In re Cauley

MEMORANDUM OPINION

BRIAN HOYLE, Justice.

By petition for writ of mandamus, Phil Cauley challenges the trial court’s order granting presuit discovery.1 The real party in interest is Efficien Technology, L.L.C. We conditionally grant the petition.

Background

Efficien is the successor in interest to Natural Resource Recovery, Inc. (NRR), and Cauley is a former employee of NRR. While working at NRR, Cauley helped develop a product identified as a “carbonator.” Cauley assigned NRR his rights to the intellectual property related to the car-bonator.

Since he left NRR’s employment, Cauley and NRR have had…