Taxation of land on the shoreline of Corpus Christi Bay (right) has presented a difficult jurisdictional dispute for years between the taxing authorities of Nueces and San Patricio Counties. In considering the most recent mandamus petition about the situation, the Supreme Court noted three, longstanding requirements for such a writ: “One is that the duty required to be performed by mandamus shall not be dependent upon the determination of any doubtful question of fact. Another limitation is that the writ of quo warranto or mandamus be a proper or necessary process for enforcement of the right asserted. A third is there must be some strong and special reason for the exercise of this extraordinary original jurisdiction by a court designed primarily as the court for the correction by appellate review of errors of inferior courts in determining questions of law.” The Court found that the parties’ disputes over the nature of [petitioner’s] facility in relation to the counties’ boundary are significant and require resolution,” and thus found that it had no jurisdiction based on the first of the above-quoted factors. In re Corpus Christi Liquefaction LLC, No. 19-0671 (Oct. 25, 2019).
