The Texas Anti-Indemnity Act.,
2014
St. Mary's University
The Texas Anti-Indemnity Act., Taylor R. Beaver
St. Mary's Law Journal
Owners, general contractors, and subcontractors enter into agreements to ameliorate risk amongst those exercising control. Some of these include hold-harmless agreements, indemnity agreements, releases, and agreements conferring additional insured status to others. Typically, parties enjoy freedom to contract as they wish. Texas has long recognized, as a matter of public policy, a party’s right to draft contracts however it sees fit. Historically, risk-shifting agreements were enforceable if they passed the fair notice requirements, meaning the express negligence rule and the conspicuousness test. The trend in recent years, however, has been to limit exculpatory clauses. In 2011, the Texas Legislature effectively …
Texas Remedies In Equity For Breach Of Fiduciary Duty: Disgorgement, Forfeiture, And Fracturing.,
2014
St. Mary's University
Texas Remedies In Equity For Breach Of Fiduciary Duty: Disgorgement, Forfeiture, And Fracturing., George P. Roach
St. Mary's Law Journal
The remedy of fee forfeiture against lawyer fiduciaries has been marginalized. Following Burrow v. Arce, Texas trial courts have frequently applied a no-fracturing rule that effectively bars a claim for breach of fiduciary duty against an attorney. Although the court in Burrow held actual damages were not a prerequisite for fee forfeiture, many Texas trial courts have not followed that precedent. Most Texas trial courts require the plaintiff to prove actual damages to survive a summary judgment motion. Others have openly asserted that not all legitimate claims for breach of fiduciary duty should be allowed as an alternative claim to …
The Dual Role Of A Chief Justice.,
2014
St. Mary's University
The Dual Role Of A Chief Justice., Catherine Stone
St. Mary's Law Journal
Notwithstanding the growing trend of high-dollar judicial election campaigns, many citizens do not know what appellate judges and appellate courts do. Faced with the reality of obscurity and the ever-present potential of failed reelection campaigns, appellate judges work each day to fulfill the mission of appellate courts: to efficiently resolve the legal disputes presented in appeals from lower court decisions with written opinions that are well reasoned, thoroughly researched, and intellectually honest. It is the responsibility of the Chief Justice to promote that core mission with all justices on the court, thereby working to best serve the legal needs of …
The Aftermath Of Mexico's Fuel-Theft Epidemic: Examining The Texas Black Market And The Conspiracy To Trade In Stolen Condensate.,
2014
St. Mary's University
The Aftermath Of Mexico's Fuel-Theft Epidemic: Examining The Texas Black Market And The Conspiracy To Trade In Stolen Condensate., Luke B. Reinhart
St. Mary's Law Journal
Organized crime has infiltrated the oil patch, creating a theft network with an annual value of $2–$4 billion. Over the past decade, Mexican drug cartels have plundered mass amounts of natural gas condensate produced by Petróleos Mexicanos (Pemex)—the governing Mexican agency for production and export of hydrocarbons. The Mexican government has not sat by idly. Pemex’s production losses have skyrocketed from $300 million, between 2006 and 2011, to an estimated $585 million in 2013 alone. Considering derivative costs associated with these thefts, Pemex’s annual losses reach into the billions. Diversified and driven by profits derived from the United States black …
The Extraterritorial Application Of The Fifth Amendment: A Need For Expanded Constitutional Protections.,
2014
St. Mary's University
The Extraterritorial Application Of The Fifth Amendment: A Need For Expanded Constitutional Protections., Guinevere E. Moore, Robert T. Moore
St. Mary's Law Journal
Since 2010, there have been forty-three cases—and ten deaths—involving the use of deadly force by United States agents against Mexican nationals along the border. Currently, the official policy is that officers may still use deadly force where they “reasonably believe”—based upon the totality of the circumstances—that they are in “imminent danger” of death or serious injury. Officers were found reasonable in using deadly force in situations as mundane as young boys throwing rocks. In light of these actions, the Mexican government has raised serious concerns about the disproportionate use of force by United States agents. The question now raised is …
In Pursuit Of Just Compensation In Texas: Assessing Damages In Takings Cases Using The Property's Tax-Appraised Value.,
2014
St. Mary's University
In Pursuit Of Just Compensation In Texas: Assessing Damages In Takings Cases Using The Property's Tax-Appraised Value., Alexander B. Lutzky
St. Mary's Law Journal
Abstract Forthcoming.
