Designated for publication Seals v. Vannoy, 19-30447, appeal from E.D. La. Barker, J. (by desig.) (Smith, Ho, Barker), habeas corpus, Batson challenge Affirming denial of habeas relief on Batson challenge basis. The Court held that the state appellate court had not unreasonably applied clearly established federal law in reviewing petitioner’s Batson challenge when it considered … More June 15, 2021 opinions
Designated for publication U.S. v. Morton, 19-10842, appeal from N.D. Tex. per curiam (Owen, Jones, Smith, Stewart, Dennis, Elrod, Southwick, Haynes, Graves, Higginson, Costa, Willett, Ho, Duncan, Engelhardt, Oldham, Wilson); criminal, search and seizure Vacating January 5, 2021 opinion that vacated sentence of conviction on child pornography charges and reversed district court’s denial of motion … More Take the Fifth: May 19, 2021 opinions
Unpublished English v. Aramark Corp., 19-20412, appeal from S.D. Tex. per curiam (Haynes, Graves, Willett), prisoner suit, removal Remanding to district court for the limited purpose of determining if defendant met its burden to show removal jurisdiction existed over state prisoner’s suit against prison food service provider. U.S. v. Vasquez-Garcia, 19-20880, appeal from S.D. Tex. … More Take the Fifth: April 20, 2021 opinions
Designated for publication U.S. v. Knowlton, 19-41042, appeal from E.D. Tex. Elrod, J. (Elrod, Willett, Engelhardt), criminal Affirming conviction for receiving material containing child pornography. The Court held that the flash drives, external hard drives, and computer hard drives were “materials containing” child pornography and not merely child pornography itself, rejecting defendant’s argument that he … More Take the Fifth: April 1-2, 2021 opinions
Designated for publication Douglas v. Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., 18-11567, appeal from N.D. Tex. Owen, C.J. (Owen, Haynes, Costa), Haynes, J., dissenting in part; foreclosure, breach of contract Affirming dismissal of borrowers’ claims arising from foreclosure on home by mortgagor. The Court first held that the borrowers’ protestation that they never received the notice of … More Take the Fifth: March 26, 2021 opinions
Designated for publication U.S. v. Brune, 19-11360, appeal from N.D. Tex. Smith, J. (Jones, Smith, Elrod), criminal, double jeopardy Affirming conviction of defendant for possess with intent to distribute a mixture and substance containing more than 50 grams of methamphetamine. In the charging instrument, the government had misstated the statutory citation for the charged crime, … More Take the Fifth: March 22 and 23, 2021 opinions
Designated for publication U.S. v. Masha, 19-20673, appeal from S.D. Tex. Jones, J. (Jones, Clement, Graves), criminal, sufficiency of evidence, sentencing Affirming conviction and sentence on eight counts of false use of a passport under 18 U.S.C. § 1543, and vacating (with government’s acquiescence) conviction and sentence on eight counts of misuse of a passport … More Take the Fifth: March 8, 2021 opinions
Designated for publication U.S. v. Nora, 18-31078, appeal from E.D. La. Higginson, J. (Higginbotham, Jones, Higginson), criminal, sufficiency of evidence Reversing convictions and vacating sentence on counts of conspiracy to commit health care fraud, conspiracy to pay or receive illegal health care kickbacks, and aiding and abetting health care fraud, on holding that there was … More Take the Fifth: Feb. 24, 2021 opinions
Designated for publication Tibakweitira v. Wilkinson, 18-60459, petition for review of BIA order Engelhardt, J. (Haynes, Duncan, Engelhardt), immigration Dismissing in part and denying in part Tanzanian citizen’s petitions for review of a BIA order dismissing his appeal from the IJ decision denying his application for withholding of removal and protection under the Convention Against … More Take the Fifth: Feb. 1 and 2, 2021 opinions
Designated for publication Belliveau v. Barco, Inc., 19-50717, appeal from W.D. Tex. Jones, J. (Davis, Jones, Willett), Davis, J., concurring in part and dissenting in part; corporate veil piercing, breach of fiduciary duty Affirming district court’s summary judgment dismissing plaintiff’s claims against sole shareholder of company plaintiff claimed had grossly undervalued his intellectual property in … More Take the Fifth: Jan. 28, 2021 opinions
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