Jurisich v. Jenkins

749 So. 2d 597, 1999 WL 955374
Supreme Court of Louisiana·Decided November 17, 1999·No. 99-C-0076·Published·Cited by 75 cases

Opinion

749 So.2d 597 (1999)

Mitchell B. JURISICH, Sr., Mitchell B. Jurisich, Jr., Frank Jurisich, G.I. Joe, Inc., Gulf Star Oysters, Inc., and Bayou Canard, Inc.
v.
James H. JENKINS, Jr., Secretary of the Louisiana Department of Wildlife & Fisheries, The Louisiana Department of Wildlife & Fisheries, and the Louisiana Wildlife & Fisheries Commission.

No. 99-C-0076.

Supreme Court of Louisiana.

October 19, 1999.
Order Denying Rehearing November 17, 1999.

*598 Michael Louis Martin, George Pivach, II, Pivach & Pivach, Belle Chasse, Counsel for Applicant.

Richard P. Ieyoub, Atty. Gen., Jedd Spencer Malish, New Orleans, Frederick Coller Whitrock, Baton Rouge, Andrew Charles Wilson, New Orleans, Donna M. Young, New Orleans, Counsel for Respondent.

KNOLL, Justice.[*]

This action for preliminary injunction addresses the scope of authority granted to the Secretary for the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (Secretary) with respect to the renewal of oyster leases as provided by La.R.S. 56:428. At issue is the question of whether the Secretary may refuse to renew oyster leases unless the oyster lessees agree to the inclusion of an onerous condition which was not part of their original lease agreements. In particular, the lease renewals were made contingent upon the inclusion of a clause which made the oyster leases "subservient to navigation, maintenance of navigation, and all normal, usual and permissible mineral and oil field activity which has been sanctioned by the State of Louisiana through a prior existing lease, permit, or contract." We reverse the lower courts' denial of the preliminary injunction and remand. We find no authority for the Secretary's actions, and further find the clause at issue was against the spirit and contrary to the Secretary's legislative mandate in La.R.S. 56:425(C), to "make such stipulations [clauses] in the leases ... as he deems necessary and proper to develop the [oyster] industry." (emphasis added).

FACTS & PROCEDURAL HISTORY

Mitchell B. Jurisich, Sr.; Mitchell B. Jurisich, Jr.; Frank Jurisich; G.I. Joe, Inc.; Gulf Star Oysters, Inc.; and Bayou Canard, Inc. (the Jurisichs) are the lessees and/or successors of holders of oyster leases which cover certain State owned water bottoms in Plaquemines, Terrebonne, and St. Bernard Parishes. These oyster leases had a term of fifteen years which expired on December 31, 1996, and were renewable for an additional fifteen year period beginning on January 1, 1997. In December, the Jurisichs made renewal payment on the oyster leases for which the Louisiana *599 Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) issued receipts.

Subsequently, on January 27, 1997,[1] the Secretary for LDWF, James H. Jenkins, Jr., wrote certified letters to the Jurisichs notifying them that "the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries is exercising its discretion at this time to not renew the lease[s] of state water bottoms." Accordingly, the Jurisichs were advised that their oyster leases terminated on December 31, 1996. The Secretary's letter further informed the Jurisichs that the State would consider lease renewal for fifteen years if they would sign new lease documents by February 28, 1997. The new lease documents contained five clauses which contained conditions that were not part of the earlier oyster leases, covering the following areas: the Navigation and Oil Field Activity clause; the Future Litigation clause; the Coastal Wetlands Restoration Advisory; Allocation of Risk and Liability, and Indemnification clause; and the Venue clause.[2]

Initially, the Jurisichs filed an action against the three defendants, the Secretary, LDWF, and the Louisiana Wildlife & Fisheries Commission (referred to collectively as defendants), seeking a declaratory judgment, damages, and a permanent injunction together with a rule for a preliminary injunction. Shortly thereafter, the parties entered into an agreement which renewed the oyster leases for fifteen years, reserving to the parties "the right to pursue the outcome from this litigation through the final stages of appeal to final judgment." This letter agreement effectively resolved all the issues before the court, except for the question of the validity of the five clauses.

