ARGUMENTS PRESENTED IN TEXAS SUPREME COURT CASE FOR HIGH-SPEED RAIL

  

The Supreme Court of Texas heard oral arguments Tuesday in the case of the company seeking to build a high-speed rail line between Houston and Dallas and a landowner challenging the company’s eminent domain authority.

The case of James Frederick Miles v. Texas Central Railroad & Integrated Texas Logistics (ITL) concerns whether Texas Central is considered a rail company by the Texas Constitution, and if it would be allowed to exercise eminent domain authority to build the railway.

Jeffrey Levinger, representing Leon County landowner James Miles, argued that because Texas Central has not taken necessary steps toward operation of the railway, it cannot be considered a rail company.  However, Marie Yeates, representing Texas Central and ITL, said they do have a reasonable probability of completing the project and are classified as a railroad enterprise.

Last month, Attorney General Ken Paxton and Solicitor General Judd Stone II filed an amicus brief in support of Miles, claiming that Texas Central and ITL have not complied with the statutory and constitutional conditions governing the use of eminent domain.

Tuesday’s arguments can be seen on the Supreme Court of Texas’ YouTube channel.