Case Information
*1 OFF\CE OF THE A-ITORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAS
AUSTIN
a& another turo or seoobd omidoration by third written i!ay 9, h6retO of Map 16, quest for ~1 moomlderation the fo1lming Btatement 61 e partlaular oltuetion nw y 6, 1900, Saetion 98 Bl.ook et, th munty wae awarded by the Et&e i:. crlsweld at a prlob '$1.00 a dry geti 0iOwri0c;ti0n. and relnstatemnt or euoh
IL 19lX3, the taouthea5t l/4 of Saotion 78 was, on Bovember 28, 1908, oome ed by Ci. 3. Criuwsld to B. C. %all8, and ouo 1 southesat l/4 ot Sdd saotion wan pia00a in 0 ecpsrata aooount la the Land Mfloa.
on July 1, 1927' male awarlrng southeast l/4 oi Saokon 78 WPPCI forrsited *2 Honor6ble Baeoom Clleo, n3Ce 2
ror non-gagrrent~or idarefit. mr.:ertar, on cotober 2, 1930 tho uxthmst l/4 of rcotion 76 wu5 awsrded ty the State to I.. A* Caner at a prlo6 $10.40 per 5-3-5, under a mfneral and ~rariEg olaruis?lostian.
On Oototmr 15, 1939, the 84s to.Catey WE& r0hittd far ncn-payant or i.ilt6l-O5t;aPd ssid traa% was; put ug Zor rr?le on Jenotry 2, 1940. A, l!. Sdth ~5 the high bldder et 8uoh sale with ti bid of $lO.EO p": tore, but elf bid8 wera releoted by the Zohoo Lend 30~6.
On January 20, 1940, 7zl*tes imllngton, Jr. m&f a;plioat%on to reinstate 8& aouthenct l/4 of 8bOtiOIt 98 under Ori&Ql 8dla k, I?. 1;. GriPsfld aa% tendorsd the 8%~ oi +$95,15, whiqh amount 1s eufllalent rsiast.~“~ the eooamt under that ade, it ths right to mob rolnnetsta- xmrtt eziste.
En this coAAuotioA, *e ~Qmlu3 th3t %lter ;?orlinp ton, Jr. is ~4'3 the log1 ovrller oi 8uoh rfEht.8 8s were mned by H. C. wi8 ttt the tfne 0r the 1927 r03eim. 'Lf this $8 not 80, %+rl*tOn, Of OOUW@, would have 80 right oi reia8tiitcmfmt 118 he would be,sn 4ntiro stren@m to the title to thi8 land SlIti etty Ti&8 tbsrcin.
?O\rr rt)qtteSt icS 8Si O&dtiOll thea prOOe6ds 88
r0u0vre t
"!I%18 OfriO i8 in r608ffi 8f tW0 OptiiOXt8 from your Departnrent. Opinion o-060, doted !Zay 9, 1969, aad-8~;;~lex+ntal opinion, C-780, dated Say 16, 1939, both of ws'ttloh hold, tn l ffactt *that the mere rQht of rOin8tateacAt without being exerofsed by kiak* 8 writt.sn rc-,asst for reln8tatcment end peying tha awney into the treasury a8 required b ArtSole ba&It is not 8ufflOliUt rlcht PI w iIl ~e&Ut8 dl8tat -lit 0r tta orl&.nal rorroltiog cmmr'6 These opinion8 vmld 5110~ refrutatement in tbt in- 8tanO8 8et out above or &oO per aore ml0 bearing a ;ry grazing ola8sifioation 8~3 would deprlos the Stat6 of the b&ra?t$t8 to be gelned *3 Hoaorsble Pazoom Clles, Face 3 utkter
under a por~~;fEle~relnetntentmt L. A. Camf edo, xhloh ‘1988 ior k10.40 per aom 8na 00x-e a siosral olsorlflo.stlon, %uch or Fubllo school Land, asnod the State at tlm prosent, haer been tits, and iorieltad et loart tmxt - the j~0baSSd fir&t snle boari.nc B dry grating ola~slfloa- tlon and the lster sale beerlnc a mlmral olasslriostion. To allox relmtatemeat and= tb? riT8t 8&O would dcrprln the State of sny niaortal interest in euoh lnnd, It wculd hato a mineral reesrvatlon under the later 8d.e. *Xt has been tha preotloe or thlm oilloo ior my years to hold that ths laot stale only and that an out- wit sutjcct to reinstatenmnt 8tatiiAg right of releotatamnt pwoludod 8n Orir;inai rCWre:tiXIg Oatair iXW& heri= hl8'8dle minetoted, &my pople, ln roraer yeaor8, have boat informed alox thet'lla, by thi8 offloe and haos acqaiemosd in that interpro- tstlon or tho law.
