Willett, J. (Elrod, Richman, Willett) (no oral argument), qualified immunity Vacating denial of qualified immunity summary judgment motion by defendant assistant medical examiner, and remanding for reconsideration under correct standard for deliberate indifference. Noel Dean sued Dr. Darshan Phatak under 42 U.S.C. § 1983, alleging that Phatak deliberately fabricated an autopsy report that helped lead … More December 23, 2025, opinions
Designated for publication Richman, J. (Smith, Dennis, Richman) (oral argument), immigration Denying Mexican citizen’s petition for review of BIA’s order of removal. The Fifth Circuit denied Campuzano’s petition for review of the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) challenging his removal order. Campuzano, a Mexican citizen and lawful permanent resident, was placed in removal proceedings after … More December 22, 2025, opinions
Designated for publication per curiam (en banc) (voting against rehearing: Elrod, Stewart, Southwick, Haynes, Graves, Higginson, Willett, Ho, Douglas, Ramirez, JJ.; voting for rehearing: Jones, Smith, Richman, Duncan, Engelhardt, Oldham, Wilson, JJ.); Ho, J., concurring in denial of rehearing; Oldham, J., dissenting from denial of rehearing (joined by Jones, Smith, Richman, Duncan, Engelhardt, Wilson, JJ.) … More December 18-20, 2025, opinions
Designated for publication per curiam (en banc denial from Richman, Graves, Ramirez, JJ.) (voting for rehearing: Elrod, C.J., Jones, Smith, Oldham, JJ.; voting against rehearing: Stewart, Richman, Southwick, Haynes, Graves, Higginson, Willett, Ho, Duncan, Englehardt, Wilson, Douglas, Ramirez, JJ.) (oral argument on original panel hearing), Ho, J., concurring in denial of rehearing; Oldham, J., dissenting … More December 17, 2025, opinions
Designated for publication Willett, J. (Higginson, Willett, Engelhardt) (oral argument), criminal, sentencing Affirming 240-month sentence on convictions of wire fraud and money laundering. The defendant — Christopher Kirchner — was the co-founder and CEO of a logistics software startup. He diverted millions in investor funds to finance a lavish personal lifestyle rather than developing the … More December 8, 2025, opinions
Designated for publication Smith, J. (Smith, Stewart, Haynes) (no oral argument), bankruptcy Affirming bankruptcy court’s dismissal of creditor’s claim for contribution. The court affirmed the bankruptcy court (and district court) in rejecting Spin’s claim that it should be paid under a receivables-sale agreement with Jet Oilfield Services (“Jet”). Under the agreement, Spin paid Jet $3,000,000 … More December 4, 2025, opinions
Designated for publication Clement, J. (Clement, Graves, Ho) (no oral argument), criminal, sentencing Vacating sentence in part and remanding for conformance of the written judgment of terms of supervised release with oral pronouncement. The Fifth Circuit confronted a recurring post-Diggles question: what should be done when a written judgment includes unpronounced discretionary conditions of supervised … More December 2, 2025, opinions
Published decisions per curiam (Smith, Haynes, Oldham) (no oral argument), Haynes, J., dissenting in footnote; immigration Denying motion for stay of removal, on basis that “[e]quitable relief—even if it is ‘temporary’ or ‘short’—is never a matter of right or convenience.” In a footnote, Judge Haynes expressed her disagreement, and “would grant a short temporary stay … More November 26, 2025, opinions
Designated for publication Higginson, J. (Higginson, Ho, Wilson) (oral argument), trade secrets, injunction Vacating permanent injunction imposed with regard to claimed misappropriation of trade secrets, but otherwise affirming judgment of trade-secret-misappropriation liability on jury verdict, $56 million compensatory damages award, and $112 million exemplary damages award. Computer Sciences Corporation (“CSC”) sued Tata Consulting Services (“TCS”) … More November 21, 2025, opinions
Designated for publication Higginson, J. (Southwick, Higginson, Wilson) (oral argument), bankruptcy Affirming district court’s holding that bankruptcy court properly sustained creditor’s objection to debtor’s claimed exemption of property from administration by bankruptcy estate, on basis that debtor waived his right to object to the untimeliness of the creditor’s objection to his claimed exemption. In 2019 … More November 17, 2025, opinions
