Designated for publication Penn-America Insurance Co. v. Tarango Trucking, L.L.C., 21-10749, appeal from N.D. Tex. Davis, J. (Davis, Willett, Oldham), insurance Reversing in part and vacating in part judgment that insurer did not owe defense or indemnity regarding fatal accident on insured’s property, finding that an exception to a policy automobile exclusion applied. An independent … More April 4, 2022, opinions
(Note: While normally Take the Fifth provides more detailed summaries for opinions designated for publication and only basic disposition notes and links for unpublished opinions, because this is a catch-up post after two weeks of being away from the blog, we are just providing the links and basic disposition notes for both published and unpublished … More March 19-31, 2022, opinions
Designated for publication U.S. v. Castro, 18-10137, appeal from N.D. Tex. Oldham, J. (Ho, Oldham, Wilson), habeas corpus Denying petition for rehearing, but withdrawing prior panel opinion and substituting new opinion that vacates Certificate of Appealability and dismisses appeal from denial of § 2255 petition. The Court held that it had the power to vacate … More March 14-18, 2022, opinions
Designated for publication Fakhuri v. Garland, 19-60275, petition for review of BIA order Smith, J. (Smith, Costa, Wilson), immigration Denying in part and dismissing in part Jordanian citizen’s (and legal permanent resident’s) petition for review of BIA order sustaining IJ’s determination that Tennessee conviction of money laundering was an “aggravated felony” supporting removal, on basis … More March 10-11, 2022, opinions
Unpublished Herndon v. U.S., 20-10688, appeal from N.D. Tex. per curiam (Smith, Stewart, Graves), Federal Tort Claims Act Affirming summary judgment dismissal of former prisoner’s medical malpractice claim under the FTCA. Guzman v. U.S. Department of Homeland Security, 20-11123, appeal from N.D. Tex. per curiam (Davis, Jones, Elrod), habeas corpus Affirming dismissal of former immigration … More February 17, 2022, opinions
Designated for publication Earnest v. Sanofi U.S. Services, Inc., 20-30184, appeal from E.D. La. Wilson, J. (Ho, Oldham, Wilson), products liability, expert witness Reversing district court’s judgment in favor of manufacturer of chemotherapy drug in products liability case arising from allegations of permanent hair loss, on basis that the district court erroneously allowed defendant to … More February 10, 2022, opinions
Designated for publication U.S. v. Swenson, 20-20509, appeal from S.D. Tex. King, J. (King, Costa, Willett), criminal, sentencing, restitution, sufficiency of evidence Affirming conviction of mail fraud, sentence, and restitution award. The Court held that there was sufficient evidence to support the conviction on count of mail fraud (the jury had found defendant not guilty … More February 2, 2022, opinions
Unpublished U.S. v. Viator, 20-11235, appeal from N.D. Tex. per curiam (Higginbotham, Higginson, Duncan), criminal, compassionate release Afirming district court’s denial of motion for compassionate release. Small v. Zarvona Energy, L.L.C., 20-20316, appeal from S.D. Tex. per curiam (Smith, Stewart, Graves), prisoner suit Affirming dismissal of former prisoner’s § 1983 suit for lack of subject … More January 26, 2022, opinions
Designated for publication Williams v. Boeing Co., 18-31158, appeal from E.D. La. Southwick, J. (Southwick, Graves, Engelhardt), personal tort, multi-district litigation Reversing in part final judgment entered in mesothelioma case by district court in Louisiana after summary judgment by MDL court in Pennsylvania, and remanded for further proceedings. The Court held that the MDL district … More January 11-14, 2022, opinions
Designated for publication Aviles-Tavera v. Garland, 20-60587, petition for review of BIA order Higginbotham, J. (Higginbotham, Stewart, Wilson), immigration Denying Mexican citizen’s petition for review of BIA determination that he is statutorily ineligible for withholding of removal and not entitled to protection under the Convention Against Torture. In a prior removal proceeding, the IJ determined … More January 4, 2022, opinions
