Court Opinion

ID: 9773852
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-29 18:01:02.255145+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:31:58.509996
License: Public Domain

WALKER, Justice
(dissenting).
In my opinion it is unsound to say as a matter of law that the mineral estate is not damaged. Where respondents once had the right to make any use of the surface that might be convenient or desirable in the exploration, development, production and storage of minerals, they will hereafter be entitled to make only such use as is reasonable under the circumstances. They may thus be required to take measures and incur expense that would not be necessary if they continued to own the surface. It is entirely possible, therefore, that the mineral estate could suffer some diminution in value as a result of the taking of the surface even though the mineral estate is dominant and the owners thereof are entitled to make a ’reasonable use of the surface in developing and producing their minerals. It seems to me that the Court of Civil Appeals has simply applied an incorrect rule of law in passing upon the weight and preponderance point. I would remand the cause to the intermediate court for reconsideration of that question.