January 8, 2026, opinions

Unpublished decisions per curiam (Southwick, Higginson, Douglas) (oral argument), removal jurisdiction, lender liability Affirming summary judgment for lender defendant on plaintiff’s claims that lender caused plaintiff to be terminated by one of its clients. Also, held that district court did not err in denying plaintiff’s motion to remand because there was not a clear and … More January 8, 2026, opinions

January 7, 2026, opinions

Designated for publication Clement, J. (Elrod, Clement, Haynes) (oral argument), Haynes, J., dissenting; criminal, search and seizure Reversing denial of motion to suppress, and vacating conviction and sentence for possession of a firearm by a felon. Tony Lee Johnson, a convicted felon on supervised release, was arrested at his home in the Northern District of … More January 7, 2026, opinions

January 2-6, 2026, opinions

Designated for publication Douglas, J. (Smith, Higginson, Douglas) (oral argument), sec. 1988, standing, attorneys’ fees Affirming vacatur of attorneys’ fee award after vacatur of declaratory judgment relief for lack of standing in plaintiff’s constitutional challenge to city’s home rule charter. Plaintiffs-Appellants challenged provisions of the City of Houston home-rule charter requiring initiative petition circulators to … More January 2-6, 2026, opinions

December 30-31, 2025, opinions

Designated for publication per curiam (Southwick, Higginson, Douglas) (no oral argument), sec. 1983, personal torts, municipal liability, prosecutorial immunity Affirming dismissal of claims for negligence and arising under sec. 1983 against various defendants, arising from serious car accident. The appellants, Madelyn Marina Quiroz and her mother, sued a host of defendants after Madelyn was catastrophically … More December 30-31, 2025, opinions

December 26-29, 2025, opinions

Unpublished decisions per curiam (Smith, Higginson, Wilson) (no oral argument), criminal, sentencing Affirming life sentence on conviction of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. per curiam (Richman, Southwick, Willett) (no oral argument), criminal, sentencing Vacating in part sentence on conviction of illegal reentry, to strike Standard Conditions 2 through 13 from the … More December 26-29, 2025, opinions

December 23, 2025, opinions

Willett, J. (Elrod, Richman, Willett) (no oral argument), qualified immunity Vacating denial of qualified immunity summary judgment motion by defendant assistant medical examiner, and remanding for reconsideration under correct standard for deliberate indifference. Noel Dean sued Dr. Darshan Phatak under 42 U.S.C. § 1983, alleging that Phatak deliberately fabricated an autopsy report that helped lead … More December 23, 2025, opinions

December 22, 2025, opinions

Designated for publication Richman, J. (Smith, Dennis, Richman) (oral argument), immigration Denying Mexican citizen’s petition for review of BIA’s order of removal. The Fifth Circuit denied Campuzano’s petition for review of the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) challenging his removal order. Campuzano, a Mexican citizen and lawful permanent resident, was placed in removal proceedings after … More December 22, 2025, opinions

December 18-20, 2025, opinions

Designated for publication per curiam (en banc) (voting against rehearing: Elrod, Stewart, Southwick, Haynes, Graves, Higginson, Willett, Ho, Douglas, Ramirez, JJ.; voting for rehearing: Jones, Smith, Richman, Duncan, Engelhardt, Oldham, Wilson, JJ.); Ho, J., concurring in denial of rehearing; Oldham, J., dissenting from denial of rehearing (joined by Jones, Smith, Richman, Duncan, Engelhardt, Wilson, JJ.) … More December 18-20, 2025, opinions

December 17, 2025, opinions

Designated for publication per curiam (en banc denial from Richman, Graves, Ramirez, JJ.) (voting for rehearing: Elrod, C.J., Jones, Smith, Oldham, JJ.; voting against rehearing: Stewart, Richman, Southwick, Haynes, Graves, Higginson, Willett, Ho, Duncan, Englehardt, Wilson, Douglas, Ramirez, JJ.) (oral argument on original panel hearing), Ho, J., concurring in denial of rehearing; Oldham, J., dissenting … More December 17, 2025, opinions

December 16, 2025, opinions

Unpublished decisions per curiam (Dennis, Engelhardt, Wilson) (no oral argument), criminal, sentencing Affirming conviction and sentence for illegal reentry. per curiam (King, Stewart, Higginson) (oral argument), qualified immunity, Heck bar, appellate jurisdiction, prisoner suit Dismissing Texas state inmate’s appeal of partial grant of summary judgment, for untimeliness of his notice of appeal; affirming holding that … More December 16, 2025, opinions