Designated for publication Smith, J. (Higginbotham, Smith, Elrod), Higginbotham, J., dissenting; Clean Air Act, administrative law, Administrative Procedure Act, venue Vacating EPA decision to deny refineries’ requested exemptions from the Renewable Fuel Standard (“RFS”) program of the Clean Air Act (“CAA”), on basis that the denial was “(1) impermissibly retroactive; (2) contrary to law; and … More November 22, 2023, opinions
Designated for publication Smith, J. (Smith, Southwick, Higginson), labor law Granting petition for review of NLRB order ruling that Tesla infringed on employees’ rights to unionize when it required employees to wear specific Tesla uniforms and prohibited employees from wearing union-insignia t-shirts instead (though the policy allowed employees to wear as many union stickers on … More November 14, 2023, opinions
Designated for publication Southwick, J. (King, Elrod, Southwick), Voting Rights Act Vacating district court’s preliminary injunction to enjoin Louisiana legislature’s 2022 congressional redistricting maps on the basis that the failure to create a second majority-Black district violated section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, and remanding for further proceedings to allow the legislature until January … More November 9-10, 2023, opinions
Designated for publication Higginson, J. (Smith, Higginson, Willett), habeas corpus Affirming denial of § 2254 petition challenging the sufficiency of evidence on his Louisiana conviction of juvenile molestation. Elrod, J. (Clement, Elrod, Willett), breach of fiduciary duty, offset Affirming damages award on breach of fiduciary duty claim by company against its former operations supervisor, but … More October 30-31, 2023, opinions
Designated for publication Clement, J. (Clement, Elrod, Willett), criminal, Confrontation Clause, hearsay Affirming conviction for conspiracy to transport illegal aliens, but vacating conviction for transporting illegal aliens, and remanding for resentencing. The Court held that the form admitted into evidence to show the nationality of the people being transported was hearsay and admitted in violation … More October 18, 2023, opinions
Designated for publication Graves, J. (Richman, Haynes, Graves), trademark infringement Affirming in part, reversing in part judgment as a matter of law in favor of defendant on plaintiff’s trademark-infringement claims, and remanding for further proceedings. The Court held that a reasonable jury could find that the defendant infringed on the plaintiff’s marks before they were … More September 6, 2023, opinions
Designated for publication Wilson, J. (Duncan, Wilson, Schroeder, by designation), criminal, sentencing Affirming 480-month sentence on conviction of conspiring to possess a controlled substance with the intent to distribute it and distributing a detectable amount of a substance containing cocaine base. Higginbotham, J. (Higginbotham, Southwick, Willett), qualified immunity Affirming denial of qualified immunity on Louisiana … More September 1-5, 2023, opinions
Designated for publication Ho, J. (Jones, Ho, Wilson), administrative law, standing Granting petition for review of NRC order, and vacating license for temporary storage for spent nuclear fuel, holding that the NRC does not have authority under the Atomic Energy Act to license temporary nuclear waste storage facilities. The Court first held that the petitioners … More August 25, 2023, opinions
Designated for publication Jones, J. (Jones, Willett, Douglas), Douglas, J., dissenting; habeas corpus, ineffective assistance of counsel Affirming denial of petitioner’s § 2255 petition on IAC claim arising from trial counsel’s inadequate argument and appellate counsel’s lack of argument for “back time” credit on sentence for possession of a firearm by a felon to account … More August 16, 2023, opinions
Designated for publication Jones, J. (Jones, Southwick, Ho), Southwick, J., dissenting; Federal Power Act, administrative law Reversing FERC orders implementing cost allocation scheme for electrical grid improvements in much of the American West, in the WestConnect region, holding that the orders violate the Federal Power Act as a matter of law and that FERC inadequately … More August 2, 2023, opinions
