February 14-16, 2024, opinions

Designated for publication Dennis, J. (Stewart, Dennis, Higginson), Higginson, J., dissenting; False Claims Act Affirming dismissal for lack of subject-matter jurisdiction of former employee’s False Claims Act claims against former employer, claiming retaliation for reporting fraudulent misrepresentations made to the Navy, and summary judgment dismissal of remaining claim; holding that “the district court correctly held … More February 14-16, 2024, opinions

February 12, 2024, opinions

Designated for publication Wilson, J. (Smith, Graves, Wilson), Graves, J., dissenting; criminal Affirming conviction of possession of a firearm by an illegal alien, rejecting argument that the government had failed to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant knew he was unlawfully in the United States when he possessed the firearm. The defendant argued … More February 12, 2024, opinions

February 9, 2024, opinions

Designated for publication Douglas, J. (Graves, Higginson, Douglas), Fair Labor Standards Act Granting petition for panel rehearing, and substituting new opinion in place of August 16, 2023, panel opinion that had affirmed the district court’s order certifying a collective action under the FLSA for a claim by the facility’s drug rehabilitation patients who were assigned … More February 9, 2024, opinions

February 8, 2024, opinions

Designated for publication Southwick, J. (Southwick, Haynes, Higginson), Higginson, J., dissenting, sec. 1983, standing On holding that plaintiff lacked standing, vacating district court’s judgment that plaintiff–incarcerated capital inmate–had shown that a provision of Texas’s DNA testing statute was unconstitutional and that he was entitled to DNA testing, and remanding for dismissal of action for lack … More February 8, 2024, opinions

February 5-7, 2024, opinions

Designated for publication per curiam (Richman, Jones, Stewart, Southwick, Haynes, Graves, Higginson, Engelhardt, Wilson, Douglas, Ramirez, JJ., voting against en banc rehearing; Smith, Elrod, Willett, Ho, Duncan, Oldham, JJ., voting for en banc rehearing); Clement, J., concurring in denial of rehearing en banc (joined by Jones, Stewart, Graves, Higginson, Engelhardt, Wilson, Douglas, Ramirez); Ho, J., … More February 5-7, 2024, opinions

February 1, 2024, opinions

Designated for publication Southwick, J. (Stewart, Dennis, Southwick), Dennis, J., dissenting; qualified immunity Reversing denial of qualified immunity summary judgment on behalf of officers who attempted to execute a search warrant through a SWAT team, but on the wrong address (though the warrant itself showed the correct address), and remanding with instructions to dismiss. The … More February 1, 2024, opinions

January 31, 2024, opinions

Designated for publication Graves, J. (Graves, Higginson, Ho), Ho, J., would affirm (but no dissenting opinion filed); prisoner suit Reversing summary judgment in favor of prisoner officials on basis of failure to exhaust administrative remedies with regard to Texas state prisoner’s § 1983 suit alleging that prison officials failed to prevent his assault by another … More January 31, 2024, opinions

January 30, 2024, opinions

Designated for publication Douglas, J. (King, Willett, Douglas), bankruptcy Affirming bankruptcy court judgment dismissing affirmative defense based on pre-bankruptcy indemnity agreement, which had been asserted by defendant to bankruptcy liquidation trustee’s suit arising from misstatements made by defendant charged with helping raise funds for construction of debtor’s facility, on basis that the affirmative defense was barred … More January 30, 2024, opinions