Attorney Ryan David Clinton's Legal Cases

Appeals

Chesapeake Exploration L.L.C. v. BNW Property Co.

Nov 30, 2012

OUTCOME: Reversed and Rendered

In two related and novel oil-and-gas disputes, a group of investors leased to themselves partial mineral interests in West Texas properties based on a claimed but disputed fractional executive interest ... . The group asserted that they had inherited the stranded (or “naked”) fractional executive interest in the properties, which they in turn asserted gave them a right to considerable oil-and-gas profits after they executed a contract leasing the minerals to themselves. The trial court agreed with the investors and held that they were owed a substantial sum of back and future payments. Hankinson LLP’s Ryan Clinton led the appellate efforts and presented oral argument on behalf of Defendants/Appellants Chesapeake Exploration, L.L.C. and Anadarko Petroleum Corporation. After briefing and argument, the court of appeals reversed and rendered judgment that the investors take nothing from Chesapeake and Anadarko. The court held that the investors did not own the executive interest upon which they based their claims, but instead that a non-party to the dispute had previously purchased the disputed executive rights.

Appeals

McCammon v. Ischy

Sep 09, 2011

OUTCOME: Judgment Rendered for Defendants

In a highly complex title dispute between Texas oil-and-gas operators, the plaintiffs claimed superior title to a mineral lease on a 169.1-acre tract in Concho County, Texas. After the jury found that ... the plaintiffs had superior title, the trial court ordered the defendants—who possessed and had drilled a producing well on the tract—to turn over possession of the property, drilling equipment, and almost $1 million being held in suspense pending adjudication of the case. Hankinson Levinger attorneys Deborah Hankinson, Ryan Clinton, and Carl Cecere represented the defendants on appeal. The Austin Court of Appeals reversed the trial-court judgment, rendered judgment that the plaintiffs take nothing, and also rendered judgment that title and possession of the mineral estate, equipment, and funds belonged to the defendants. Plaintiffs appealed to the Texas Supreme Court, which denied review after requesting full briefing on the merits.

Appeals

Occidental Permian Ltd. v. Helen Jones Foundation, et al.

Jan 31, 2011

OUTCOME: Judgment Rendered for Defendant

A group of Texas royalty owners alleged that OPL, an oil and gas producer, had underpaid royalties for casinghead gas produced during carbon dioxide-injection tertiary recovery operations in West Texas ... . Hankinson Levinger was hired to assist OPL during trial, post-trial, and appellate proceedings. After the jury reached a multi-million dollar verdict for the plaintiffs, OPL appealed. Deborah Hankinson argued the case before the Amarillo Court of Appeals (after she and Ryan Clinton briefed the appeal), and the Amarillo Court of Appeals reversed the trial court’s judgment, concluding that no evidence supported the jury’s findings. The court of appeals rendered judgment that the plaintiffs take nothing against OPL.

Appeals

Rusty’s Weigh Scales v. North Texas Scales

Apr 07, 2010

OUTCOME: Judgment Rendered for Defendant

The plaintiff alleged that NTS misappropriated trade secrets when it repaired industrial weighing scales originally sold and programmed by the plaintiff. Hankinson Levinger was hired to represent NTS a ... fter the trial court initially rendered judgment for the plaintiff. Deborah Hankinson successfully persuaded the trial court to withdraw the first judgment and render judgment that the plaintiff take nothing. Hankinson, along with Ryan Clinton, briefed the case on appeal to the El Paso Court of Appeals, with Clinton arguing the case. After briefing and argument, the court of appeals affirmed the trial court’s judgment in favor of NTS, concluding that the plaintiff provided insufficient evidence to support any damages award

Appeals

State v. Lueck

Jun 26, 2009

OUTCOME: Judgment Rendered for Defendant

A governmental employee was terminated after a vendor charged the State hundreds of thousands of dollars for disputed work. The employee then sued the State, claiming that an e-mail he previously wrot ... e to his supervisor protected his conduct under the Texas Whistleblower Act. The State, represented by Ryan Clinton, appealed to the Texas Supreme Court, arguing that the substantive elements of the Whistleblower Act limited the jurisdiction of Texas courts, and that the plaintiff’s claim fell outside the Act’s waiver of immunity from suit and liability. After briefing and oral argument, the Texas Supreme Court agreed and dismissed the suit for lack of subject-matter jurisdiction.

