Connection lost
Server error
Board of County Commissioners v. Bowen/Edwards Associates, Inc. Case Brief
Why Top Law Students (And Those Aspiring to Be) Use LSD+ Briefs
Let's be real, law school is a marathon. Our exclusive Flash-to-Full case system is designed by Harvard Law School and MIT grads to match your pace: Quick summaries when you're slammed, detailed analysis when you need to go deep. Only LSD+ offers this kind of flexibility to genuinely fit your study flow.
Adaptive Case Views
Toggle between Flash, Standard, and Expanded. Get what you need, when you need it.
Exam-Ready IRAC Format
We deliver the precise structure professors look for in exam answers.
Complex Cases, Clarified
We break down dense legal reasoning into something digestible, helping you grasp core concepts.
Case Brief Summary & Legal Analysis
tl;dr: An oil company challenged county land-use regulations for oil and gas operations, claiming preemption by a state act. The court held the state act did not completely preempt local land-use authority, allowing for concurrent regulation unless a direct operational conflict exists.
Legal Significance: Establishes that a comprehensive state regulatory scheme does not automatically preempt local land-use authority. It creates a framework for analyzing state preemption of local laws, requiring an examination of express, implied (field), and operational conflict preemption before invalidating local regulations.
Board of County Commissioners v. Bowen/Edwards Associates, Inc. Law School Study Guide
Use this case brief structure for your own legal analysis. Focus on the IRAC methodology to excel in law school exams and cold calls.
Case Facts & Court Holding
Key Facts & Case Background
La Plata County, acting under its statutory land-use authority, enacted regulations governing oil and gas facilities within its unincorporated areas. The regulations required operators to obtain a county permit and comply with performance standards related to land-use coordination, environmental quality, and surface disturbance. Bowen/Edwards Associates, Inc., an oil and gas operator, filed suit seeking a declaratory judgment that the county regulations were entirely preempted by the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Act. The Act grants the state’s Oil and Gas Conservation Commission broad authority to regulate the technical and conservation aspects of oil and gas development, including drilling, production, and public safety. Bowen/Edwards challenged the county regulations on their face without first applying for or being denied a permit, arguing the entire regulatory scheme was invalid due to the state’s exclusive jurisdiction. The trial court dismissed for lack of standing. The court of appeals reversed, finding that Bowen/Edwards had standing and that the state Act completely preempted the county’s regulations. The Colorado Supreme Court granted certiorari to determine the scope of state preemption over local land-use control.
Court Holding & Legal Precedent
Issue: Does the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Act, which grants a state commission comprehensive authority over oil and gas development, completely preempt a county’s statutory authority to enact and enforce land-use regulations applicable to those same activities?
No. The Oil and Gas Conservation Act does not completely preempt a Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat
IRAC Legal Analysis
Complete IRAC Analysis for Higher Grades
IRAC (Issue, Rule, Analysis, Conclusion) is the exact format professors want to see in your exam answers. Our exclusive Flash-to-Full briefs combine holding, analysis, and rule statements formatted to match what A+ students produce in exams. These structured briefs help reinforce the essential legal reasoning patterns expected in law school.
Legal Issue
Does the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Act, which grants a state commission comprehensive authority over oil and gas development, completely preempt a county’s statutory authority to enact and enforce land-use regulations applicable to those same activities?
Conclusion
This case is a foundational precedent for state-local government relations, establishing that Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit
Legal Rule
A state statute preempts a local regulation if: (1) the statute's express Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in v
Legal Analysis
The court applied a three-part preemption analysis to determine the validity of Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur
Flash-to-Full Case Opinions
Flash Summary
- An operator has standing to challenge oil and gas regulations without