*Hnoe neither above nentlonsb opinion8 appear ta be conrennos oQln10M it 3.8 of parewuat importanoe to md 8h?e Stats and to the Iubllo Sahool Fund to deterrPirU,whether the rl&httoreinstate a prior rorrsfts4 rale erirtr in 8ltuatlon8 40 8.t out above, I m mJ8peotmlyreqwJst- lng that you glY6 as a oonfer8noe oplnlan on the iallowIng qusetlont
-*is the right or rolnetatezaent held br L. A. Caeaf 8 *YeBteC right in a third psrekm whlohwoti pmalude T8iA8t@t%tWAt Of t!W Ottle Of the ~the a?+ SlZ l/4 of 8800 70, ?U.el b oord #LImr U&W- t&e OrfdAtt I 8de t0 R. :Z. F,rlsvald?= *4 .Fnrthcr lmos~l~atlon of Lund Orrice recorda dloolooss the teat ttst more than one tillion aeren of pub110 school lands hve heretofore boon txlae sold cud txlcc forroitcd, thus plaolw suoh lend In the ocnc eetcgorgr ~1s the partioular 160 cam6 hlq&crd about b: you lneofrx irs tho rl$ht of roinat&mwat by ths’orlpJan1 pur.robser notwlthatnndinlj. c aecond.sels an8 moond forfeiture ia oonoorned. The roO0l-b Of tht @?EWCd Land @if164 furthor rerecl that the Cwl~lnJ s&m of seocrsl tiJ.llon corce of pub110 land h6ve hfsetofore bee.a once forfeited end euoh 1%&s sold a saocti tht. If, lnthc rutalrt, de rcoond 46145 of euch lantis era forfeited for non-paywnt of intorest or Sroza othm CuuNocs~ all Oz tho6e ecrcral alllloa aaroc till be lrood ti 8ame eatsgory es 160 aaree in- quired t a out by yau with respoot to the ri&t tha orhi& nol purchamr to r&&tar-d the ale.lnal male notwlthstand5ag the second sole.
It la fustbor rhcm by ttm reoordr et the aenerel Laznd Oifloe thet in the -et PeJorlty of oses the second osle,.aftsr the flrct i&@olture wea EE.~O by tha Stete a~$ a.hfgher prlao than the flret sub, .&ad fhet-the s4oond atile was often rwrdb with a tieral ofa8*riflostloa, thuo rOr the Stats an iatereot la the mlnar&ls whereus
&ml oolao on n;uoh oi the pub110 rohool iends oiere laeae rra3er o dry greela 0i44~1rio4ti~, non&ercl oa to the Steta. without any miacrol rcservat P These fasts are alluded to In order to s&e olcer the loss whiahwlll neoesserll~ be aufisred by tbs Stats from a hordlmy that tlm rlfht at relnetatmcsnt War c forfeiture of 6 eeaoad sde dots not bar th4 rl.&t at re- laststeiwnt under E flrot aale. Tha loss occulting to State from such a holding results from the toot thet it has beea deoidad ~4xm3 courtc.that the re5netstelPsnt l tatuts, Article ES26 A. C. G* 1926, cltts tkj ior- owner, i: r1Lcfit.a o:‘third portlea have not lntor- ft1tln.g osaod, the: rQ.ht of rohtstr~t~~nf et the if?%m FsiOe cad nlth eae ~nerel raaervatlor es ~135 contained laths orQlnsl mat h&i. sec.l&@iolia PQtrOl0m CoI vb ?%lktW, 12% Tbx. 430, 89 3. 3. (2) 929.
The foro~o4& 1crq$hy atatencnt has boea nede in ardor to m&e olecr the aaopc and lxtportancc of the guestloa involved.
Eonorable Besaon Cllea, Pa@ 5
Your inquiry io a4 to Whether or not an ouktondine rlffht O? relmtoteaont (that lnoldeat to the eeoond rnle) Is euoh 8 rQht aa will oporete to bdr the ri@t o? ro- lastat4laent under tka flret ml*. hI?tiOlO EX526, 2.
