Thought Leadership / News
June 25, 2012 
 Press Releases
Ormiston Obtains a Take Nothing Defense Verdict in Favor of Plains Exploration and Production Company

On June 20, 2012, Jim Ormiston, a Shareholder of Gray Reed & McGraw and head of the Litigation Section, obtained a take nothing defense verdict in favor of Plains Exploration and Production Company (PXP) in the 95th District Court of Dallas County, Texas.  PXP, as operator of a large oil and gas lease in Zapata County, Texas, was sued by two non-operators who alleged they had been overcharged for indirect operating expenses under a 1960 Joint Operating Agreement. The jury found that PXP had properly charged the Plaintiffs for district and camp expense and administrative overhead under the terms of the contract. Based on the jury's verdict, PXP has filed a motion for entry of a final judgment in its favor.

Jim has obtained favorable verdicts, judgments and settlements on behalf of both plaintiffs and defendants in a wide variety of complex business cases, including cases relating to oil and gas, trade secrets, real estate, products liability, UCC, antitrust, employment matters, construction contracts and consumer claims. Jim has also defended clients in class action and mass tort cases. In recent years, Jim has focused on the litigation of oil and gas cases, including disputes relating to natural gas purchase and sales contracts, gas processing agreements, transportation agreements, and acquisition agreements, as well as royalty disputes.

About Gray Reed & McGraw

Founded in 1985, Gray Reed & McGraw is a Texas-based, full-service law firm with more than 100 lawyers practicing in Houston, Dallas and Tyler, and offers a wide range of legal services including business litigation, corporate transactions, family law, oil & gas, tax planning and litigation, real estate, healthcare, trusts and estates, employment law, and bankruptcy.