Designated for publication U.S. v. Batiste, 19-30927, appeal from E.D. La. Engelhardt, J., (Graves, Costa, Engelhardt), criminal, sentencing, First Step Act Affirming in part sentence of imprisonment and denial of sentence-reduction under the First Step Act, but remanding in part the portion of the sentence regarding the term of supervised release for the district court … More Take the Fifth: Nov. 13, 2020 opinions
Designated for publication Richardson v. Hughs, 20-50774, appeal from W.D. Tex. Smith, J. (Higginbotham, Smith, Oldham), intervention, election law Denying motion to intervene on appeal, by plaintiff in similar but separate case. This motion arises from two lawsuits challenging Texas’s signature-verification scheme for absentee ballots. Noting that, “[p]erhaps because there is no rule explicitly allowing … More Take the Fifth: Nov. 12, 2020 opinions
Designated for publication U.S. v. Beaudion, 19-30635, appeal from W.D. La. Oldham, J. (Smith, Clement, Oldham), criminal, Fourth Amendment, search and seizure, Stored Communications Act Affirming conviction of defendant for drug offenses, upholding district court’s denial of motion to suppress evidence gained through government’s surveillance of the GPS coordinates on his girlfriend’s (and drug-dealing partner’s) … More Take the Fifth: Nov. 11, 2020 opinions
Designated for publication U.S. v. Cooper, 19-50119, appeal from W.D. Tex. Elrod, J. (Elrod, Duncan, Wilson), criminal, guilty plea Affirming conviction on use or possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense, where defendant had pled guilty, finding sufficient factual bases to support plea; but remanding to correct that plea was to … More Take the Fifth: Nov. 9 and 10, 2020 opinions
Designated for publication Pizza Inn, Inc. v. Clairday, 19-11302, appeal from N.D. Tex. Smith, J. (Smith, Clement, Oldham), breach of contract, equitable intervention doctrine Reversing district court’s upholding of jury verdict in favor of franchisee, applying equitable intervention doctrine and awarding damages and attorneys’ fees to franchisee for pizza franchise’s refusal to renew contract when … More Take the Fifth: Nov. 2-6, 2020 opinions
Designated for publication Whole Woman’s Health v. Paxton, 17-51060, appeal from W.D. Tex. per curiam (Owen, Jones, Smith, Stewart, Dennis, Elrod, Graves, Haynes, Higginson, Costa, Willett, Ho, Engelhardt, Wilson); abortion law After the October 13 release of the panel opinion affirming the district court’s injunction of enforcement of Texas Senate Bill 8 (requiring that “a … More Take the Fifth: Oct. 30, 2020 opinions
Only unpublished decisions released on October 29, 2020: Youmans v. Torres, 19-30144, appeal from M.D. La. per curiam (Wiener, Southwick, Duncan), qualified immunity, false imprisonment Affirming qualified immunity dismissal of suit against warden for allegedly keeping inmate imprisoned 52 days longer than his term, and affirming summary judgment in favor of sheriff who had been … More Take the Fifth: Oct. 29, 2020 opinions
Designated for publication Mi Familia Vota v. Abbott, 20-50907, appeal from W.D. Tex. per curiam (Owen, Davis, Southwick), election law, Covid-19, mask mandate On October 27, 2020, on a remand from the Fifth Circuit, the district court issued a preliminary injunction of one provision of Governor Abbott’s declaration regarding COVID-19-related election procedures in Texas–specifically, a … More Take the Fifth: Oct. 28, 2020 opinions
Designated for publication U.S. v. Ramirez, 19-20098, appeal from S.D. Tex. Oldham, J. (Smith, Clement, Oldham), criminal, sentencing Affirming the district court’s sentencing of defendant to 300 months’ imprisonment for health care fraud. Court held that there was no error in district court’s reliance on presentencing report to impose a 26-point adjustment to defendant’s sentencing … More Take the Fifth: Oct. 27, 2020 opinions
Designated for publication Londono-Gonzalez v. Barr, 16-60766, petition for review of BIA order, on remand from U.S. Supreme Ct. Elrod, J. (Higginbotham, Elrod, Duncan), immigration, equitable tolling Denying petition for review of BIA order. Court held that “uncertain legal terrain does not create an obstacle that stands in the way of an individual meeting the … More Take the Fifth: Oct. 26, 2020 opinions
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