Designated for publication Stewart, J. (Jones, Stewart, Duncan), labor law Denying in part and granting in part petition for review of NLRB decision that the petitioner’s RN Case Managers are not NLRA-exempt supervisors and that the petitioner violated the NLRA by creating an impermissible oral workplace rule, threatening employees who exercised protected activity, interrogating staff … More March 7, 2024, opinions
Designated for publication Jones, J. (joined by Richman, Smith, Stewart, Southwick, Haynes, Duncan, Engelhardt, Wilson, JJ.); Graves, J., dissenting (joined by Elrod, Higginson, Willett, Ho, Douglas, JJ.); Higginson, J., dissenting (joined by Elrod, Graves, Willett, Ho, Oldham, Douglas, JJ.); Willett, J., dissenting (joined by Elrod, Graves, Higginson, Ho, Douglas, JJ.); Ho, J., dissenting (joined by … More January 23, 2024, opinions
Designated for publication Duncan, J. (Smith, Higginson, Duncan), habeas corpus, ineffective assistance of counsel Affirming denial of stay for habeas petitioner to return to state court to exhaust a procedurally defaulted IAC claim, denying additional certificate of appealability on IAC claim, and affirming denial of habeas relief on petitioner’s claim that state trial judge committed … More January 15-17, 2024, opinions
Designated for publication Smith, J. (King, Smith, Elrod), First Amendment Affirming in part and reversing in part district court’s dismissal of attorney’s First Amendment forced-speech and forced-association claims against state bar association and denial of preliminary injunction; remanding; and rendering injunction with respect to plaintiff only, holding that some of the LSBA’s activities are still … More November 13, 2023, opinions
Designated for publication Elrod, J. (Stewart, Elrod, Graves), qualified immunity, expert testimony, First Amendment Affirming in part and reversing in part qualified immunity dismissal of plaintiff’s claims arising from arrest for making a false report of a hostage situation. The Court first held that the district court did not abuse its discretion in excluding the … More November 2, 2023, opinions
Designated for publication Higginson, J. (Smith, Higginson, Willett), habeas corpus Affirming denial of § 2254 petition challenging the sufficiency of evidence on his Louisiana conviction of juvenile molestation. Elrod, J. (Clement, Elrod, Willett), breach of fiduciary duty, offset Affirming damages award on breach of fiduciary duty claim by company against its former operations supervisor, but … More October 30-31, 2023, opinions
Unpublished per curiam (Jones, Stewart, Duncan), criminal, sentencing, compassionate release Affirming 240-month sentence on conviction of conspiracy to possess 280 grams or more of cocaine base with intent to distribute, and affirming denial of motion for compassionate release. per curiam (Jones, Stewart, Duncan), criminal, sentencing Affirming conviction and sentence arising from a string of armed … More October 24, 2023, opinions
Designated for publication Southwick, J. (Stewart, Dennis, Southwick), habeas corpus Affirming district court judgment granting sec. 2241 petition on holding that Louisiana state prisoner had a state-created liberty interest in parole that had been granted under Louisiana law, in suit arising from rescission of that parole just prior to its effective date. The Court first … More October 23, 2023, opinions
Designated for publication deGravelles, J. (Haynes, Engelhardt, deGravelles, by designation), maritime law, punitive damages Affirming the judgment after a bench trial that defendant had wrongfully arrested and detained the plaintiff’s vessel after ramming it and preventing its departure from the defendant’s shipyard for five days, that punitive damages were justified, and that prejudgment interest was … More October 16-17, 2023, opinions
Designated for publication Smith, J. (Smith, Southwick, Higginson), criminal, expert witness Affirming conviction of sex trafficking of a child, upholding introduction of evidence pulled from defendant’s cell phone using Cellebrite technology without the investigator through whose testimony the evidence was submitted being first qualified as an expert witness. The Court rejected the defendant’s argument that … More October 13, 2023, opinions
