7-Year Court Fight Ends With $11.7 million Judgment Against ConocoPhillips

In a court case of the “little guy” against the corporate giant, the corporate giant, ConocoPhillips has lost its challenge of $11.7 million in damages ordered by a court.

The Fourth Court of Appeals in San Antonio, Texas has upheld a lower court ruling that said a brother and sister were entitled to $11.7 million from the company.

The case involved Leon Ramirez and his sister Minerva who has Down syndrome. Both are in their mid-60s and went to court upon learning they had mineral rights on the 1,058 acres of land they inherited from their parents when they died.

Seven years later, they finally got the ruling they wanted. It was in 2015 when the trial court granted judgment each in the amount of $3.7 million for their share of oil production. The judgment included $950,000 in prejudgment interest and $1.1 million in attorney fees.

ConocoPhillips had argued the brother and sister only had surface rights to the land but Justice Rebeca C. Martinez ruled otherwise.