Oklahoma v. Texas

Background

Joseph M. Hill served as the court-appointed special master under an order dated January 19. Two individuals, T. P. Roberts and A. H. Britain, and the Durfee Mineral Company each claimed the royalty interest in impounded proceeds from oil and gas taken from receiver’s wells numbered 152, 153, and 154. Durfee filed exceptions to the special master’s report, prompting the Court to review the report and the exceptions.

Reasoning

The Court considered the special master’s report and Durfee Mineral Company’s exceptions and overruled those exceptions, thereby confirming the report. The Court sustained the claims of Roberts and Britain to the royalty interest and denied Durfee Mineral Company’s competing claim. The Court directed the receiver to pay costs from the royalty interest: $2,250.00 for the special master’s services and $223.36 for his expenses, plus the clerk’s costs and printing charges to the extent they exceed advance payments made under the January 19 order.

Real world impact

After deducting receivership expenses and the named costs, the receiver must pay the remaining royalty funds to Roberts and Britain as the rightful claimants. Neither Roberts and Britain nor Durfee may recover reimbursement for expenses in producing witnesses before the special master. The clerk must refund advance payments made by other claimants, and if the advances by Roberts, Britain, and Durfee exceed the clerk’s costs, any excess is returned to Roberts and Britain in equal shares with Durfee receiving its share as specified.