Designated for publication per curiam (Southwick, Engelhardt, Wilson), criminal, First Step Act On remand from the U.S. Supreme Court, vacating defendants’ sentences that it had previously affirmed, and remanding for resentencing under the First Step Act in light of Hewitt v. United States, 145 S. Ct. 2165 (2025). Wilson, J. (Higginson, Ho, Wilson); Ho, J., … More August 18-19, 2025, opinions
Designated for publication Stewart, J. (Stewart, Richman, Higginson), Higginson, J., dissenting in part; First Amendment, mootness Affirming district court’s preliminary injunction allowing plaintiffs access to park for religious ceremonies but declining to enjoin planned tree removal and cormorant rookery management measures. This appeal arose after the Texas Supreme Court answered a certified question, holding that … More August 13, 2025, opinions
Designated for publication Elrod, C.J. (Elrod, Engelhardt, Guidry, by designation), First Amendment, standing, qualified immunity Reversing dismissal of plaintiff’s First Amendment pre-enforcement challenge to Texas Election Code for lack of standing; affirming dismissal of claims against defendants in individual capacities as barred by qualified immunity; and remanding for further proceedings. The Institute for Free Speech … More July 28-29, 2025, opinions
Designated for publication per curiam (Southwick, Oldham, Ramirez), criminal, sentencing, Second Amendment Affirming conviction and sentence for possession of a firearm by a felon. Joseph Terrell Goody, a known gang member with a lengthy criminal record, was convicted of being a felon in possession of a firearm after police discovered a loaded rifle hidden in … More July 14, 2025, opinions
Designated for publication Ramirez, J. (Dennis, Haynes, Ramirez), Dennis, J., concurring; First Amendment, Establishment Clause, Free Exercise Clause, ripeness, standing, sovereign immunity Affirming district court judgment of facial unconstitutionality and preliminary injunction of state law requiring display of Ten Commandments in all public school classrooms. In June 2024, Louisiana enacted H.B. 71, mandating the display … More June 20-21, 2025, opinions
Designated for publication Haynes, J. (Stewart, Dennis, Haynes), criminal, Second Amendment Affirming conviction for possession of a firearm by a felon. In 2019, Texas authorities arrested Betancourt after he allegedly brandished a firearm during a domestic dispute and was later found with multiple firearms, ammunition, and body armor in his home. A federal grand jury … More June 4, 2025, opinions
Designated for publication Higginson, J. (Elrod, Dennis, Higginson), First Amendment, sovereign immunity Affirming in part and vacating in part preliminary injunction against state entities to enjoin Texas law limiting information provided under managed vision plans, as an impingement on commercial speech, and affirming in part and vacating in part motion to dismiss on sovereign immunity … More May 23, 2025, opinions
Designated for publication per curiam (Ho, Wilson, Ramirez), Ho, J., concurring; appellate jurisdiction On remand from the U.S. Supreme Court with an order for the Fifth Circuit to hear the appeal expeditiously, ordering the case to be set on the next available oral argument panel. Judge Ho concurred, noting that the Court had to comply … More May 20, 2025, opinions
Designated for publication Elrod, C.J. (Elrod, Jones, Stewart), administrative law, First Amendment Vacating FCC order requiring certain disclosures by broadcasters of employment demographics information. Petitioners challenged the FCC’s order requiring broadcasters to submit employment data through Form 395-B, raising four arguments, but the Court focused solely on the first: whether the FCC had statutory authority … More May 19, 2025, opinions
Designated for publication Engelhardt, J. (Graves, Engelhardt, Oldham), Graves, J., dissenting; Americans with Disabilities Act Affirming dismissal of former employee’s ADA claims on the pleadings. The Court held that Turner cannot establish a prima facie case of disability discrimination under the ADA because he failed to demonstrate that he was “qualified” for the job, having … More May 14, 2025, opinions
