October 10, 2025, opinions

Unpublished decisions per curiam (Smith, Higginson, Wilson) (no oral argument), habeas corpus Affirming denial of § 2241 petition filed by federal inmate serving a 280-year sentence. Higginson, J. (Southwick, Higginson, Wilson) (oral argument withdrawn), criminal, sentencing Affirming 50-month sentence on conviction of wire fraud. per curiam (Jones, Richman, Ramirez) (no oral argument), criminal, appellate jurisdiction … More October 10, 2025, opinions

September 23, 2025, opinions

Designated for publication Higginson, J. (Higginson, Willett, Engelhardt), takings Affirming dismissal of plaintiff’s inverse condemnation claim against City, dismissal of Declaratory Judgment Act claim, and remand of breach of contract and other claims to state court. The plaintiffs, a group of developers, contracted with the City of Mesquite to carry out public improvement projects, including … More September 23, 2025, opinions

September 15, 2025, opinions

Designated for publication Elrod, C.J. (Elrod, Duncan, Engelhardt), indemnity, maritime law Affirming that contract between plaintiff and defendant was not a “maritime contract,” and that the indemnity provision was therefore invalid. Genesis Energy appealed the dismissal of its crossclaim for defense and indemnification against Danos, LLC, after a Danos employee was injured transferring from an … More September 15, 2025, opinions

September 11, 2025, opinions

Willett, J. (Dennis, Willett, Duncan), remand Reversing waiver-based order of remand based on defendant’s participation in state court proceedings. The Fifth Circuit revisited a waiver-based remand dispute after the en banc court had cleared out circuit precedent that the panel had held tied its hands on an earlier review. Edward Festeryga, sued in Texas state … More September 11, 2025, opinions

September 9, 2025, opinions

Designated for publication Ho, J. (Haynes, Ho, Oldham), criminal, restitution Affirming judgment that defendant’s service-connected payments were not exempt from garnishment to pay restitution order. The Fifth Circuit affirmed a writ of garnishment on $46,084.49 in Christopher Allen-Shinn’s USAA account to satisfy $92,500 in restitution from his child-pornography conviction, holding that 26 U.S.C. § 6334(a)(10)’s … More September 9, 2025, opinions

September 4-5, 2025, opinions

Designated for publication Willett, J. (Richman, Willett, Douglas), Douglas, J., dissenting; international custody, Hague Convention Granting panel rehearing, and entering new panel opinion reversing and remanding to district court with instructions to order the return of child to father in Venezuela. A Venezuelan father, Jose Leonardo Brito Guevara, sought the return of his daughter, A.F., … More September 4-5, 2025, opinions

September 1-3, 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

August 27, 2025, opinions

Designated for publication Elrod, C.J. (Elrod, Higginbotham, Southwick), criminal, Second Amendment, search and seizure Affirming conviction of possessing an unregistered suppressor in violation of various provisions of the National Firearms Act, rejecting Second Amendment challenge, and upholding denial of motion to suppress. George Peterson, a firearms dealer operating out of his home, was investigated by … More August 27, 2025, opinions

August 15, 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