Appeals

Texas A&M University v. Bading

Aug 15, 2007

OUTCOME: Judgment Rendered for Defendant

Texas A&M University v. Bading was the state-court litigation against Texas A&M University arising from the tragic collapse of the famous Aggie Bonfire. In this case, a number of commercial entities ( ... which had been sued by injured students or their families) filed third-party claims against the University (which had not been sued by the injured parties). Then-Assistant-Solicitor-General Ryan Clinton represented the University in its appeal to the Waco Court of Appeals, arguing that there was no waiver of sovereign immunity for third-party claims against governmental entities under the Texas Tort Claims Act. The Waco Court of Appeals agreed, dismissing the third-party claims for lack of jurisdiction.

Appeals

Breen v. Tex. A&M Univ.

Apr 24, 2007

OUTCOME: Judgment Rendered for Defendant

In Breen v. Texas A&M University, several Texas A&M University officials were sued for failing to stop University students from participating in the tragic construction of the 1999 Aggie Bonfire. Then ... -Assistant-Solicitor-General Ryan Clinton was lead counsel for the University, and successfully argued that the University’s officials were protected by qualified immunity under federal law because the Fifth Circuit had never recognized a claim based on the “state-created danger” theory of liability. The Fifth Circuit agreed, and affirmed the trial court’s summary judgment for the defendants based on qualified immunity.

Appeals

In re Castillo

Aug 31, 2006

OUTCOME: Petition for Writ of Mandamus Denied

In In re Castillo, a sitting justice on Texas’s Thirteenth Court of Appeals filed suit against the Thirteenth Court of Appeals itself, and its justices, in a dispute over assignment of majority opinion ... s after the sitting justice lost her reelection bid. Ryan Clinton, then an Assistant Solicitor General, represented the court of appeals in the mandamus proceeding in the Texas Supreme Court, arguing that the court of appeals was within its discretion when determining opinion-authorship assignments, especially given the suing justice’s limited time remaining on the court. The Texas Supreme Court agreed, and denied the petition for mandamus.

Appeals

City of San Antonio v. Hartman

Aug 31, 2006

OUTCOME: Judgment Rendered for Defendant

In City of San Antonio v. Hartman, the City was sued after a family drove around a warning barricade and was swept away in flood waters. Ryan Clinton, then a Texas Assistant Solicitor General, argued ... to the Texas Supreme Court on behalf of the State and in support of the City, arguing that the Texas Tort Claims Act did not waive sovereign immunity for the plaintiffs’ claim. The Texas Supreme Court agreed, holding that the City was protected by sovereign immunity for its actions in responding to the emergency situation.

Appeals

In re Commitment of Fisher

May 20, 2005

OUTCOME: Judgment Rendered for Defendant

In In re Commitment of Fisher, the Corpus Christi Court of Appeals struck down the Texas Civil Commitment of Sexually Violent Predators Act after concluding that the Act violated Due Process protection ... s of the Texas and United States Constitutions. Hankinson Levinger LLP’s Ryan Clinton, then an Assistant Solicitor General for the State of Texas, appealed the case to the Texas Supreme Court as lead counsel for the State. Clinton wrote the brief to the Texas Supreme Court, arguing that the Act’s restraints on sexually violent predators complied with the state and federal constitutions. The Texas Supreme Court agreed, reversing the court of appeals and upholding the statute’s constitutionality.

Ryan David Clinton's Legal Cases (11)

Chesapeake Exploration L.L.C. v. BNW Property Co.

McCammon v. Ischy

Occidental Permian Ltd. v. Helen Jones Foundation, et al.

Rusty’s Weigh Scales v. North Texas Scales

State v. Lueck

Texas A&M University v. Bading

Breen v. Tex. A&M Univ.

In re Castillo

City of San Antonio v. Hartman

In re Commitment of Fisher