Is My Case Mandamusable: A Guide To The Current State Of Texas Mandamus Law.,
2014
St. Mary's University
Is My Case Mandamusable: A Guide To The Current State Of Texas Mandamus Law., Marialyn Barnard, Lorien Whyte, Emmanuel Garcia
St. Mary's Law Journal
It is important for all Texas lawyers to be knowledgeable about mandamus relief. Unfortunately, there is no bright line rule in terms of mandamus relief. The general rule for when mandamus relief may be granted is when the trial court clearly abused its discretion, and there is not an adequate remedy available from a court of appeals. A clear of abuse of discretion is determined if no other trial court would have come to the same conclusion. In deciding if mandamus relief is proper, appellate courts apply a balancing test. The appellate court considers several factors including: preserving relator’s substantive …
The Computer Fraud And Abuse Act: An Attractive But Risky Alternative To Texas Trade Secret Law.,
2014
St. Mary's University
The Computer Fraud And Abuse Act: An Attractive But Risky Alternative To Texas Trade Secret Law., Paul Hanna, Matthew Leal
St. Mary's Law Journal
Abstract Forthcoming.
Mandamus Review Of The Granting Of The Motion For New Trial: Lost In The Thicket.,
2014
St. Mary's University
Mandamus Review Of The Granting Of The Motion For New Trial: Lost In The Thicket., Richard E. Flint
St. Mary's Law Journal
A trial court’s broad discretion in granting a new trial has been one of the mainstays of Texas jurisprudence since early statehood. Historically, this discretion was not subject to review through the ordinary appellate processes. This principle remains inviolate today, as the granting of a new trial is an interlocutory order from which the appellate courts of Texas do not have jurisdiction. Furthermore, the use of an original mandamus proceeding to compel a trial court to set aside the granting of a new trial has had only limited application. However, in response to the case of In re Columbia Medical …
A Guide To Properly Using And Responding To Requests For Admission Under The Texas Discovery Rules.,
2014
St. Mary's University
A Guide To Properly Using And Responding To Requests For Admission Under The Texas Discovery Rules., Robert K. Wise, Katherine Hendler
St. Mary's Law Journal
This article’s purpose is to provide a guide for properly using and responding to requests for admission under the Texas discovery rules. Requests for admission are an extremely effective discovery tool when used and responded to properly. Their use can save litigants considerable time and expense by eliminating and narrowing the issues involved in the cause of action. Often misunderstood, requests for admission are perhaps the least used of the major discovery devices available to litigants. Even though requests for admission have the potential to eliminate unnecessary proof at trial, streamline discovery and motion practice, and reduce pretrial and trial …
A Statute Overtaken By Time: The Need To Reinterpret Federal Rule Of Evidence 803(8)(A)(Iii) Governing The Admissibility Of Expert Opinions In Government Investigative Reports.,
2014
St. Mary's University
A Statute Overtaken By Time: The Need To Reinterpret Federal Rule Of Evidence 803(8)(A)(Iii) Governing The Admissibility Of Expert Opinions In Government Investigative Reports., Edward J. Imwinkelried
St. Mary's Law Journal
Abstract Forthcoming.
The Accommodation Doctrine Revisited: Implications In Law And In Policy.,
2014
St. Mary's University
The Accommodation Doctrine Revisited: Implications In Law And In Policy., Courtney R. Potter
St. Mary's Law Journal
Abstract Forthcoming.
Environment, Energy, And Resources Law,
2014
American University Washington College of Law
Environment, Energy, And Resources Law, Amanda Leiter
Contributions to Books
This chapter from The Year in Review, published by the ABA Section on Environment, Energy and Resources, covers developments during 2013 in the areas of standing, Commerce Clause, political question doctrine, preemption, takings, due process, First Amendment, Tenth Amendment, and state constitutional law.
