Appeals court to determine eminent domain powers of TransCanada Keystone Pipeline
“n a few weeks, an appeals court will hear arguments on whether a Beaumont judge erred by granting a foreign company’s petition to condemn land for the construction of a crude oil pipeline.
In June 2011, TransCanada Keystone Pipeline filed the petition for condemnation against Texas Rice Land Partners, James and David Holland and Mike and Walter Latta.
TransCanada filed the petition seeking to build a pipeline to carry crude from Alberta to the Gulf Coast.
On Sept. 24 Judge Tom Rugg, who was presiding over the Jefferson County Court at Law No. 1 at that time, ruled that the company has the right to seize land in Jefferson County for the pipeline.
A month later, Texas Rice Land Partners filed a petition for a writ of mandamus, court records show.
Justices seated on the Texas Ninth District Court of Appeals in Beaumont will hear oral arguments on March 7.”
Yates, David. Southeast Texas Legal Record 11 February 2013.