Southland Royalty Co. v. Pan American Petroleum Corp.

The outcome of this case is a tribute to effective appellate advocacy. Petitioners have insisted from the beginning that the intention of the parties to the lease must be ascertained by first determining the meaning of the first royalty clause when considered alone, and then construing all of the other, provisions in such manner that they will be in harmony with the previously determined meaning of such clause. To assist in presenting their oral argument, counsel for petitioners had prepared large poster boards with the relevant lease provisions printed thereon. Throughout most of their…