Constitutional Challenge, Declaratory Judgments, Health and Safety, Injunction, Land Use, Public Works, Sovereign Immunity, Takings

Texas Supreme Court holds city’s civil-enforcement of utility payment ordinance was not an unconstitutional taking

  City of Baytown v Alan Schrock, 20-0309 (Tex. May 13, 2022)  In this takings case, the Texas Supreme Court held the City of Bayton (City) did not commit a taking by withholding utility service in order to collect unpaid utility bills.
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Constitutional Challenge, Contracts, Nuisance, Public Works, Sovereign Immunity, Takings, TTCA

Tyler Court of Appeals holds District is immune from sewer backup as 20 year old plastic coupler which failed was not part of the motor system

Sean Self v. West Cedar Creek Municipal Utility District, 12-20-00082-CV, (Tex. App – Tyler, Jan. 6, 2021) This is an appeal from the granting of a plea to the jurisdiction in a sewage backup case in which the Tyler Court of Appeals
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Agency, Constitutional Challenge, Declaratory Judgments, Injunction, Preemption, Public Works

Second Court of Appeals holds general law city has inherent power to require solid waste haulers to obtain a license

Builder Recovery Services LLC v. The Town of Westlake, Texas, 02-20-00051-CV,  (Tex. App. – Fort Worth, Jan. 1, 2021)(mem. op.). This is a declaratory judgment/ordinance invalidation suit brought by a solid waste collector where the Fort Worth Court of Appeals affirmed the
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Attorney Fees, Contracts, Litigation, Public Works

Attorney’s fees for breach of contract under Tex. Loc. Gov’t Code §271.153 valid only if equitable and just – denied for much smaller change order amount

Dowtech Specialty Contractors, Inc. v. City of Weinert, 11-18-00246-CV (Tex. App. – Eastland, September 25, 2020)(mem. op.). This is a breach of contract dispute where the Eastland Court of Appeals affirmed a trial court judgment awarding Dowtech a small amount of damages,
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Attorney Fees, Constitutional Challenge, Contracts, Eminent Domain, Injunction, Land Use, Litigation, Procedure, Public Works, Sovereign Immunity, Takings

Fort Worth Court of Appeals analyzes the law-of-the-case doctrine and determines private property owners did not establish claims against a city regarding fee simple land ownership

City of Mansfield, et al., v Saverings, et al, 02-19-00174-CV (Tex. App. – Fort Worth, July 16, 2020) In this lengthy opinion, the Fort Worth Court of Appeals holds certain private property owners did not establish a right to declaratory relief regarding
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Contracts, Declaratory Judgments, Public Works

Texas Supreme Court holds 1949 utility easements with “reconstruction” language means easements are general with no fixed width

Southwestern Electric Power Company v. Kenneth Lynch, Tommy Batchelor, and Twant Wilson, Texas, 18-0768, (Tex. – Feb. 28, 2020) This is a property/easement dispute where the Texas Supreme Court held a set of utility easements were general, with no fixed width, regardless
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Constitutional Challenge, Declaratory Judgments, Elections, Litigation, Public Works, Tax, Ultra Vires

Taxpayer lacked standing to challenge Houston drainage fee ordinance despite charter election invalidity

Elizabeth C. Perez v. Sylvester Turner, et al., 01-16-00985-CV (Tex. App. – Hous. [1st Dist], Oct. 15, 2019) This is a long standing/multi-opinion dispute challenging the City of Houston’s drainage fee ordinance. Prior summaries found here and here. In this substituted opinion
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