On October 9, 2019, a week after an ex parte temporary restraining order was entered against SDM’s client, Viceroy Petroleum, L.P., SDM lawyers Santosh Aravind and Mary Byars successfully convinced a judge to reject an application by a landowner, Cloverleaf Ranch, LLC, for a temporary injunction that would have prevented Viceroy from conducting drilling operations.

Cloverleaf’s ex parte TRO effectively blocked Viceroy from crossing Cloverleaf’s property to access a drill site on a neighboring surface tract, even though Viceroy owns an undivided mineral interest underneath both properties. After an evidentiary hearing in the 240th Judicial District of Fort Bend County, the court denied Cloverleaf’s application for temporary injunction, finding Cloverleaf had failed to establish irreparable harm, and dissolved the temporary restraining order. SDM’s work in defeating the temporary injunction allows Viceroy to cross Cloverleaf’s property to conduct their drilling operations and to maintain Viceroy’s valuable mineral rights in the area.