Designated for publication Graves, J. (Elrod, Graves, Higginson), sec. 1983, death penalty Affirming dismissal of Texas capital inmate’s sec. 1983 claim that Texas’s post-conviction relief procedures are unconstitutional, and denying motions for a stay of execution and for leave to file a successive habeas petition. Blaine Keith Milam was convicted in Texas of murdering his … More September 19, 2025, opinions
Unpublished decisions per curiam (Stewart, Graves, Oldham), criminal, sentencing Affirming sentence on revocation of supervised release. per curiam (Stewart, Graves, Oldham), criminal Granting Anders motion to withdraw, and dismissing appeal. per curiam (Smith, Higginson, Wilson), criminal Granting Anders motion to withdraw, and dismissing appeal. per curiam (Stewart, Graves, Oldham), employment discrimination Affirming dismissal of plaintiff’s … More September 17, 2025, opinions
Designated for publication Duncan, J. (Dennis, Graves, Duncan), Dennis, J., dissenting; criminal, pretrial detention, immigration Affirming denial of motion for pretrial detention. The majority affirmed the district court’s denial of Celia Ignacia Esquivel-Bataz’s motion for pretrial release, rejecting her argument that the district court improperly relied on an immigration detainer to find her a flight … More September 16, 2025, opinions
Designated for publication per curiam (Elrod, King, Graves), Elrod, C.J., concurring; Graves, J., dissenting; criminal, Second Amendment Affirming conviction of possession of a firearm by a felon. Alvaro Alejandro Mancilla pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm under 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1) after he and his cousin were arrested at a … More September 10, 2025, opinions
Designated for publication Southwick, J. (Southwick, Oldham, Ramirez), Ramirez, J., dissenting in part; Oldham, J., dissenting; immigration, due process, Alien Enemies Act, habeas corpus On remand from U.S. Supreme Court’s grant of temporary restraining order halting deportation of petitioners under the Alien Enemies Act, granting preliminary injunction blocking removal of petitioners, leaving in place government’s … More September 1-3, 2025, opinions
Designated for publication Willett, J. (Wiener, Willett, Ho), Ho, J., dissenting; criminal, search and seizure Affirming grant of motion to suppress evidence, begrudgingly. The exclusionary rule has long provoked controversy, with critics deriding it as a blunt judicial tool that frees the guilty when police make mistakes. The oft-quoted Cardozo line—“the criminal is to go … More August 29, 2025, opinions
Designated for publication Wiener, J. (Wiener, Douglas, Ramirez), FDIC, jurisdiction Remanding appeal from injunction against FDIC proceedings on constitutional basis, with instructions to dismiss for lack of jurisdiction. The FDIC initiated an enforcement action against Cornelius Burgess, former CEO of Herring Bank, after investigations dating back to 2010 revealed misconduct. The case first proceeded before … More August 20-25, 2025, opinions
Designated for publication Graves, J. (Graves, Higginson, Wilson), Wilson, J., dissenting; Quorum Clause Reversing district court’s judgment that the Quorum Clause of the Constitution requires physical presence by members of Congress to conduct votes, and vacating permanent injunction of portions of appropriations bill that had been challenged by Texas on the basis that it had … More August 15, 2025, opinions
Designated for publication Jones, J. (Elrod, Jones, Stewart), Stewart, J., concurring in judgment only; insurance Reversing judgment in favor of insurer in claim brought by re-insurer, on basis that insurer’s delay in providing notice to re-insurer of claims was objectively unreasonable and material. The Fifth Circuit reversed a district court ruling and held that United … More August 14, 2025, opinions
Designated for publication Ho, J. (King, Ho, Ramirez), CARES Act, administrative law Affirming district court’s dismissal of plaintiff’s claim for forgiveness of CARES Act paycheck protection program loan for which plaintiff had not been eligible to begin with. The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), created by Congress under the CARES Act during the COVID-19 pandemic, provided … More August 6, 2025, opinions