StatUt4 bore involved, providoa %E ?o
"I? say portion ths laterrjst on any ma14 should not be palC ttran due, the, &nd eh%U be subject to rorteltum Co-~l~slon4r eater- lac on tho wrepper oontalning. the paper4 l L%ad For?elttd*, or words 0;‘ sldlsr kzport, wlth the Bste of euoh wtion end eign it c?flalel.ly, and thereupon the lane aad all paymanta ahall to for- tolted Stato, an4 the laada shall te o?- fered ror l %le on a subsoqnent 6.h data. In nay ok60 whore land6 hare been forteft4d the Stste for the non-pcrgaent o? Interest, the pur- oheeere or th~lr vendserr, nay here their ololms .reinet.%~cd on their wlttta roquwt by paying into the Treesurf the full mwuat $ labrest d\a on euah aleim up to the dsts of relnatattmtnt,
rovided that no rlEht6 o? third t6rBon8 MY hare nteneneac In ll auah oases llnl d ther&gboiomo obll~utloaa nad &mltlos rha 44 binding 818 lf 00 fOr?OitUlW bed 6VBT oaaurred. I? cay purohmer shall dl4, hi6 hslr6 lee%1 reprorentatlrss rhall bar4 oae par In rhUh to make peymmt-attor fir8t d4y a? Nmomter atrt after ruch derth. Xothlng ln this artlale ahall ln<it the State from inrtltutlag such 14g41 prooeedinge a% my b4 a4oesksry to enforut such rorfelture, OF to reoover full amunt o? intsrtst en? euoh pemltlcs ea map be due the Ststc at the tl?Jo euch ?orfslture occurred or to proteot any other right to euoh 1anb.w (Under- aoorlng ours).
The 4afmbr to four question depend6 up0n tha oonstruatloa 4nd e?Sect be given to that pmtloa of *6 E?OnOrsb& Baeom Cllee, Pa@ 6 for reinstatement or rorrelted 8326 whioh provides
mtlcle rol.oa a~rovlUed that no rtihts ol third P r&Km8 nay hmo intervenf+d.n If,dor ths r00t dtuatlon you have p-e- -rut, tho oufstandlng rlpht of rolnatu:ermnt, hold by tb seooml puruherer, L. A. Oasey, is sn “inter- veeabq right” ae assat by Article 6:26, tbon suoh right ~51.1 oprsrate 88 a bar t3 B rc~ostatamsnt or tht? first s~10. e>la la subjr.ot to relrmtatezwmt. Y not, the tlrst In Cal? Frobuntlon Coxtpny 0* State, EZl z, ;:. 124 (ait 0f aror hr.), the son mtOnl0 COW or CIP~ A~~~EIS in rcierrirq:, to the %itcneninr. rlchts’ provilieiz for la Artiole 5326 stated that by such len,p~go the LeElslature monat %uah rights of third parties BLP. oonstitute a present orlatw bar to relnststament - 8~1 sxlatfrg re8t~~d right, snroroonble at th@ tim, by the party miw Such r1Cht.w Eowcver, an analysis of tho hota involved in that awe dlsaloses that the moon& ~18 whloh was there 01aiasI to bc a bar to the rkht relnstatemnt ol' therirat o's10 ww 8 sale nado upon or;n<loa of ssttlemsnt, whloh cotiltion had not been performd, hrther, the oeoszzd puroheanr hsb eotuallg abandona& the 1snC find mds knowa hir; abrndoment In 8uoh ofrcuawtano:‘s ho r@ht- to th0 tend Oawal8sloner. ravor or tlm seoond purohiaser, 0r rrinnatement exhted in aa his feflur6 to oolaply w;tth the eettlezmat aondltlon oi hir purahaas wholly imalldoted the rale h&n and put en end to his rlphts in land. Thle oonolualoa km tiflrmad intbe opinion 19 the culr oaaoe Tbererere, as ao right purohciser, ro%xueditraperlrt adated in furor the 000-a tbsre ~8s no lntermalng right him eals bay* been *oldal, whloh would’ operate to bar e r8l.natato~nt of tb¶ flmt mle to hml. In maklny. B rimllngaad oomlarion whioh WNB at?- oeaearyto raaaoh the tomlt arrived et tho Court OS Cloll kppeiiis, la cif v. State oxme, 6upr8, the Court at pa* 134 of the report el@fioantly mndo thio statement with reageot tbs oharaoter of thz right ~8 roiPstatem%nt oxned by 0 rorrelt~ puruha8att
*It %a true, also, as held in Levless v. xrlght, that State of Texas at tbot time WOO title to the lend, aad rQht in+este& with *7 Ronoreble Beaoom Cl&e, Pam 7 0r the trsmfer to Lewis, And that was a oeetod t&m
%yht whioh no 8tstuk or UOt the Land Coomisslomr aould take away f'roz him.* (Uaderaoor~ oura)
Thus, it is fcmd that the Court In Gulf Production 00. v. State expreeslf held that t&w right ot reinstatmzmt owned by B ftn-felting purchaser la a vested rlfiht.
