May v. Apache Corp.
Plaintiffs initiated a lawsuit in a Texas state court, alleging state law claims related to property damage from the defendants' oil and gas operations. After later discovering contamination, they amended their complaint to include claims under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) and the Texas Water Code. Subsequently, the defendants removed the case to a federal district court, citing the federal CERCLA claim. The district court, presided over by Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos, ruled on the plaintiffs' motion to remand. The court denied the remand for the CERCLA claims due to exclusive federal jurisdiction but granted the remand for the state law claims, sending them back to the Nueces County state court. This partial remand was based on factors such as differing trial procedures (bench vs. jury) and the predominance of distinct state law issues.