Designated for publication Hendrix, J. (Jones, Oldham, Hendrix, by designation), criminal Affirming conviction of fraud and financial crimes arising from real-estate scheme, rejecting arguments that admission of prior-convictions evidence was plain error and that district court abused its discretion in limiting the good-faith defense and denying funding for expert witness. Smith, J. (Elrod, Smith, Engelhardt), … More March 7, 2025, opinions
Designated for publication Jones, J. (Jones, Wilson, Douglas), Jones, J., concurring; habeas corpus, Brady violation, due process Denying motion for permission to file a successive § 2254 petition by capital inmate to urge Brady violations regarding potentially impeaching evidence as to testimony from the petitioner’s girlfriend and due process violations regarding the petitioner’s request for … More February 27, 2024, opinions
Designated for publication Clement, J. (Jones, Clement, Haynes), insurance, class action Vacating class certification and remanding for further proceedings on claim of undervaluation of total-loss claims due to insurer’s use of valuation system. The Court held that “class certification was only proper if plaintiffs could prove injury—i.e., underpayment—on a class-wide basis,” and rejecting premise that … More December 22, 2023, opinions
Designated for publication Higginson, J. (Graves, Higginson, Ho), Ho, J., dubitante; criminal, sentencing, Brady violation On remand from the U.S. Supreme Court, re-affirming defendant’s conviction of aggravated identity theft under 18 U.S.C. § 1028A under the new “crux of the criminality” standard from U.S. v. Dubin, 599 U.S. 110 (2023), and affirming the district court’s … More December 1, 2023, opinions
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 Willett, J. (Graves, Willett, Engelhardt), insurance, preemption, sovereign immunity, standing Affirming dismissal of former federal employee’s claim against health insurer and federal Office of Personnel Management arising from the denial of coverage for proton therapy for cancer; district court had dismissed claims against OPM under sovereign immunity, and against Blue Cross on … More March 13-14, 2023, opinions
Designated for publication Wilson, J. (Dennis, Southwick, Wilson), Dennis, J., dissenting in part; criminal, sufficiency of evidence, restitution, competence, severance, search and seizure, Brady violation Affirming in part, vacating in part, and remanding for further proceedings on convictions and sentences arising from RICO conspiracy, drug trafficking, firearms, and murder charges related to violent gang activity. … More October 11-17, 2022, opinions
Designated for publication McFarland v. Lumpkin, 19-70011, appeal from S.D. Tex. per curiam (Higginbotham, Southwick, Willett), habeas corpus, ineffective assistance of counsel, Brady claim, Sixth Amendment Affirming denial of habeas relief, after having granted COA on denial of claims of ineffective assistance of counsel, Brady violation, and Sixth Amendment violation. Reminiscent of the original panel … More February 14, 2022, opinions
Designated for publication U.S. v. Sila, 17-11212, appeal from N.D. Tex. Elrod, J. (Higginbotham, Elrod, Haynes), criminal, sentencing, sufficiency of evidence Affirming two counts of indictment regarding theft of government funds and aggravated identity theft, vacating one count of indictment regarding theft of government funds for insufficiency of evidence, and remanding for resentencing. Defendant had … More Take the Fifth: Oct. 20, 2020 opinions
