Railroad Commission of Texas v. Shell Oil Company, Incorporated

Summary

The Texas Supreme Court affirmed the district court's judgment, holding that the direct appeal was proper, that Rule 499‑a does not bar the appeal, that the Railroad Commission possessed statutory authority to issue the waste‑prevention order, and that the trial court did not abuse its discretion in granting the temporary injunction. The Court reasoned that the appeal presented questions of law, that the Commission's power to prevent waste is broad, and that the injunction merely preserved the status quo pending trial.