In Cruzaa v4 Edker 119 Tex. 189, 26 3. v. (2) 906, Supreme Court la &s&La& the 9ntarvonI~ right&n br Artiolo 5326 at&e& thsf auoh righta &ust be tment *?elfd arlstent aad leplly snforeeuble when uittsn re- quest for rciastatmmt Ir toads. . .* Rowever, tb only guortlon determined by the Court me whether or not right8 8 ~rmlttea whosa pmnlt to prospot r0r 03.3 oad gas bob been 00noelca an;:. fortsited, was an inteneniag rl@t within the zeanlng of ArtlOT, 6326. The Court held that the r&hta of the iorteltily oil e&l gas pfmaltttse did not bar a reiaatatemat of first ssla made eubasquent to r0mitt4mk 0r oil and ~5s permit..
The U~UZ~S oam 58 dlstin@lsbnbU horn @be ~Itaetlon presmtca by your rer,uest in this ro otc the OIL arka gao permIttao La the Camzen O&W had no f ,ht ot reinmtatemont T
after rorreiture of hlo plait for foilura to begIn develop mentwithinthe tLpb rhtd by rtatute, All hi8 rigbtll eadod oompletel~ and tUmW with forfeiture of hi8 psnnlt, rad woh r&hk were a& mbjoot refartatesant. i%wwe, onder feats relate& you, the seooml puroharer Caser, by vIxtue at Artiola 5326, dOc6.hev.e the rQht to rskatate hlr forfeited 8ale. This r&lit, ln 0uJ.f Pro5uotlon Co. Yb State, eugira, was rtated to br a Vested ri&ht.'
In Free18 v, aelkar, l20 To& 291, 29 S. a. (2) 62T, l% was held that the r&ht aoaming irons mom tU%ng or an opplloatlon to prospeat for.oil aad gas with the County Clerk did not tmWitUt4 fmO& ai IntWVeJAhg right a0 ~56 Bet!& by ArtiOle 8224. Prsotlaallytba acme lazgua$e es la round la the Gulf oaae end Cnmm 083~ suprae 11~8 wed by the oourt Indetlnfn& the oharaoter of rhht mant by tha torn "Inteenenlng rl&t" in Artiole 6326. Am Fe* * in Praels v. valker, the otere fil%w of an app LaetiQn dtd not cloe rlee a te6ted rlgbt la tba applimat bHause the Luud Ctwonlrsloaer was m~tcd rtatute~with EOP(I discretion In dotqmiWng whether CA not to iasuue a pemalt in tbe went un rpplfoatloa roi- pm-alt #houla later be mea rpith t&s tina coadsnlo~er.
Y.5 rh4 no oerct other thpn cur v. 3t3:0, 61zp6, in whloh thbr6 has bean 4lscu8s!:c: the .:ueatlon or ta&t&r or not ths rlqht of rofastotcment taatls~ drtlale 63&6 ooa- cn snforoeable rested riqht. In ~1st~ o: thr rmt 8tltutca that tbs &~~r=emo Court haa tdoe elta: PI* amovcl the culr ve i;tatts docimioa we real omzstrnlnod to r0ii0r: fbe lcnp~ce in euoh dcals!on %-hloh Oolda t&a’: the rlcht or ralnsteta~nt ls a rew.cd ri&t. advised that,la OUY oplnltn, You m-5, therorore,
the rkht or reinatazcment arlstla~ ln favor ol: the reoon.5 purchaser (here 3. A. fximy) is aa tnforocable, rcrtsd rQhtwith?nthe mmilng of the hove quoted drclolon, end that euah ri&t or relnstatezxmt, 80 lox~ee it ia out- otandlry;, 1s an einte.-vsnimg right” within t!ae mrnln(; af Artlob 5326, vihioh Op8:at-W to bsr 8 Teioatetownt, & the rest rorfel~sd abale. X6 rosllze, end bars rraakly rte"ue, tk.t *om
dotit exleto an to oorifmta6~s ai this holS$ag In vtiw of the broth languisfe used in the, ebove oito& 005e0 ln b6rin:nc: t&e aharaoter af rl&t naeersary to oonstltute pa lntervani~ ri&t 40 that tena io used la t&e 8tstuto.
