You'll find many opportunities to gain practical experience by applying lessons you learned in the classroom to resolve real-world problems.
Texas A&M Law now accepts the GRE. Learn more.
All applicants to Texas A&M School of Law are considered for tuition waivers at the time they are admitted to our program. There's no separate application to complete.
What does your path to success look like?
An ideal location, flexible scheduling, and an innovative academic program make Texas A&M University School of Law an excellent place for your legal studies.
Our accessible and student-friendly faculty have considerable academic and professional experience and take pride in teaching and mentoring students.
Choosing a law school means choosing your home for the next few years, and you won’t find a better place to learn, live and work than Fort Worth.
Join Texas A&M Law and put the strength of the Aggie Network behind you.
Project Directors: Gabriel Eckstein, Professor, Texas A&M University School of Law Howard S. Slobodin, Adjunct Professor, Texas A&M University School of Law; General Counsel, Trinity River Authority of Texas
Authors: David Ayala, Ashley Graves, Colton Lauer, Henrik Strand, Chad Taylor, Kyle Weldon, Ryan Wood
When Hurricane Harvey hit the Texas coast as a category 4 hurricane on August 25, 2017, it caused $125 billion in damage, rivaling only Hurricane Katrina in the amount of damage caused. It also resulted in the deaths of 88 people and destroyed or damaged 135,000 homes. Much of that devastation was caused by flooding. The potential liability that dam and reservoir operators may face for decisions they make during storm and flooding events has now become a major concern for Texas citizens and its elected officials. Law suits have now been instituted against the federal government for their operation of two flood control reservoirs, as well as against the San Jacinto River Authority for its operation of a water supply reservoir. Moreover, the issues and concerns have been placed on the agenda of a number of committees preparing for the 2019 Texas legislative session.
This report reviews current dam and reservoir operations in Texas and examines the potential liability that such operators may face for actions and decisions taken in response to storm and flooding events. The report also offers recommendations for best practices for dam operators, including flooding notifications and building community relations, as a mean to engage and educate the public and thereby reduce the potential for disputes and litigation
The report is the work product of students enrolled in the Natural Resources Systems Capstone Seminar at Texas A&M University School of Law under the supervision of Gabriel Eckstein, Professor of Law and Director of the Texas A&M University Law Energy, Environmental, and Natural Resource Systems Law Program, and Howard S. Slobodin, Adjunct Professor of Law and General Counsel of the Trinity River Authority of Texas.
Please note: Since the completion of principal work on this report, one case it addresses was reversed on appeal. St. Bernard Parish Government v. United States, 121 Fed. Cl. 687 (2015) (finding plaintiffs proved a taking arising from the United States Army Corps of Engineers failure to maintain infrastructure that caused increased flooding to the plaintiffs’ properties), rev’d 887 F.3d 1354 (2018). The Federal Circuit reversed that decision on the basis that government inaction, the alleged failure to properly maintain Mississippi River-Gulf Outlet channel, could not give rise to takings liability. The reversal of the lower court’s ruling does not affect this report’s treatment of the issue of a required investment-backed expectation as an element of a flooding-based federal constitutional inverse condemnation claim.
• Summer 2020 • Spring 2020 • Fall 2019 • Summer 2019 • Spring 2019 • Fall 2018 • Spring 2018 • Fall 2017 • Spring 2017 • Fall 2016 • Spring 2016 • Fall 2015 • Spring 2015
NRS E-mail listserv