April 25-26, 2024, opinions

Designated for publication per curiam (Elrod, Willett, Duncan), criminal, restitution Vacating $6,000 restitution award issued as part of sentence on conviction of production of child pornography, on holding that PSR cited inapplicable statutes and failed to conduct a proximate-cause analysis; and remanding for further proceedings. Smith, J. (Higginbotham, Smith, Higginson), criminal, competence, sentencing Affirming conviction … More April 25-26, 2024, opinions

April 16-22, 2024, opinions

Designated for publication per curiam (voting against en banc rehearing: Richman, Stewart, Southwick, Haynes, Graves, Higginson, Willett, Douglas, Ramirez; voting for en banc rehearing: Jones, Smith, Elrod, Ho, Duncan, Engelhardt, Oldham, Wilson); Willett, J., concurring in denial of en banc rehearing; Ho, J., dissenting from denial of en banc rehearing; Oldham, J., dissenting from denial … More April 16-22, 2024, opinions

April 4, 2024, opinions

Designated for publication Oldham, J. (Dennis, Engelhardt, Oldham), Dennis, J., dissenting; bankruptcy Vacating bankruptcy court’s award of $239,655 in compensatory damages on civil contempt award, and remanding for further proceedings. The Court held that the bankruptcy court’s limited contempt power–limited to civil contempt–meant that it may only shift fees that are compensatory for actual expenses … More April 4, 2024, opinions

March 26, 2024, opinions

Designated for publication per curiam (Willett, Wilson, Ramirez), insurance, arbitration Reversing district court’s denial of motion to stay litigation and compel arbitration, and remanding with instructions to grant the motion. The plaintiff insured had a uniform policy allocated separately across ten insurers, eight domestic and two foreign, which contained an arbitration provision. After Hurrican Laura … More March 26, 2024, opinions

March 20, 2024, opinions

Designated for publication Southwick, J. (Stewart, Dennis, Southwick), receivership Granting petition for panel rehearing of original panel decision that affirmed the district court’s denial of motions for $79 million set-off from order allowing receiver to recover from an investor in Stanford Ponzi scheme, where panel had affirmed on basis that investor had failed to timely … More March 20, 2024, opinions

March 5, 2024, opinions

Designated for publication Southwick, J. (Davis, Southwick, Ho), breach of contract Affirming summary judgment in favor of defendant on statute of frauds grounds, in claims arising from alleged breach of agreement to form limited liability company with defendant and plaintiff as co-owners rather than with defendant as sole owner. The Court held that the oral … More March 5, 2024, opinions

March 1, 2024, opinions

Designated for publication Douglas, J. (Wiener, Willett, Douglas), Wiener, J., dissenting; habeas corpus, ineffective assistance of counsel Affirming district court’s denial of § 2255 petition, holding that petitioner failed to show that he was prejudiced by his trial and appellate counsel’s performance in guilty-plea conviction of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 50 grams … More March 1, 2024, opinions

February 26, 2024, opinions

Designated for publication per curiam (Jolly, Engelhardt, Oldham), criminal, sentencing, Miranda Affirming conviction and 235-month sentence on drug and firearm offenses. The Court held that the district court did not err in denying a motion to suppress a non-Mirandized statement by the defendant upon his arrest that he had a handgun in his bedroom, because … More February 26, 2024, opinions

February 19-21, 2024, opinions

Designated for publication Jones, J. (Jones, Haynes, Douglas), criminal, sentencing, restitution Affirming convictions for healthcare fraud and receiving Medicare kickbacks, upholding the admission of recordings of the co-conspirators, the calculation of the amount of improper benefit for sentencing purposes, and the calculation of the restitution award. per curiam (voting against en banc rehearing: Stewart, Elrod, … More February 19-21, 2024, opinions

January 30, 2024, opinions

Designated for publication Douglas, J. (King, Willett, Douglas), bankruptcy Affirming bankruptcy court judgment dismissing affirmative defense based on pre-bankruptcy indemnity agreement, which had been asserted by defendant to bankruptcy liquidation trustee’s suit arising from misstatements made by defendant charged with helping raise funds for construction of debtor’s facility, on basis that the affirmative defense was barred … More January 30, 2024, opinions