Designated for publication Higginson, J. (Wiener, Higginson, Wilson), criminal, sentencing, Brady violation, restitution Affirming convictions of depriving two persons of their constitutional rights under color of law, arising from defendant’s sexual assault of two men while a police officer, and concurrent sentences of 12 and 360 months. The Court held that withheld evidence was not … More April 6-12, 2023, opinions
Designated for publication Engelhardt, J. (Richman, Ho, Engelhardt), National Environmental Policy Act, sovereign immunity Affirming summary judgment in favor of Corps of Engineers on plaintiffs’ claims that Corps should be compelled to prepare a supplemental environmental impact statement pursuant to NEPA to increase usage of the Bonnet Carre Spillway, which summary judgment dismissed claims on … More March 27, 2023, opinions
Designated for publication per curiam (denial of en banc rehearing; voting against rehearing were Richman, Jones, Stewart, Southwick, Haynes, Graves, Higginson, Willett, Ho, Duncan, Douglas, JJ.; voting for rehearing were Smith, Elrod, Engelhardt, Oldham, Wilson, JJ.); Higginbotham, J., concurring in denial of rehearing; Higginson, J., concurring in denial of rehearing; Oldham, J., dissenting from denial … More March 23, 2023, opinions
Designated for publication Richman, C.J. (Richman, Southwick, Willett), Americans with Disabilities Act Vacating in part and affirming in part summary judgment in favor of Methodist Hospitals on EEOC’s claims that Methodist violated the ADA, vacating summary judgment on claim that Methodist’s most-qualified-applicant policy violated the ADA when it refused to reassign a disabled applicant to … More March 17, 2023, opinions
Designated for publication per curiam (Wiener, Elrod, Engelhardt), immigration Denying Mexican citizen’s petition for review of BIA order issuing a final order of removal after IJ’s decision that he was ineligible for asylum because of a conviction of Texas aggravated robbery. Petitioner had been a lawful permanent resident of the U.S. since 2003. In 2014 … More March 3-6, 2023, opinions
Designated for publication Southwick, J. (Higginbotham, Southwick, Higginson), appellate jurisdiction Dismissing appeal from denial of motion to quash grand jury subpoenas and compelling compliance with a grand jury subpoena. The Court held that “[t]here is no jurisdiction for appeals challenging a grand jury subpoena for production of documents unless (1) the appellant has been held … More December 28-30, 2022, opinions
Designated for publication Jones, J. (Jones, Stewart, Duncan), foreign discovery Reversing 28 U.S.C. § 1782(a) order for foreign discovery, and remanding for further proceedings. The Court held that the district court “misconstrued our precedent and erroneously rebuffed respondents’ challenge” to a discovery order’s “validity pursuant to statutory requirements and the Supreme Court’s ‘Intel factors.’” (Citing … More December 13, 2022, opinions
Designated for publications per curiam (Richman, Jones, Smith, Stewart, Dennis, Elrod, Southwick, Haynes, Graves, Higginson, Willett, Ho, Duncan, Engelhardt, Oldham, Wilson), Ho, J., dissenting from denial of rehearing (joined by Smith, Engelhardt, JJ.); criminal, Commerce Clause Denying rehearing en banc of a panel decision affirming conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm, … More November 11, 2022, opinions
Designated for publication Jones, J. (Jones, Southwick (Costa had been on panel but resigned before opinion released, so opinion is issued by a quorum of the panel)); bankruptcy Affirming dismissal of avoidance and recovery claims related to payments under a prior settlement agreement, but reversing dismissal of avoidance and recovery claims related to two payments … More October 7, 2022, opinions
Designated for publication per curiam (Clement, Duncan, Wilson), prisoner suit, First Amendment Affirming summary judgment dismissal of Texas state prisoner’s § 1983 claims that confiscation of religious materials violated his First Amendment rights. The Court held that TDJC policies regarding storage of personal property and the confiscation of any personal property not stored properly according … More October 4-5, 2022, opinions
