Texas Supreme Court withdraws denial, reverses course, reinstates landowner petition against Texas Central Railway

Jewett – In what happens in only three-percent of denied petitions before the Texas Supreme Court, Leon County landowner Jim Miles, whose ranch is impacted by the proposed Dallas Houston HSR, was granted his Motion for Rehearing last week.

The Court withdrew the denial of Miles’ petition for review from June 2021 and reinstated Miles’ petition for review.

Miles’ motion for rehearing was supported widely with a dozen Amici letters to the Court and garnered attention from across the State and DC.

Elected officials, statewide agriculture organizations including Texas Farm Bureau and Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association, as well as Texas businesses, ranches, and landowners each encouraged the Court to hear the case focusing on the legal issues within the petition.

Nine amici were submitted in support of Texas Central with simple overarching messages of support for the project.

For Jim and Barbara Miles, the case is not a referendum on the project, but on the merits of the case, namely private property rights.

After learning the news today of the Court’s granting of the motion for rehearing, Barbara Miles said, “We are as committed today as we have been each day of this fight. This is about our private property rights and the rights of all Texans to enjoy and work our little pieces of Texas... unencumbered by a project that has been years in the making with nothing to show for it. We are elated that the Court has agreed to review our petition and are looking forward to our day in court.”

The Court will hear oral argument on January 11, 2022.