What did the court decide?

The court denied Houston Pipe Line Company's request for a writ of mandamus and left the trial court's grant of a plea to the jurisdiction in place.

Who is affected by this decision?

The parties in the underlying case (Texan Land and Cattle II and related plaintiffs, Energy Transfer LP, and Houston Pipe Line Company LP) are directly affected because the trial court's jurisdictional order remains effective.

What happens next in the underlying case?

With mandamus denied and the appellate stay lifted, the underlying trial-court proceedings may proceed subject to the trial court's jurisdictional ruling.

Can this decision be appealed?

This is a denial of mandamus by the intermediate appellate court; the relator could consider seeking mandamus from the Texas Supreme Court, but the opinion does not address further appellate strategy.

In Re Houston Pipe Line Company LP v. the State of Texas

Docket 01-25-00815-CV

Court of record · Indexed in NoticeRegistry archive · AI-enriched for research

CivilDenied

Filed: Apr 23, 2026 · 1 week ago
Jurisdiction: Texas
Court: Texas Court of Appeals, 1st District (Houston)
Type: Lead Opinion
Case type: Civil
Disposition: Denied
Docket: 01-25-00815-CV

Original mandamus proceeding seeking to vacate a trial court's order granting a plea to the jurisdiction in a pending civil case

Summary

The Court of Appeals for the First District of Texas denied Houston Pipe Line Company LP's petition for a writ of mandamus seeking to vacate a trial court order that granted a plea to the jurisdiction. The appellate court declined to disturb the trial court's decision, lifted its prior stay issued October 7, 2025, and dismissed any pending motions as moot. The court issued a short per curiam memorandum opinion denying relief without extended discussion.

Issues Decided

Whether the trial court's order granting a plea to the jurisdiction should be vacated by mandamus
Whether mandamus relief was appropriate to overturn the trial court's jurisdictional ruling

Court's Reasoning

The opinion is a brief per curiam memorandum that denies mandamus relief without an extended factual or legal explanation. The court determined the petitioner was not entitled to the extraordinary remedy of mandamus and therefore declined to overturn the trial court's jurisdictional order. The court also found it appropriate to lift its prior stay and dismiss pending motions as moot given the denial.

Parties

Relator: Houston Pipe Line Company LP
Petitioner: Houston Pipe Line Company LP
Respondent: Texan Land and Cattle II, Ltd.; Kitchco Realty, Ltd.; Metco Realty, Ltd.; HBT Realty, LTD.; Frymore Corporation
Respondent: Energy Transfer LP
Judge: Honorable Nathan J. Milliron

Key Dates

Opinion issued: 2026-04-23
Stay filed: 2025-10-07

What You Should Do Next

1
Consult appellate counsel
The relator should consult appellate counsel promptly to evaluate options including whether to seek mandamus relief from the Texas Supreme Court or to pursue relief in the trial court if appropriate.
2
Proceed in trial court
Parties should prepare to proceed in the trial court consistent with the jurisdictional ruling, since the appellate stay has been withdrawn and motions were dismissed as moot.

Frequently Asked Questions

What did the court decide?: The court denied Houston Pipe Line Company's request for a writ of mandamus and left the trial court's grant of a plea to the jurisdiction in place.
Who is affected by this decision?: The parties in the underlying case (Texan Land and Cattle II and related plaintiffs, Energy Transfer LP, and Houston Pipe Line Company LP) are directly affected because the trial court's jurisdictional order remains effective.
What happens next in the underlying case?: With mandamus denied and the appellate stay lifted, the underlying trial-court proceedings may proceed subject to the trial court's jurisdictional ruling.
Can this decision be appealed?: This is a denial of mandamus by the intermediate appellate court; the relator could consider seeking mandamus from the Texas Supreme Court, but the opinion does not address further appellate strategy.

The above suggestions and answers are AI-generated for informational purposes only. They may contain errors. NoticeRegistry assumes no responsibility for their accuracy. Consult a qualified attorney before relying on them.

Full Filing Text

Opinion issued April 23, 2026




                                        In The

                                Court of Appeals
                                       For The

                            First District of Texas
                             ————————————
                                NO. 01-25-00815-CV
                             ———————————
            IN RE HOUSTON PIPE LINE COMPANY LP, Relator



             Original Proceeding on Petition for Writ of Mandamus


                           MEMORANDUM OPINION

       Relator Houston Pipe Line Company LP has filed a petition for writ of

mandamus seeking to vacate the trial court’s order granting a plea to the

jurisdiction.1


1
       The underlying case is Texan Land and Cattle II, Ltd., Kitchco Realty, Ltd., Metco
       Realty, Ltd., HBT Realty, LTD., and Frymore Corporation v. Energy Transfer LP
       and Houston Pipe Line Co. LP, cause number 2023-51045, pending in the 215th
       District Court of Harris County, Texas, the Honorable Nathan J. Milliron
       presiding.
      We deny mandamus relief. See TEX. R. APP. P. 52.8(a). We withdraw our

stay order dated October 7, 2025. Any pending motions are dismissed as moot.

                                PER CURIAM
Panel consists of Chief Justice Adams and Justices Guerra and Guiney.




                                       2