that pays him royalties, but he didn't disclose that information at the hearing. the company ended up winning and was awarded $3.9 million. >> the best practice that's out there and i think what judges across the country are encouraged to do is when there is any doubt, put some sunshine on the problem. turn your cards face up, to mix metaphors and basically make it clear to the parties what your potential interests are. >> reporter: which brings us back to bp and why it would like judge hughes to oversee the oil spill lawsuits. bp told us, quote, bp believes that judge lynn hughes, to whom the first filed federal case in houston was assigned, is an appropriate choice to provide oversight of these cases. >> this isn't a rank and file case. this is a case involving a couple hundred cases involving the biggest oil disaster in the history of the country where we ought to be especially concerned about public confidence in the judiciary. >> reporter: cnn examined judge hughes' rulings on oil and gas cases going back three years.