Report Of The Nova Scotia Independent Panel On Hydraulic Fracturing,
2014
Department of Health and Wellness, Government of Nova Scoti
Report Of The Nova Scotia Independent Panel On Hydraulic Fracturing, Frank Atherton, Michael Bradfield, Kevin Christmas, Shawn Dalton, Maurice Dusseault, Graham Gagnon, Brad Hayes, Constance Macintosh, Ian Mauro, Ray Ritcey
Reports & Public Policy Documents
On August 28, 2013, the Province of Nova Scotia and the Nova Scotia Department of Energy signed an agreement with the Verschuren Centre for Sustainability in Energy and the Environment at Cape Breton University to conduct an external review on the environmental, socio-economic, and health impacts of hydraulic fracturing. Simultaneously, Dr. David Wheeler, President and Vice Chancellor of Cape Breton University, was asked to convene and Chair the review and expert panel on a voluntary and unpaid basis.1 The mandate for the review was to: create a panel of technical experts based on input from the public and hire technical …
Creatures Of Circumstance: Conflicts Over Local Government Regulation Of Oil And Gas,
2014
University of New Mexico - School of Law
Creatures Of Circumstance: Conflicts Over Local Government Regulation Of Oil And Gas, Alex Ritchie
Faculty Scholarship
Scholars periodically note the impending upsurge in local oil and gas regulation, offering various reasons for increased local action. Papers written only a few years ago attribute greater local action in the West to population growth, increased urbanization, and increased demand for energy. Consider, however, more recent phenomena. First, population migration from more liberal states to more traditionally conservative producing states likely plays a role, as new residents [11-4] bring perspectives opposing drilling activity. Second, while the suburbs continue to expand into the oil patch, the oil patch has expanded into the suburbs and urban areas as well. Hydraulic fracturing …
The Tribes Must Regulate: Jurisdictional, Environmental, And Religious Considerations Of Hydraulic Fracturing On Tribal Lands,
2014
Brigham Young University Law School
The Tribes Must Regulate: Jurisdictional, Environmental, And Religious Considerations Of Hydraulic Fracturing On Tribal Lands, Szonja Ludvig
BYU Law Review
No abstract provided.
Flowback: Federal Regulation Of Wastewater From Hydraulic Fracturing,
2014
Southern Methodist University, Dedman School of Law
Flowback: Federal Regulation Of Wastewater From Hydraulic Fracturing, Jeffrey M. Gaba
Faculty Journal Articles and Book Chapters
Natural gas produced through hydraulic fracturing remains a critical, and controversial, component of U.S. energy production. A key environmental issue associated with fracking is the management and disposal of the enormous quantities of wastewater generated in the process.
Substantial federal authority exists to regulate fracking wastewater under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act and the Clean Water Act. Regulation under RCRA, however, depends on classification of the wastewater as a RCRA “hazardous waste.” Although EPA has generally exempted oil and gas wastes, including fracking wastewater, from classification as a RCRA hazardous waste, it appears that fracking wastewater would not generally …
Some Recurring Issues In Operating Agreements And What Aapl's Drafting Committee Might Do About Them,
2014
Southern Methodist University, Dedman School of Law
Some Recurring Issues In Operating Agreements And What Aapl's Drafting Committee Might Do About Them, John S. Lowe
Faculty Journal Articles and Book Chapters
The inherent inefficiency of reinventing the wheel for every drilling venture led to the development of the first American Association of Professional Landmen (AAPL) Form 610 Model Form Operating Agreement in 1956 (AAPL Form 610-1956). Revised forms followed in 1977, 1982, and 1989. The AAPL model forms have become the standard in the United States, and will be the focus of this chapter. The AAPL has begun the process of revising the AAPL Form 610-1989 Model Form Operating Agreement (AAPL Form 610-1989),19 and over the next couple of years everyone active in the industry likely will find themselves discussing what …
States Versus Tribes: The Problem Of Multiple Taxation Of Non-Indian Oil And Gas Leases On Indian Reservations,
2014
University of Oklahoma College of Law
States Versus Tribes: The Problem Of Multiple Taxation Of Non-Indian Oil And Gas Leases On Indian Reservations, Erin Marie Erhardt
American Indian Law Review
No abstract provided.
Fracking As A Federalism Case Study,
2014
American University Washington College of Law
Fracking As A Federalism Case Study, Amanda Leiter
Scholarly Articles in Law Reviews & Journals
No abstract provided.
