: the history of the topic within the Texas Constitution and case law; the actual language used in the controlling provision; and the importance of that value to the people of Texas. The declaration of a constitutional right as fundamental certainly has implications for future relationships between the people and the government.

The Edgewood v. Kirby case has the potential to change much in Texas. The case stands for …

A Proposal To Protect Injured Workers From Employers' Shield Of Immunity., Catherine A. Hale

St. Mary's Law Journal

The current workers’ compensation system shields negligent employers from liability and fails to encourage compliance with safety standards. A practical solution is to broaden the judicial definition of intentional conduct and reinstate a common-law negligence action in workers’ compensation statutes. The Texas Workers’ Compensation Act awards compensation to employees for accidental injuries sustained in the course of employment. The Act bars an employee who accepts these benefits from bringing a common-law suit for damages against the employer. The exclusive nature of the workers’ compensation remedy thus leaves employers immune from common-law negligence actions by employees who accept the plan. An …

Scources Of Liberty In The Texas Bill Of Rights., Arvel (Rod) Ponton Iii

St. Mary's Law Journal

Many historical, economic, and philosophical forces have combined to create a uniquely “Texian” perspective on liberty that has heavily influenced the Texas Bill of Rights. The original Texas Bill of Rights was drafted in 1836, during the ascendancy of Jacksonian democracy, following the successful revolt from the military dictatorship of General Santa Anna. Texans had lived under Spanish civil law, Mexican constitutional law, a Mexican military dictatorship, English common law, and the Bill of Rights of the United States. The Texas Revolution, the fact that many Texans looked to American and English jurisprudence for guidance, the violation of many rights …

Grizzly Bears, Politics And The Language Of Efficiency, Donald R. Snow

The Public Lands During the Remainder of the 20th Century: Planning, Law, and Policy in the Federal Land Agencies (Summer Conference, June 8-10)

13 pages.

Determining Mineral Ownership In Texas After Moser V. United States Steel Corp. - The Surface Destruction Nightmare Continues., David A. Scott

St. Mary's Law Journal

Total abandonment of the surface destruction test is essential for achieving mineral title certainty in Texas. Many instruments which grant or reserve mineral rights in Texas contain the words “other minerals.” When the instrument does not specifically list which substances the contracting parties include as minerals, a dispute often arises as to ownership of the unspecified substances. To resolve ownership disputes, Texas courts adopted the surface destruction test. This test focuses on the destructive effects removal of a particular substance would have on the surface of the land. Unfortunately, the surface destruction test yielded unpredictable results, causing uncertainty in mineral …

Ogallala Ground Water, Morton W. Bittinger

Groundwater: Allocation, Development and Pollution (Summer Conference, June 6-9)

12 pages.

Agenda: Groundwater: Allocation, Development And Pollution, University Of Colorado Boulder. Natural Resources Law Center

Groundwater: Allocation, Development and Pollution (Summer Conference, June 6-9)

Even before the [Natural Resources Law] Center was established [in the fall of 1981], the [University of Colorado] School of Law was organizing annual natural resources law summer short courses. To date four programs have been presented:

- July 1980: "Federal Lands, Laws and Policies-and the Development of Natural Resources"

- June 1981: "Water Resources Allocation: Laws and Emerging Issues"

- June 1982: "New Sources of Water for Energy Development and Growth: lnterbasin Transfers"

- June 1983: "Groundwater: Allocation; Development and Pollution"

(Reprinted from Resource Law Notes, no. 1, Jan. 1984, at 1.)

University of Colorado School of Law professors …

Water Problems & Issues Affecting United States-Mexico Relations: Policy Options & Alternatives, Albert E. Utton

New Sources of Water for Energy Development and Growth: Interbasin Transfers: A Short Course (Summer Conference, June 7-10)

42 pages.

Contains 6 pages of endnotes.

Constitutional Restraints On Protecting State Interests In Water Rights, Charles E. Corker

New Sources of Water for Energy Development and Growth: Interbasin Transfers: A Short Course (Summer Conference, June 7-10)

33 pages.

Contains references.

A Century And A Half Of Interbasin Diversions Or 100 Years Since Coffin V. Left Hand Ditch Co., Ralph W. Johnson

New Sources of Water for Energy Development and Growth: Interbasin Transfers: A Short Course (Summer Conference, June 7-10)

19 pages.

Contains references.

Interbasin Transfer Economics: The High Plains Region, Allen Kneese

New Sources of Water for Energy Development and Growth: Interbasin Transfers: A Short Course (Summer Conference, June 7-10)

44 pages (includes 1 map).

Development Of The Appropriation Doctrine: Outline, Charles F. Wilkinson

Water Resources Allocation: Laws and Emerging Issues: A Short Course (Summer Conference, June 8-11)

11 pages.

Contains references.

Ground Water Mining, Water Transfers And The Ogallala Aquifer Study, J. David Aiken

Water Resources Allocation: Laws and Emerging Issues: A Short Course (Summer Conference, June 8-11)

10 pages.

Contains references.

Land Subsidence And Ground-Water Pumping: Outline, Thomas L. Holzer

Water Resources Allocation: Laws and Emerging Issues: A Short Course (Summer Conference, June 8-11)

10 pages.

Contains research sources.

Federal Nonreserved Water Rights, Frank J. Trelease

Water Resources Allocation: Laws and Emerging Issues: A Short Course (Summer Conference, June 8-11)

5 pages.

Constitutional Law-Relation Of Federal And State Governments- Title Of United States To Tidelands, John K. Delay, Jr.

Michigan Law Review

For the past decade and a half, one of the most harrassing problems in the realm of federal-state relationships has been that concerned with the ownership of the so-called "tidelands." This struggle of interests, which involves 23,000 square miles of offshore lands within the boundaries of the littoral states, has developed since 1937; for prior to that time, the Federal Government recognized the states' claims, making no assertion of federal ownership. The development of the conflict appears to be coextensive with the discovery and development of valuable mineral deposits found under these submerged lands, which have been leased to private …

Public Utilities - Federal Power Commission- Just And Reasonable Rate - Rate Base - Going Value - Original Investment As Amortization Base, Michigan Law Review

Michigan Law Review

Smyth v. Ames, source of the elusive principle that has pestered courts and public utility commissions since 1898, is still not a dead letter. Doubtless the only reason its doctrine stands at this late date is that no recent case has forced the Court to reconsider the "fair value" rule. However, in Federal Power Commission v. Natural Gas Pipeline Company of America, decided by the Court on March 16, 1942, three justices took occasion to "lay the ghost" of the 1898 decision once and for all and to declare that the case "erases much which has been written …

Taxation-Exemption Of Sovereign Instrumentality-Effect Of Imposing Tax

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiff corporation brought suit against the collector of internal revenue for federal income taxes paid under protest. The taxes were assessed upon the net income derived from the sale of oil and gas produced on lands which the plaintiff held under lease from the state of Texas. A legislative act provided for the leasing of the lands to further the development of their natural resources, the lessees paying a royalty on oil and gas. The statutory leases had been previously held to constitute a sale of the minerals. Theisen v. Robison, 117 Tex. 489, 8 S.W. (2d) 646. The statute …