Southwestern Bell Telephone, L.P. v. Harris County

OPINION

LESLIE B. YATES, Justice.

This proceeding arises out of an inverse condemnation dispute. Appellant Southwestern Bell Telephone, L.P. (SWBT) claims the county court at law erred in granting appellee Harris County’s plea to the jurisdiction. Because we conclude the county court had jurisdiction over SWBT’s inverse condemnation claim, we reverse and remand.

I. Factual and PROCEDURAL Background

In 1974, SWBT purchased a ten foot wide private utility easement from a private landowner. The language in the easement granted SWBT “a permanent easement to construct, operate, maintain, inspect,…