Texas Supreme Court

Texas Mineral Rights Reeves County, TX
1

On June 29, 2018, the Texas Supreme Court denied hearing a case involving Patriot Resources and mineral rights in Reeves County, TX. Our father was one of the mineral rights owners affected by this case, owning rights in Sections 2, 8, 10, 14, & 22, Block C-1 PSL. Affidavits of Heirship have been filed with the Reeves County Clerk. I am trying to determine if distributions have been made by Patriot Resources following the Supreme Court decision. Does anyone know anything? Also, who is the attorney for Patriot Resources that I should be contacting? Barry Manus

2

Assuming this page applies to you, it indicates a motion for rehearing has been filed. Should you be contacting Patriot’s division order analyst instead of the company’s attorney?

3

Thanks for those tips, AJ11. I was not aware it was resubmitted to the Court. Nor was I aware that it is the cost analyst I need to reach out to. I’ll continue to follow the Courts webpage for updates. You’ve been very helpful.

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You’re welcome, Barry Manus. As far as I know–and I am certainly not an expert–the Division Orders person sends out the paperwork which allocates how the royalties from a producing property are to be distributed. Patriot may be reluctant to act until after the motion to rehear. Perhaps others will weigh in if I am far afield.

5

Barry: My brothers and I also owns interests in Sections 2, 8, 10, 14, & 22, Block C-1 PSL and I’ve been watching this case ever since it was filed in 2013. I’m a lawyer in Atlanta GA but freely admit that when it comes to Texas oil and gas law I’m a rank layman.

I do know this though: I’ve been reading all the appellate briefs as well as the opinions and orders of the appellate courts (Texas has a great online interface for its appellate courts - you get to see everything). On 1/25/2019 the Texas Supreme Court finally confirmed once and for all that it was DENYING the Appellants’ motion for a rehearing on their previously -DENIED petition for discretionary review by the Supreme Court of the October 19, 2016 decision of the Court of Appeals for the 8th District (which affirmed the trial court’s decision entered on January 13, 2015). The TX Supreme Court has now sent the case back to the Court of Appeal which in turn will send it back to the trial court.

If you’re really interested in this case please post a reply here and perhaps we can follow up. However, I do need to ask you a litmus test-type question: Are you one of the “Eddins Successors” or one of the “Borden Successors”? I’m among the Borden Successors.

Hope we can share info.

Carl Crowley

Atlanta GA

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Barry: AFAIK Patriot Resources is still not distributing any royalties in respect of its wells in these five sections. I’ve been reaching out to them on this for a while and have even argued that since all the litigants on both sides of the case ( i.e., the “Eddins Successors” vs. the “Borden Successors”) agree that the Borden Successors have SOME interest(s) and are therefore entitled to SOME distribution, ( collectively either a 1/16 or 1/64th, depending on which Eddins Successors argument you read)) PRI should distribute at least that de minimis amount. However, PRI has thus far declined to do that, I think it’s waiting for the trial court to enter a final order on who owns what.

The reason I’ve argued for a de minimis distribution is that after 5 years with no tax bills the Reeves County Appraisal District has now issued tax bills on the Wildebeest well and the two Talladega wells. Ours came in yesterday’s mail.

For years we’ve owned several other oil and gas interests in other TX counties and until now I’ve never been taxed unless someone’s paying me on a lease and/or paying me royalties!

2 Likes
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Hi Carl,
I’m in the two Talledega wells (2B, 2A) with you. Is Patriot /PRI giving any answers yet? Thanks!

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Carl- To answer your last question first, I don’t know if I’m part of Eddins or Borden. How would I know?

I am not an attorney (I’m a retired HR exec with plenty of experience dealing with labor agreements) and have been confused by all the parties involved. I have a copy of a section of a deed (?) that lists my Dad’s name with four other men’s names- none of which are Borden or Eddins.

I truly appreciate your detailed explanation of the many filings and court actions. I understand that my siblings and I have no executive rights thus no input into negotiations so I feel we need to just wait. One question: how long will it take to get back to the trial court?

I have not received any bills or ANY communications from Patriot Resources.

Also do you have name / contact info for Patriots Resources’ cost analyst?

Barry Manus Albuquerque,NM

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Rainmaker - see my 1st reply to Barry- which group are you in? Are you one of the “Eddins Successors” or one of the “Borden Successors”? Your name- Or family member’s name(s) - should be listed in the pleadings. Have you been monitoring the litigation?

PS: We were just told by the Reeves County Tax Appraisal District appraiser that the tax bills we just received must be paid regardless of the fact that PRI has never paid us any royalties. Have you been receiving royalties?

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Barry: Are members of your family listed in the pleadings? What surname? Manus? Also: Did you get a tax bill on the two Talladega wells or any others operated by PRI ( Wildebeest, Leopard. Viper).

Also: See my comment to Rainmaker.

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Barry: I see your surname Manus on the list at the trial court level" It shows Ma Manus, deceased, of Flushing, Queens County NY. They’ve got him listed in the group of interested parties with “no known address”.

You may need to get a landman to check your title to see which group you’re in.

  • Carl
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I’m part of the APPELLANTS ALIGNED WITH PETITIONERS WHO DID

NOT FILE A PETITION IN THIS COURT.

I have not been following litigation for some time now, since it went up to SCTX.
I didn’t view it as economic to pursue a defense.

These four Reeves CAD properties are in pay status with PRI.

14

I’m working with a family who owns royalty interest in these same sections. They are not being paid for any production at present. If anyone is interested in sharing info, I have compiled a TON of info pertaining to the mineral chain of title and production figures on WILDEBEEST, TALLADEGA, & LEOPARD

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Has there been any movement in PRI making any distributions? Anyone?

16

Excuse me for jumping in here.
My grandfather was Ray Morris and he is had a NPRI in sec 2,8,10,14,22 blk C-1. He was added to the group who couldn’t be located. He has 15 net acres. I don’t know how to figure his interest in the unit…now that the court has made its ruling and Patriot is the lease holder.

I found out about taxes due but it was on the wildebeest 10-1 only ( vertical well). The TRRC map shows another unidentified oil well inside the East section line of section 2 without any information but again my tax was for the wildebeest only.

I’ve also located 3 horizontal wells in sec 8…the Leapold wells. I have not received tax statement on those.

I do not see anything in sec 2, 14 or 22.

It also looks to me like the Talledega wells are in Sec 2 but Block C-5… not blk C-1

I’m going to try and attend the hearing tomorrow in Pecos and file some inheritance documents.

Anyway, I don’t know if our interest is ok, fair , good or great. If anyone knows how to figure this with the last court ruling and Patriots Lease etc etc I would appreciate any information.

Mike Hickman

The research I’ve done shows there has been 2 vertical wells drilled in sec 10 and

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Hi Mike-

I’ve only been billed for taxes for Talladega 2A and 2B. I have not rec’d a tax bill for wildebeest or the Leopold wells.

I can’t help you with how interest is calculated. Haven’t a clue.

What hearing is taking place today?