Devillier et al v. THE STATE OF TEXAS

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF TEXAS
GALVESTON DIVISION
RICHARD ALLEN DEVILLIER, et
al.,
Plaintiffs.
V.
STATE OF TEXAS,
Defendant.
KEVIN SONNIER, et al.,
Plaintiffs.
V.
STATE OF TEXAS,
Defendant.
DEVON BOUDREAUX, et al.,
Plaintiffs.
V.
STATE OF TEXAS,
Defendant.
SOUTHEAST TEXAS OLIVE, LLC, et
al.,
Plaintiffs.
V.
STATE OF TEXAS,
Defendant.
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3:20-cv-223
(253rd Judicial District Court of
Chambers County, 20-DCV-0300)
3:20-cv-379
(344th Judicial District Court of
Chambers County, 20-DCV-0792)
4:21-cv-1521
(172d Judicial District Court of
Jefferson County, E-207211)
3:21-cv-104
(253rd Judicial District Court of
Liberty County, 21DC-CV-00071)
ORDER ADOPTING MAGISTRATE JUDGE’S
MEMORANDUM AND RECOMMENDATION
On September 2, 2020, all non-dispositive and dispositive pretrial matters
in this consolidated case were referred to United States Magistrate Judge Andrew
United States District Court
Southern District of Texas
ENTERED
April 09, 2026
Nathan Ochsner, Clerk
Case 3:20-cv-00223 Document 188 Filed 04/09/26 in TXSD Page 1 of 2

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M. Edison under 28 U.S.C. § 636(b)(1)(A)–(B). Dkt. 14. Judge Edison filed a
memorandum and recommendation on January 5, 2026, recommending that The
State of Texas’s motion to remand to state court, Dkt. 174, be granted. Dkt. 186.
On January 20, 2026, the plaintiffs filed objections to the memorandum and
recommendation. Dkt. 187. In accordance with 28 U.S.C. § 636(b)(1)(C), this court
is required to “make a de novo determination of those portions of the [magistrate
judge’s] report or specified proposed findings or recommendations to which
objection [has been] made.” After conducting this de novo review, the court may
“accept, reject, or modify, in whole or in part, the findings or recommendations
made by the magistrate judge.” Id.; see also Fed. R. Civ. P. 72(b)(3).
The 	court 	has 	considered 	the 	objections, 	the 	memorandum 	and
recommendation, and the record. The court accepts Judge Edison’s memorandum
and recommendation dated January 5, 2026, Dkt. 186, and adopts it as the opinion
of the court. It is therefore ordered that:
(1) 	Judge Edison’s memorandum and recommendation, Dkt. 186, is
approved and adopted in its entirety as the holding of the court; and
(2) 	These four consolidated cases are remanded to the state courts of
Chambers, Jefferson, and Liberty Counties from which they were
removed, as reflected on the first page of this order.
Signed on Galveston Island this 9th day of April, 2026.
______________________________
JEFFREY VINCENT BROWN
UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE
Case 3:20-cv-00223 Document 188 Filed 04/09/26 in TXSD Page 2 of 2