Case Name: H.C. DREW ESTATE v. REUNION ENERGY COMPANY, et al.
Court: Louisiana Court of Appeal
Jurisdiction: Louisiana
Decision Date: 1996-02-23
Citations: 689 So. 2d 457
Docket Number: No. W96-16
Parties: H.C. DREW ESTATE v. REUNION ENERGY COMPANY, et al.
Judges: Before SAUNDERS, DECUIR and SULLIVAN, JJ.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 689
Pages: 457–457

Head Matter:
H.C. DREW ESTATE v. REUNION ENERGY COMPANY, et al.
No. W96-16.
Court of Appeal of Louisiana, Third Circuit.
Feb. 23, 1996.
Rehearing Denied April 11, 1996.
Ordered Published Jan. 7, 1997.
Scott James Scofield, Scofield, Gerard, Veron, Hoskins & Singletary, Lake Charles, for Plaintiff-Respondent.
Andrew Charles Wilson, Burke & Mayer, New Orleans, George C. Gibson, Metairie, Robert Dean Hoffman Jr., Burke & Mayer, New Orleans, for Defendant-Applicant.
Before SAUNDERS, DECUIR and SULLIVAN, JJ.

Opinion:
WRIT GRANTED IN PART AND MADE PEREMPTORY; WRIT DENIED IN PART-. The trial court erred in denying the exception of prematurity filed by defendants herein. The Office of Conservation has been given authority to issue orders regarding the closure and cleanup of well sites. LSA-R.S. 30:4(C)(16)(a). Under the doctrine of primary jurisdiction, the district court should refer the matters concerning the scope and method of remediation in this case to the Commissioner for the Office of Conservation for an initial determination as defendants made a timely request for such relief. Magnolia Coal Terminal v. Phillips Oil Co., 576 So.2d 475 (La.1991). All other aspects of this litigation remain in the Fourteenth Judicial District Court. Therefore, on remand the district court is hereby ordered to hold a hearing for the purpose of establishing which, if any, of the issues remaining before that court can be litigated pending the determination of the related issues before the Commissioner. As to those issues which cannot be litigated until the rendition of the Commissioner's determination, the litigation should be stayed. Therefore, this court denies the defendants' writ application insofar as defendants sought an order completely staying the district court's proceedings.