Friendswood Development Co. v. Smith-Southwest Industries, Inc.
Supreme Court of Texas
576 S.W.2d 21 (Tex. 1978)
Relevant factsFree
Friendswood Development (defendant) pumped groundwater from its own land despite engineering reports warning that doing so would cause nearby land to subside, and neighboring landowners (plaintiffs), including Smith-Southwest Industries, saw their land actually sink as a result. The landowners brought a class action alleging nuisance and negligence based on Friendswood's groundwater withdrawal.
IssueFree
Whether a landowner who withdraws groundwater from beneath his own property may be held liable for the resulting subsidence of neighboring land.