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
Designated for publication Elrod, C.J. (Elrod, Clement, Haynes) (oral argument), Haynes, dissenting in part; timeliness, personal torts Affirming dismissal as untimely of claims brought under Texas law, originally in Texas state courts but then removed, for monetary damages arising from chemical explosions at defendant’s facility, where original action was certified as to injunctive relief class … More October 30-31, 2025, opinions
Designated for publication Richman, J. (Richman, Haynes, Graves), prisoner suit, qualified immunity Reversing denial of qualified immunity to prison official defendants on inmate’s claims that prison official defendants unlawfully confiscated his earnings from sale of leather belts at Angola Prison Rodeo and deprived him of due process. Gregory Savage, an inmate at Angola Prison, sued … More September 29, 2025, opinions
Designated for publication per curiam (Haynes, Ho, Oldham), Ho and Oldham, concurring; oral argument Ordering that panel will entertain additional oral argument via Zoom if appellant’s lead counsel requests, since lead counsel had emergency hospitalization shortly before argument. Judge Haynes noted that argument went forward because attorneys on both sides had traveled to attend the … More September 8, 2025, opinions
Designated for publication Willett, J. (Wiener, Willett, Ho), Ho, J., dissenting; criminal, search and seizure Affirming grant of motion to suppress evidence, begrudgingly. The exclusionary rule has long provoked controversy, with critics deriding it as a blunt judicial tool that frees the guilty when police make mistakes. The oft-quoted Cardozo line—“the criminal is to go … More August 29, 2025, opinions
Designated for publication Wiener, J. (Wiener, Douglas, Ramirez), FDIC, jurisdiction Remanding appeal from injunction against FDIC proceedings on constitutional basis, with instructions to dismiss for lack of jurisdiction. The FDIC initiated an enforcement action against Cornelius Burgess, former CEO of Herring Bank, after investigations dating back to 2010 revealed misconduct. The case first proceeded before … More August 20-25, 2025, opinions
Designated for publication Elrod, C.J. (Elrod, Engelhardt, Guidry, by designation), First Amendment, standing, qualified immunity Reversing dismissal of plaintiff’s First Amendment pre-enforcement challenge to Texas Election Code for lack of standing; affirming dismissal of claims against defendants in individual capacities as barred by qualified immunity; and remanding for further proceedings. The Institute for Free Speech … More July 28-29, 2025, opinions
Richman, J. (Richman, Willett, Douglas), Americans with Disabilities Act, sec. 1983, expert witness Affirming district court’s exclusion of plaintiff’s expert witness and grant of Rule 50 motion dismissing plaintiff’s ADA claim. William Carter, a paraplegic man, was jailed for eight days in the Shreveport City Jail for unauthorized use of 911. Prior to his incarceration, … More July 21, 2025, opinions
Designated for publication Douglas, J. (Richman, Willett, Douglas), arbitration, Fair Labor Standards Act Affirming district court’s denial of motion compel arbitration on finding that defendant to plaintiff’s FLSA minimum-wage claim had waived its right to arbitrate. Dayana Garcia, a former server at Gloria’s restaurant chain, filed a Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) lawsuit alleging failure … More June 24, 2025, opinions
Designated for publication Higginson, J. (Elrod, Dennis, Higginson), First Amendment, sovereign immunity Affirming in part and vacating in part preliminary injunction against state entities to enjoin Texas law limiting information provided under managed vision plans, as an impingement on commercial speech, and affirming in part and vacating in part motion to dismiss on sovereign immunity … More May 23, 2025, opinions
