Designated for publication U.S. v. Crittenden, 18-50635, appeal from W.D. Tex. Costa, J. (joined by Richman, Jones, Smith, Stewart, Southwick, Haynes, Higginson, Willett, Ho, Duncan, Engelhardt, Oldham, Wilson, JJ.); Elrod, J., dissenting (joined by Dennis, Graves, JJ.); new trial, criminal Reversing new trial ordered by district court after jury had convicted defendant of drug conspiracy, … More August 17-18, 2022, opinions
(While I was on vacation/college-touring around the Northeast, then dealing with the Covid gathered from somewhere in the Northeast, I tracked 5th Circuit opinions for purposes of the gathering of opinion statistics from July 20 through August 12, but those opinions are not summarized here. So, picking back up with August 15 …) Designated for … More August 15, 2022, opinions
(Still in catch-up mode here, so the opinions designated for publication will get the same brief treatment as the unpublished opinions …) Designated for publication U.S. v. Hamilton, 20-20645, appeal from S.D. Tex. Higginson, J. (Higginson, Willett, Ho), criminal, sentencing, sufficiency of evidence Affirming conviction of conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud, in violation of 18 … More June 13-15, 2022, opinions
Designated for publication Newsom v. Reliance Standard Life Insurance Co., 20-10994, c/w 21-10519, appeal from N.D. Tex. Wilson, J. (Higginbotham, Stewart, Wilson), ERISA Affirming in part and vacating in part–affirming district court’s judgment that plaintiff is eligible for long-term disability benefits and the alleged date of his disability, but vacating judgment as to entitlement to … More February 18, 2022, opinions
Designated for publication Lefebure v. D’Aquilla, 19-30702, c/w 19-30989, appeal from M.D. La. Ho, J. (Owen, Graves, Ho), Graves, J., dissenting; standing Treating petition for rehearing en banc as a petition for panel rehearing, and denying petition for panel rehearing, but withdrawing Feb. 9, 2021 opinion and substituting with new opinion with same result–reversing judgment … More October 5, 2021 opinions
Unpublished P. v. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas, 20-30361, appeal from W.D. La. per curiam (Ho, Oldham, Wilson), Oldham, J., concurring; insurance, ERISA Reversing district court’s grant of plaintiff’s summary judgment motion and denial of defendant’s cross-motion for summary judgment, regarding defendant insurer’s decision to only cover a portion of plaintiff’s daughter’s months-long … More September 22, 2021 opinions
Designated for publication Lindsey v. Bio-Medical Applications of Louisiana, L.L.C., 20-30289, appeal from W.D. La. Ho, J. (Ho, Oldham, Wilson), Family and Medical Leave Act Affirming in part and reversing in part summary judgment dismissal of employee’s claims against former employer, reversing dismissal of FMLA retaliation claim and affirming dismissal of other claims for FMLA … More August 16-17, 2021 opinions
Designated for publication Ortiz v. American Airlines, Inc., 20-10817, appeal from N.D. Tex. Stewart, J. (Smith, Stewart, Ho), ERISA, standing, class action Affirming in part, reversing in part, and vacating in part district court’s summary judgment in favor of defendants dismissing plaintiffs’ ERISA claims for breach of fiduciary duty against employer and pension entities. American … More July 19, 2021 opinions
Designated for publication Adeeko v. Garland, 19-60703, petition for review of BIA order Wilson, J. (Clement, Haynes, Wilson), Haynes, J., concurring; immigration Denying petition for review of BIA order affirming IJ’s order of removal of Nigerian citizen after the Department of Homeland Security charged him as being removable upon his conviction of online solicitation of … More July 1, 2021 opinions
Designated for publication U.S. v. Tinney, 20-10849, appeal from N.D. Tex. per curiam (Davis, Duncan, Oldham), criminal, sentencing Affirming 18-month revocation sentence, plus an additional five years of supervised release, for recidivist sexual offender. The Court held that the district court did not commit plain error in mistakenly conflating criminal history score with criminal history … More June 29, 2021 opinions
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