Designated for publication U.S. v. Bates, 19-10813, appeal from N.D. Tex. per curiam (King, Graves, Willett), criminal, sentencing, Armed Career Criminals Act On remand from the U.S. Supreme Court, vacating and remanding for resentencing. The Court held that, under Borden v. United States, 141 S. Ct. 1817 (2021), the Texas crime of assault of a … More February 4-7, 2022, opinions
Designated for publication Williams v. Boeing Co., 18-31158, appeal from E.D. La. Southwick, J. (Southwick, Graves, Engelhardt), personal tort, multi-district litigation Reversing in part final judgment entered in mesothelioma case by district court in Louisiana after summary judgment by MDL court in Pennsylvania, and remanded for further proceedings. The Court held that the MDL district … More January 11-14, 2022, opinions
Designated for publication Aviles-Tavera v. Garland, 20-60587, petition for review of BIA order Higginbotham, J. (Higginbotham, Stewart, Wilson), immigration Denying Mexican citizen’s petition for review of BIA determination that he is statutorily ineligible for withholding of removal and not entitled to protection under the Convention Against Torture. In a prior removal proceeding, the IJ determined … More January 4, 2022, opinions
Designated for publication Parada-Orellana v. Garland, 19-60645, petition for review of BIA order Wilson, J. (Higginbotham, Stewart, Wilson), immigration Denying petition for panel rehearing; withdrawing August 6, 2021, panel opinion and substituting new panel opinion denying Salvadoran citizen’s petition for review of BIA order dismissing appeal of IJ’s motion to rescind in absentia order of … More January 3, 2022, opinions
Designated for publication U.S. v. Greer, 19-11348, appeal from N.D. Tex. Stewart, J. (Higginbotham, Stewart, Wilson), criminal, sentencing, Armed Career Criminal Act On remand from U.S. Supreme Court, vacating sentence under the ACCA to 120 months on guilty-plea conviction of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, and remanding for resentencing. In Borden … More December 20-29, 2021, opinions
Designated for publication Rutila v. U.S. DOTD, 20-10730, appeal from N.D. Tex. Smith, J. (Owen, Smith, Graves), Freedom of Information Act Reversing district court’s jurisdictional dismissal of pro se FOIA suit against the FAA and DOTD, and remanding for further proceedings. “The district court reasoned that, because Rutila ‘broadly challenged Defendants’ adequacy of search without … More September 1-6, 2021 opinions
Designated for publication Hernandez v. Garland, 19-60274, petition for review of BIA order Jones, J. (Jones, Costa, Duncan), Costa, J., dissenting; immigration Denying Salvadoran citizen’s petition for review of BIA order denying motion to reconsider prior order of removal or alternatively to reopen proceedings. BIA deemed the motion as a motion to reconsider, concluded that … More August 13, 2021 opinions
Designated for publication U.S. v. Butler, 19-40095, appeal from E.D. Tex. Smith, J. (Owen, Smith, Graves), criminal, sentencing Affirming imposition of special conditions of release and temporary denial of federal benefits as part of sentence on guilty plea to conspiracy to possess methamphetamine. Defendant entered into a guilty plea agreement that indicated a sentence of … More August 10. 2021 opinions
Designated for publication Parish of Plaquemines v. Chevron USA, Inc., 19-30492, appeal from E.D. La.; c/w Parish of Cameron v. BP America Production Co., 19-30829, appeal from W.D. La. Ho, J. (Ho, Engelhardt, Oldham), removal Granting panel rehearing, withdrawing original panel opinion, denying en banc rehearing; affirming in part, reversing in part, and remanding for … More August 5, 2021 opinions
Designated for publication U.S. v. Gaspar-Felipe, 19-50997, appeal from W.D. Tex. Duncan, J. (Jones, Costa, Duncan), criminal, sentencing, Confrontation Clause, sufficiency of evidence Affirming convictions and 78-month sentence for defendant’s role in an alien smuggling operations in which the person being smuggled died. The Court held that there was no Confrontation Clause violation in the … More July 13, 2021 opinions
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