Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has achieved a significant victory at the U.S. Supreme Court with a unanimous 9-0 decision in a case concerning Texas's authority to handle property compensation disputes under State law. The case involved a group of citizens who sought compensation under the Takings Clause of the U.S. Constitution following flooding in the Houston area in 2017 and 2019.
The plaintiffs claimed that a barrier on the highway acted as a dam, protecting a flood-evacuation route but leading to flooding on their properties. Despite Texas allowing such claims under state law, the plaintiffs opted to pursue their case directly under the U.S. Constitution. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit dismissed their claims as Congress had not authorized such litigation.
In response, Texas argued in favor of upholding property rights and insisted that landowners should utilize Texas law to seek relief. The U.S. Supreme Court unanimously sided with Texas, rejecting the plaintiffs' assertion that they could sue under federal law based on existing caselaw.
The U.S. Supreme Court emphasized that "Texas state law provides a cause of action by which property owners may seek just compensation against the State." The Court acknowledged Texas's state-law inverse-condemnation cause of action as a mechanism for takings claims based on both the Texas Constitution and the Takings Clause. Texas assured the Court that it would not oppose any efforts by the petitioners to seek an amendment to their complaint.
This ruling underscores Texas's commitment to protecting property rights and upholding the state's legal framework for addressing compensation disputes related to taken property.
To read the opinion, click here.