After conducting an evidentiary hearing, the trial court granted the preliminary injunction as it related to the inclusion of the Venue clause in the renewal leases, but denied it as to all other clauses. Thereafter, the Court of Appeal, First Circuit, affirmed the trial court judgment. Jurisich v. Jenkins, 97-1870 (La.App. 1 Cir. 9/25/98), 722 So.2d 1008.

We granted the Jurisichs' writ application in part, limiting the writ grant to consideration of the navigation and oilfield activity clause. 99-0076 (La.3/12/99), 739 So.2d 212. After oral argument, the Jurisichs filed a motion to reconsider our limited writ grant. We now deny the Jurisichs' motion for reconsideration, noting that they may re-urge their objections to the remaining oyster lease clauses at a hearing conducted in the trial court on their request for a permanent injunction.[3] We now proceed with our analysis of the issues raised relative to the navigation and oil field activity lease clause.

PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION

A petitioner is entitled to injunctive relief without the requisite showing of irreparable injury when the conduct sought to be restrained is unconstitutional or unlawful, i.e., when the conduct sought to be enjoined constitutes a direct violation of a prohibitory law and/or a violation of a constitutional right. South Cent. Bell Tel. Co. v. Louisiana Pub. Serv. Comm'n, 555 So.2d 1370 (La.1990). Once a plaintiff has made a prima facie showing that the conduct to be enjoined is reprobated by law, the petitioner is entitled to injunctive relief without the necessity of showing that no other adequate legal remedy exists. Ouachita Parish Police Jury v. American Waste & Pollution Control, 606 So.2d 1341 *600 (La.App. 2 Cir.), writ denied, 609 So.2d 234 (La.1992), cert. denied, 508 U.S. 909, 113 S.Ct. 2339, 124 L.Ed.2d 249 (1993).

Utilizing this standard, the Jurisichs assert a twofold attack. First, they contend that the Secretary overstepped his legislative authority when he failed to renew the existing oyster leases without the inclusion of the navigation and oil field activity clause. Second, they contend that the Secretary exceeded his authority when he proposed the inclusion of the navigation and oil field activity clause in the lease which was neither necessary nor proper for the development of the oyster industry.

Oyster Lease and Renewal: Statutory Scheme

It has been recognized that the statutory laws relative to the leasing of water bottoms for oyster production differ from the provisions which govern ordinary conventional leases addressed in Title IX of Book III of the Civil Code. Vujnovich v. Louisiana Wildlife & Fisheries Comm'n, 376 So.2d 330 (La.App. 4 Cir.1979); see also Inabnet v. Exxon Corp., 93-0681 (La.9/6/94), 642 So.2d 1243 (Kimball, J., dissenting in part).[4]

The LDWF is authorized to grant leases on state-owned water bottoms for oyster cultivation, bedding, and harvesting, and matters relating thereto, as provided in Subpart D of Part VII of Chapter 1 of Title 56 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950. La.R.S. 41:1225. Accordingly, La.R.S.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Jurisich v. Jenkins, 749 So. 2d 597, 1999 WL 955374 (La. 1999).

749 So. 2d 597 (Jurisich v. Jenkins) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

Related

Graftaire, LLC v. City of Shreveport
Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2024
Kavanagh v. Hebron
266 So. 3d 338 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2019)
Barber v. La. Workforce Comm'n
266 So. 3d 368 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2018)
Ryan v. Calcasieu Parish Police Jury
256 So. 3d 1044 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2018)
Rasier, LLC v. City of New Orleans
222 So. 3d 806 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2017)
Williams v. Opportunity Homes Ltd. Partnership
220 So. 3d 188 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2017)
Fisher v. Town of Boyce
219 So. 3d 342 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2017)
Construction Diva, L.L.C. v. New Orleans Aviation Board
206 So. 3d 1029 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2016)