The Last Trial of T. Boone Pickens

by Chrysta Castañeda, Loren C. Steffy

Overview

T. Boone Pickens, legendary Texas oilman and former corporate raider, climbed the steps of the Reeves County courthouse in Pecos, Texas, early in November 2016. At 88 years old, he entered the solitary courtroom, and settled into the witness stand for two days of testimony in what would be the final trial of his life. Pickens, who made and lost billions over his long career, was suing another legendary Texas oil company and several others, accusing them of cutting him out of what became the biggest oil play he ever invested in. Pickens had signed onto a deal to drill in the Delaware Basin, an oil-rich section of far West Texas that was primed for an unprecedented boom. He was hard of hearing and his vision was poor, but his mind remained sharp. After years of dealing with the media, shareholders and politicians, Pickens would need to win over a dozen West Texas jurors in one last battle. To lead his legal fight, Pickens chose an unlikely advocate - Chrysta Castañeda, a Dallas solo practitioner who had only recently returned to the practice of law after a hiatus borne of disillusionment with Big Law. Pickens was a hardline Republican, while Castañeda had run for public office as a Democrat. But they shared an unwavering determination to win and formed a friendship that spanned their differences in age, politics and gender. The Last Trial of T. Boone Pickens tells the story of this high-stakes courtroom drama through the eyes of Castañeda. It's the story of an American business legend still fighting in the twilight of his long career one final time, for justice and fair dealing in the Oil Patch, and the woman determined to help him get it.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781734082203
Publisher:	Texas A&M University Press
Publication date:	04/21/2020
Pages:	300
Product dimensions:	6.20(w) x 9.10(h) x 1.10(d)

About the Author

CHRYSTA CASTAÑEDA is a Texas trial attorney specializing in oil and gas disputes. She formed her own boutique law firm in 2014 after more than twenty years as a partner and associate in some of the world’s top law firms. LOREN STEFFY is a journalist and author of three other books: George P. Mitchell: Fracking, Sustainability and an Unorthodox Quest to Save the Planet (Texas A&M University Press, 2019), Drowning in Oil: BP and the Reckless Pursuit of Profit (McGraw-Hill, 2010) and The Man Who Thought Like a Ship (Texas A&M University Press, 2012). 

Table of Contents

Part 1 The Red Bull 1

Chapter 1 "Don't Pay Her" 3

Chapter 2 The Legend of T. Boone Pickens 17

Chapter 3 "The Chainsaw" 37

Chapter 4 The Red Bull Prospect 52

Chapter 5 The Lawsuit 60

Chapter 6 "The Wrong Guy to Eliminate" 69

Chapter 7 Lingering Doubts 83

Part 2 The Trial Begins 95

Chapter 8 Morning in Monahans 97

Chapter 9 Prepping Pickens 105

Chapter 10 Day One 116

Chapter 11 The "Guidances" 124

Chapter 12 Picking the Jury 128

Chapter 13 A Tough Act to Follow 136

Chapter 14 My Turn 145

Chapter 15 Growing Frustration 153

Chapter 16 "We Are Zombies" 164

Part 3 Pickens Takes the Stand 169

Chapter 17 "The Biggest Prospect Ever" 171

Chapter 18 From Hell to Breakfast 186

Chapter 19 Pickens versus the Defense 193

Chapter 20 "Don't Rush the Monkey" 202

Chapter 21 "You're Going to Get Yours!" 208

Chapter 22 "Blinders On" 212

Chapter 23 "Your Client Is Not Well" 223

Chapter 24 The Power of a Penny 229

Chapter 25 "No Amendments Required" 242

Chapter 26 Closing Arguments 249

Chapter 27 All or Nothing 270

Chapter 28 "Show Up Early. Work Hard. Stay Late." 279

Epilogue 289

Acknowledgments 294

A Note on Sources 297

Index 299