Helton V. Railroad Commission Of Texas

Appellants, Arch W. Helton and Helton Properties, Inc. (Helton) challenge the trial court's judgment, entered in a suit for judicial review of a final order issued by appellee, the Railroad Commission of Texas (the commission). The trial court's judgment affirmed the commission's interpretation of an earlier order the commission issued under the authority of the Mineral Interest Pooling Act (MIPA). See Tex. Nat. Res. Code Ann. §§ 102.001-.112 (Vernon 2001). *fn1 Helton brings three issues in which he contends that the commission (1) unlawfully ruled that the MIPA forced-pool unit created by the commission in 1980 for the Alvin North (8550) Field "remains in effect and is not dissolved," (2) abrogated its statutory duty to reclassify the unit, and (3) entered an arbitrary order that detrimentally affects only Helton's rights. We conclude, however, that challenges raised by the commission and appellee, Tri-Union Development Corporation (Tri- Union), concerning Helton's right to relief in the trial court, are dispositive of the appeal. We affirm the trial court's judgment based on those challenges.