Designated for publication Garcia v. Orta, 21-50890, appeal from W.D. Tex. Southwick, J. (Smith, Wiener, Southwick), qualified immunity Reversing denial of summary judgment and rendering summary judgment in favor of arresting officers on qualified immunity grounds, dismissing plaintiff’s suit for detention without probable cause for DWI. Plaintiff had been held in pretrial detention, unable to … More August 25, 2022, opinions
Designated for publication Harness v. Watson, 19-60632, appeal from S.D. Miss. [ed.: Note that the following en banc decision was announced by the Court as “per curiam,” i.e., “for the court,” and at the beginning of that decision then listed all 17 active-status judges, intimating at the outset that the decision was for the entire … More August 24, 2022, opinions
Designated for publication U.S. v. Morton, 19-10842, appeal from N.D. Tex. Costa, J. (joined by Richman, Jones, Smith, Stewart, Southwick, Haynes, Ho, Duncan, Engelhardt, Oldham, Wilson, JJ.); Higginson, J., concurring (joined in whole by Elrod, Willett, JJ., and in part by Ho, Wilson, JJ.); Graves, J., dissenting (joined by Dennis, J.); Jolly, J., not joining … More August 23, 2022, opinions
Designated for publication Hignell-Stark v. City of New Orleans, 21-30643, appeal from E.D. La. Smith, J. (Smith, Wiener, Southwick), § 1983, takings, Commerce Clause, First Amendment Affirming in part and vacating in part summary judgment dismissing two of three constitutional challenges by owners of short-term rentals (STRs) against the City of New Orleans in relation … More August 22, 2022, opinions
Designated for publication NexPoint Advisors, L.P. v. Highland Capital Management, L.P., 21-10449, appeal from N.D. Tex. Duncan, J. (Wiener, Graves, Duncan), bankruptcy Affirming in large part confirmation order in investment firm’s bankruptcy; but reversing that portion of the liquidation plan that exculpated certain non-debtors in violation of 11 U.S.C. § 524(e). The Court first held … More August 19, 2022, opinions
Designated for publication U.S. v. Crittenden, 18-50635, appeal from W.D. Tex. Costa, J. (joined by Richman, Jones, Smith, Stewart, Southwick, Haynes, Higginson, Willett, Ho, Duncan, Engelhardt, Oldham, Wilson, JJ.); Elrod, J., dissenting (joined by Dennis, Graves, JJ.); new trial, criminal Reversing new trial ordered by district court after jury had convicted defendant of drug conspiracy, … More August 17-18, 2022, opinions
Designated for publication Huskey v. Jones, 19-60588, appeal from N.D. Miss. Stewart, J. (Higginbotham, Stewart, Wilson), prisoner suit Reversing summary judgment dismissing plaintiff’s suit arising from conduct while he was incarcerated at the Mississippi State Penitentiary. The Court held that the plaintiff showed a genuine issue of fact as to the availability of administrative remedies. … More August 16, 2022, opinions
(While I was on vacation/college-touring around the Northeast, then dealing with the Covid gathered from somewhere in the Northeast, I tracked 5th Circuit opinions for purposes of the gathering of opinion statistics from July 20 through August 12, but those opinions are not summarized here. So, picking back up with August 15 …) Designated for … More August 15, 2022, opinions
We report after each month on interesting statistics from the data we generate from the daily opinion summaries from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, and at the end of each court year (Oct.-Sept.) we will aggregate that–all of which provides useful insights into the inner workings of the Court, the relative … More July 2022 opinion statistics
Take the Fifth 