Designated for publication U.S. v. Martinez, 20-50984, appeal from W.D. Tex. Costa, J. (King, Costa, Ho), criminal, sentencing, supervised release Granting Anders motion to appointed defense counsel to withdraw as no non-frivolous grounds for appeal exist, but specifically addressing why there is not a non-frivolous argument that the orally pronounced terms of supervised release did … More October 20, 2021, opinions
Designated for publication Talasek v. National Oilwell Varco, L.P., 21-20069, appeal from S.D. Tex. Clement, J. (Owen, Clement, Duncan), insurance, ERISA Affirming summary judgment in favor of defendant employer in its capacity as the ERISA administrator of the plaintiff’s deceased husband, dismissing the plaintiff’s estoppel claim for life insurance proceeds following her husband’s death. The … More October 19, 2021, opinions
Unpublished Naquin v. Medtronic, Inc., 20-30793, appeal from E.D. La. per curiam (Davis, Elrod, Oldham), product liability Affirming dismissal of plaintiff’s product liability claims against manufacturer of implantable cardia defibrillator. Rosales-Santos v. Garland, 20-60189, petition for review of BIA order per curiam (Wiener, Dennis, Haynes), immigration Dismissing in part and denying in part petition for … More October 18, 2021, opinions
Designated for publication Butler v. Denka Performance Elastomer, L.L.C., 20-30365, appeal from E.D. La. Higginson, J. (Haynes, Higginson, Oldham), Haynes, J., dissenting in part; Oldham, J., dissenting in part; toxic tort, removal Affirming the district court’s denial of plaintiff’s motion to remand this CAFA-removed toxic tort suit; reversing 12(b)(6) dismissal of plaintiff’s claims against former … More October 15, 2021, opinions
Designated for publication Hawkins v. U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, 20-20281, appeal from S.D. Tex. Wiener, J. (Wiener, Dennis, Duncan), Duncan, J., dissenting; Administrative Procedure Act, Fair Housing Act Reversing district court’s dismissal of plaintiffs’ APA and FHA claims against HUD, holding that HUD is bound by its prior self-imposed obligation to provide … More October 13-14, 2021 opinions
Designated for publication Securities and Exchange Commission v. Blackburn, 20-30464, appeal from E.D. La. Costa, J. (Dennis, Higginson, Costa), securities law Affirming the district court’s summary judgment in favor of the SEC against three defendants for selling unregistered securities and misleading investors in operating a penny stock company, and affirming remedy of disgorgement of defendants’ … More October 12, 2021 opinions
Designated for publication U.S. v. Gardner, 20-50481, appeal from W.D. Tex. Higginbotham, J. (Higginbotham, Stewart, Wilson), criminal, guilty plea Vacating conviction for possession with intent to distribute a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, and remanding for district court to hold an evidentiary hearing on defendant’s motion to withdraw his guilty plea. … More October 6, 2021 opinions
Designated for publication Goldring v. U.S., 20-30723, appeal from E.D. La. Engelhardt, J. (Jones, Southwick, Engelhardt), tax Affirming in part and reversing in part district court’s summary judgment in favor of government dismissing taxpayers’ refund claims in their entirety. In separate litigation, one of the taxpayers had prevailed in a suit to have her stock … More October 1-4, 2021 opinions
Designated for publication Adams v. All Coast, L.L.C., 19-30907, appeal from W.D. La. per curiam (Smith, Clement, Oldham), Fair Labor Standards Act, maritime law Denying petition for en banc rehearing (Judges Jones and Elrod voting for rehearing; Chief Judge Owen and Judges Smith, Stewart, Dennis, Southwick, Haynes, Graves, Higginson, Costa, Willett, Ho, Duncan, Engelhardt, Oldham, … More September 30, 2021 opinions
Designated for publication Johnson v. BOKF National Association, 18-11375, appeal from N.D. Tex. Dennis, J. (Higginbotham, Dennis, Ho), Ho, J., concurring in judgment only; banking law Affirming district court’s dismissal of putative class action against bank alleging that extended overdraft charges were usurious interest under the National Bank Act, for failure to state a claim. … More September 29, 2021 opinions
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