I am special counsel at Fishman Haygood LLP, focusing on appeals in all matters, as well as litigation in environmental land-damage, coastal land-loss, and complex commercial matters. I am also a writer, and I'm the managing editor of literary journal The Peauxdunque Review.
Designated for publication Jones, J. (Jones, Stewart, Willett) (oral argument), maritime law, attorneys’ fees Affirming district court’s finding of valid maritime liens and denial of attorneys’ fees. Louisiana International Marine (“LIM”) provided towage services via two tugboats to barges owned by Trailer Bridge and chartered to a third party, Work Cat. Work Cat paid only … More June 17, 2026, opinions
Designated for publication Wilson, J. (Elrod, Smith, Wilson) (oral argument), criminal, sentencing Affirming sentences on revocation of supervised release. James Baldemoro pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography under 18 U.S.C. § 2252A(b)(2) and was sentenced to the statutory maximum of ten years’ imprisonment followed by ten years’ supervised release. After completing his prison term, … More June 16, 2026, opinions
Designated for publication Higginson, J. (King, Higginson, Wilson) (no oral argument), False Claims Act, settlement agreement Affirming district court’s judgment enforcing oral settlement agreement reached at mediation of False Claims Act claim. The United States sued Dr. Dongxin Ma and Ma Acupuncture PC under the False Claims Act for allegedly submitting approximately $1.3 million in … More June 15, 2026, opinions
Designated for publication Higginson, J. (Haynes, Higginson, Ho) (oral argument withdrawn), § 1983, sovereign immunity, supplemental jurisdiction Affirming as dismissal of § 1983 claims against Texas DOT as subject to sovereign immunity; and affirming declination to exercise supplemental jurisdiction over state-law claims, though modified to be a dismissal without prejudice. John Gannon, Inc. owned billboards … More June 12, 2026, opinions
Designated for publication Duncan, J. (King, Duncan, Engelhardt) (oral argument before original panel decision), nondelegation doctrine, appointments clause, due process, standing On remand from the U.S. Supreme Court, for reconsideration of the panel’s original July 5, 2024, decision in light of FCC v. Consumers’ Research, reissuing the original panel decision, with a new section explaining how FCC does … More June 11, 2026, opinions
Unpublished decisions per curiam (Davis, Jones, Ho) (no oral argument), Title VII, Age Discrimination in Employment Act, employment discrimination Affirming dismissal of employment discrimination claims. At issue on appeal was whether a pro se plaintiff’s Title VII and ADEA claims against True Coverage were properly dismissed for failure to exhaust administrative remedies (no EEOC charge … More June 10, 2026, opinions
Designated for publication Douglas, J. (Southwick, Higginson, Douglas) (oral argument), trade secrets, RICO Reversing dismissal of plaintiff’s RICO/theft-of-trade-secrets claim, and remanding for further proceedings. EnvTech, Inc. is a company that developed a confidential proprietary one-step chemical formula and cleaning process for hydrofluoric acid alkylation (“HF alky”) units in oil refineries, controlling roughly 80% of the … More June 9 2026, opinions
Designated for publication Duncan, J. (King, Higginson, Duncan) (no oral argument), tax law Affirming tax court’s judgment upholding imposition of estate-tax liability and assessment of 20% negligence penalty. As Anne Milner Fields’s health rapidly declined in 2016 due to end-stage Alzheimer’s, her great-nephew and agent Bryan Milner transferred approximately $17 million of her assets into … More June 8, 2026, opinions
Unpublished decisions per curiam (Smith, Willett, Ramirez) (no oral argument), insurance Affirming judgment in favor of insurer in claim on fidelity policy for a loss from financial fraud. Blue Compass RV paid over $1.25 million on a construction invoice using banking information it received through a fraudulent email impersonating its contractor, SPD Construction. It sought … More June 5, 2026, opinions
Designated for publication per curiam (Smith, Haynes, Oldham) (no oral argument at motion stage), Haynes, J., concurring in order only (w/o op.); First Amendment, vagueness, injunctions Granting defendant Texas’s motion for stay of preliminary injunction pending appeal regarding SB 2420, which placed age and parental-guidance regulations on app stores and in-app purchases. The Texas Legislature … More June 4, 2026, opinions
