Echols Minerals, LLC TOC Holdings, LLC Gulf Wind Resources, LLC Asro Management, LLP David Weaver Echols Roy Lee Todd Nancy K. Carter Cathy L. Hutcheson Douglas Kit Nelson Lee Keith Tilton Terra Shamari Cone Daniel Eli Dennison Joshua Martin Rudin Ceilia Kaiser And Kimberly LaCanne v. Donald Mac Green, Trustee of the Donald and Betty Lou Irrevocable Trust, and Independent of the Estate of Betty Lou Green And Fortis Minerals II, LLC. ( 2023 )

Opinion filed August 17, 2023
In The
Eleventh Court of Appeals
__________
No. 11-21-00154-CV
__________
ECHOLS MINERALS, LLC; TOC HOLDINGS, LLC; GULF
WIND RESOURCES, LLC; ASRO MANAGEMENT, LLP; DAVID
WEAVER ECHOLS; ROY LEE TODD; NANCY K. CARTER;
CATHY L. HUTCHESON; DOUGLAS KIT NELSON; LEE
KEITH TILTON; TERRA SHAMARI CONE; DANIEL ELI
DENNISON; JOSHUA MARTIN RUDIN; CEILIA KAISER; AND
KIMBERLY LACANNE, Appellants
V.
DONALD MAC GREEN, TRUSTEE OF THE DONALD AND
BETTY LOU IRREVOCABLE TRUST, AND INDEPENDENT
EXECUTOR OF THE ESTATE OF BETTY LOU GREEN; AND
FORTIS MINERALS II, LLC, Appellees
On Appeal from the 118th District Court
Martin County, Texas
Trial Court Cause No. 7505
CONCURRING OPINION
I would construe the 1952 NPRI deed and the 1952 guardian deed together
under Rieder v. Woods, 603 S.W.3d 86, 94 (Tex. 2020); Fort Worth Indep. Sch.
Dist. v. City of Fort Worth, 22 S.W.3d 831, 840 (Tex. 2000); Jones v. Kelley, 614
S.W.2d 95, 98 (Tex. 1981); and Veal v. Thomason, 159 S.W.2d 472, 475 (Tex.
1942). Because I would construe the two deeds together, I would not conclude that
the 1952 NPRI deed has a “Duhig Problem.” See Duhig v. Peavy-Moore Lumber
Co., 144 S.W.2d 878 (Tex. 1940).
However, I agree with the majority that, under Trial v. Dragon, 593 S.W.3d
313 (Tex. 2019), Duhig’s remedy is not available here. Under the circumstances
presented in this case, the trial court erred by invalidating the 33.25/278.5 NPRI
reservation under Duhig and Dragon. See Duhig, 144 S.W.2d at 879–880; Dragon,
593 S.W.3d at 319. Accordingly, I concur with the majority that the final judgment
of the trial court should be reversed and remanded.
W. BRUCE WILLIAMS
JUSTICE
August 17, 2023
Panel consists of: Bailey, C.J.,
Trotter, J., and Williams, J.
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