Designated for publication U.S. v. Batiste, 19-30927, appeal from E.D. La. Engelhardt, J., (Graves, Costa, Engelhardt), criminal, sentencing, First Step Act Affirming in part sentence of imprisonment and denial of sentence-reduction under the First Step Act, but remanding in part the portion of the sentence regarding the term of supervised release for the district court … More Take the Fifth: Nov. 13, 2020 opinions
Designated for publication U.S. v. Cooper, 19-50119, appeal from W.D. Tex. Elrod, J. (Elrod, Duncan, Wilson), criminal, guilty plea Affirming conviction on use or possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense, where defendant had pled guilty, finding sufficient factual bases to support plea; but remanding to correct that plea was to … More Take the Fifth: Nov. 9 and 10, 2020 opinions
Designated for publication Pizza Inn, Inc. v. Clairday, 19-11302, appeal from N.D. Tex. Smith, J. (Smith, Clement, Oldham), breach of contract, equitable intervention doctrine Reversing district court’s upholding of jury verdict in favor of franchisee, applying equitable intervention doctrine and awarding damages and attorneys’ fees to franchisee for pizza franchise’s refusal to renew contract when … More Take the Fifth: Nov. 2-6, 2020 opinions
Designated for publication Whole Woman’s Health v. Paxton, 17-51060, appeal from W.D. Tex. per curiam (Owen, Jones, Smith, Stewart, Dennis, Elrod, Graves, Haynes, Higginson, Costa, Willett, Ho, Engelhardt, Wilson); abortion law After the October 13 release of the panel opinion affirming the district court’s injunction of enforcement of Texas Senate Bill 8 (requiring that “a … More Take the Fifth: Oct. 30, 2020 opinions
Only unpublished decisions released on October 29, 2020: Youmans v. Torres, 19-30144, appeal from M.D. La. per curiam (Wiener, Southwick, Duncan), qualified immunity, false imprisonment Affirming qualified immunity dismissal of suit against warden for allegedly keeping inmate imprisoned 52 days longer than his term, and affirming summary judgment in favor of sheriff who had been … More Take the Fifth: Oct. 29, 2020 opinions
Only unpublished decisions to report from yesterday’s releases (with one “revised” published opinion released for U.S. v. Becerra, originally released on October 6). Cannon v. Southern University Board of Supervisors, 19-30803, appeal from M.D. La. per curiam (Haynes, Willett, Ho), due process Affirming district court’s summary judgment dismissing law student’s due process claim against defendant’s … More Take the Fifth: Oct. 21, 2020 opinions
Designated for publication U.S. v. Barry, 19-11091, appeal from N.D. Tex. Smith, J. (Smith, Clement, Oldham), criminal, sentencing Affirming sentence that was based on a calculation of drug-quantity involved that relied in part on a conversion of the amount of cash possessed by defendant into the amount of drugs that would have been sold to … More Take the Fifth: Oct. 16, 2020 opinions
Texas Alliance for Retired Americans v. Hughs, 20-40643, Designated for Publication per curiam (Clement, Elrod, Haynes), elections law Staying district court’s preliminary injunction of enforcement of Texas House Bill 25, which would eliminate straight-ticket voting. HB25’s straight-ticket voting ban became effective September 1, 2020; District Court enjoined HB25 on September 25; early voting in Texas … More Take the Fifth: Sept. 30, 2020 opinions
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