Appellants contend that Okla.Stat., 1941 (Cum.Supp. 1949), Tit.
52, §§ 286.1-286.17, providing for unitized management of
common sources of supply of oil and gas in Oklahoma, and an order
of the Oklahoma Corporation Commission thereunder, violated Art. I,
§ 10 of the Federal Constitution and the Due Process and Equal
Protection Clauses of the Fourteenth Amendment.
Held: in the light of
Cities Service Gas Co. v.
Peerless Oil & Gas Co., 340 U. S. 179, and
other decisions of this Court cited in the opinion, appellants have
failed to raise any substantial federal question, and the appeals
are dismissed. Pp.
343 U. S.
391-392.
204 Okla. 543,
231 P.2d 997,
appeals dismissed.
Page 343 U. S. 391
PER CURIAM.
These two appeals challenge the constitutionality of Okla.Stat.
1941 (Cum.Supp. 1949) Tit. 52, §§ 286.1-286.17, providing
for unitized management of common sources of supply of oil and gas
in Oklahoma. This statute was repealed by the Oklahoma Legislature
on May 26, 1951, Okl.Laws 1951, c. 3a, § 16, p. 142, and we
ordered the causes continued in order to determine the effect of
this repeal on the matters raised in these appeals.
342 U. S.
35 (1951). After being advised by the Supreme Court of
Oklahoma that this repeal had no effect on these causes, we noted
probable jurisdiction and heard argument.
Appellants contend that this statute and an order issued
thereunder by the Oklahoma Corporation Commission impair their
contractual rights in violation of U.S.Const., Art. 1, § 10,
and amount to a denial of the Due Process and Equal Protection
Clauses of the Fourteenth Amendment. Specifically, appellants argue
that the statute is an unreasonable exercise of the State's police
power, and an unreasonable delegation of legislative and judicial
power to private groups. In addition, appellants maintain that the
statute is too vague and indefinite to furnish the Commission with
any reasonable guide for the issuance of orders approving
unitization plans, and that the evidence does not support the
Commission's findings of fact.
In the light of our previous decisions, appellants have failed
to raise any substantial federal questions, and the appeals are
therefore dismissed.
Cities Service Gas Co. v. Peerless Oil
& Gas Co., 340 U. S. 179
(1950);
Railroad Commission of Texas
v. Rowan & Nichols Oil Co., 311
Page 343 U. S. 392
U.S. 570 (1941);
Railroad Commission of Texas v. Rowan &
Nichols Oil Co., 310 U. S. 573, as
amended, 311 U.S. 614-615 (1940);
Patterson v. Stanolind Oil
& Gas Co., 305 U. S. 376
(1939);
Home Building & Loan Association v. Blaisdell,
290 U. S. 398,
290 U. S.
435-437 (1934);
Champlin Refining Co. v. Corporation
Commission, 286 U. S. 210
(1932).
Dismissed.