It hss long bocn e We ct the Attorney Geoeml'a Dapart- ateat, hcwmw, tbstuhen doubtful quaotloao l v~ presented this Cepertmnt with roepeat to rights OS atnte ln tts publie lu~d~, cuoh doubtful ~ue&lons shalL ba detonzlnec by thle aepartmat la favor the ateta. Thir rule, ea.2 tb m+dson uhloh form ltn br#ti 81.0 well otateb in en opinion oi thl8 dopertment vdtten ln 1932 by then kaslstant Attorney Gcmwal R,.‘,. Yarborou~, Opinioas of Attorney Genaritl, ,X93+32, peg6 ZZO. Go QM.O framthet oplnloa a8 follu~G1 wl%ls rule ha0 b0cmfollow0d ems sinob etkinlstratioa oi th0 EoaoraOle C. ?J, Cum-
ton a0 Attorney t&nor61 snd lo mcst brlefl L atated in an o~lnlon wr ttea bf Boonorab t E. I’. Smith, former Aosi~.faat Attorney Geaertl, oatf, spyrmed tho Xonmotle Ohlef Yastloo Oureton, then Attorney Gancwel. Tb 6tntemnt lo es follov~sr
*If t&c atee man the nlaaral.e la
thl8 land, Buoh ovmsrshlp may be 1lttU *9 Eonorable Da~coa tllos, 3ac.e 9
or fTmst value, but ii YO advise thet thla ownership be aurrondsred on the st-ts or ieote-Qresentsd and our advlae rhoold be wrou& our error ocn never tm otzrdotsd, mhcrsas if our ad~loo not to.surrcnder the rk,hts or tha staitu 1s wrcag, tho vaaeues or 33. Clboon oen hsta ou: er:or oorrcotsd proper lo& prooeed%ngs. *Yn 811 00ntrorcrclcs liwolv* the r1Ght.e th0 seute, it la the duty end 1lkoMlsc polloy of tha Attorney c-an- eral’s Ceiartmnt to aeolde all substilntlal doubts 1x1 favor of the State for the raaaom Just rentlonod.~~ se feel that the foregoing 1s c wholesome rule
an< thct it properly may be here a;plled, It we hold that 8 flmt sale my be rolnstrxted, not\:lthztcndinE. the otitlrp rlpht relnfstatcncnt in fever oi B, seoond purohasor, the r,~uottloa will possibly never be se.t:lod by on opinion of the On the other bend, ii tic hold that right Suprene Court. of a ‘scoond purohsse bars the tilnsteteaoat or rolnstetsnont or the rlrst purchase, the ~tmst%o~ osn be tasted on mn&amua prooeedlnge In the Eupruso Court, awl e dlrcot jtilolal es- oertalmrwnt 0~11. thus be obtained.
Further, pla roe1 botraE. to Give greet Weight to the 0dr0m degartmmtal 0olLatructlon whioh Oeneral Land orrice h86 p,ioen to this 8tatute ror mny yrtmb. This Ir c mttor which Clrectly involves the ed&nlstratlon of the atrzdru of the LanC Off100 ati a long Bettlad preotlco tml c0nstruotlon cX Lam?? Of.?ios 0Oollot2?nlq e mattor~ xh:hloh ft ia ohnrgec! to rcdmlnlster should not be werturmd by this departxaant unleos construotion enc! practloe of the Lana Otrlae in cleerly wroe, Thla we do not ria to be- ORG8*
Aeoordin~ly, O\lr OpiQiOa iTO& O-780 and oar 611pp18- mental opinloa of L%y lb, 1939, both adOrssscd to you, are upon reooneti~rretlon \plth3rm.m, and you are nm otlvisod thot, in our opinion; the outatandlnf rleht of relnstatumnt o:md- L. A. ca~cy, tha seooad purohasar of the is a bnr to tka rsinstetmicnt of the torfeito2
13, 1940 Yours Y&y-truly u .p.&J
ATTl,RlT,W G-tiYNFRAT. ,-,I? TTiX1S