Designated for publication Duncan, J. (Haynes, Duncan, Wilson), foreign official immunity, Torture Victim Protection Act Affirming dismissal of TVPA claims against former Nigerian governor under foreign official immunity. In this case, the widows of men killed by Nigerian military forces during rallies in 2020 sued former Nigerian governor Willie Obiano in a Texas federal court … More May 29-30, 2025, opinions
Designated for publication U.S. v. West, 22-11001, appeal from N.D. Tex. (denying panel reh’g but substituting new op.) per curiam (Elrod, Willett, Duncan), Willett, J., concurring; Duncan, J., concurring; criminal, sentencing, restitution, appeal waiver Vacating $6,000 restitution order as part of sentence for production of child pornography, and remanding for further proceedings; also, on Court’s … More May 21, 2025, opinions
Designated for publication Graves, J. (Graves, Engelhardt, Oldham), breach of fiduciary duty Affirming dismissal of breach of fiduciary duty claims brought in a shareholder derivative suit by company’s shareholders against company’s directors. The Court held that shareholders must either make a litigation demand to the board or show demand futility by demonstrating that at least … More May 13, 2025, opinions
Designated for publication per curiam (Elrod, Oldham, Wilson), Fair Housing Act, Rule 60(b), notice of appeal Affirming denial of landlord defendant’s Rule 60(b) motion after summary judgment for plaintiff tenant on claims of disability discrimination and retaliation under the Fair Housing Act, finding no abuse of discretion. The Court held that the original summary judgment, … More March 10, 2025, opinions
Designated for publication Hendrix, J. (Jones, Oldham, Hendrix, by designation), criminal Affirming conviction of fraud and financial crimes arising from real-estate scheme, rejecting arguments that admission of prior-convictions evidence was plain error and that district court abused its discretion in limiting the good-faith defense and denying funding for expert witness. Smith, J. (Elrod, Smith, Engelhardt), … More March 7, 2025, opinions
Designated for publication Engelhardt, J. (Ho, Engelhardt, Douglas), Douglas, J., dissenting in part; qualified immunity Affirming district court’s denial of qualified immunity on excessive force claim, but reversing denial of qualified immunity on unreasonable search claim, and remanding for further proceedings on claims arising from shooting death of homeowner by officers who had not announced … More February 25, 2025, opinions
Unpublished per curiam (Elrod, Haynes, Duncan), criminal Granting Anders motion to withdraw, and dismissing appeal. per curiam (Jolly, Jones, Willett), Willett, J., concurring in judgment only; breach of contract, antitrust, recusal, diversity jurisdiction Dismissing as frivolous appeal from judgment denying motion to remand and judgment dismissing breach of contract and antitrust claims, among other claims, … More February 24, 2025, opinions
Designated for publication Duncan, J. (Dennis, Willett, Duncan), criminal, sentencing Affirming 240-month sentence on conviction of conspiracy to receive and distribute child pornography. The Court held “that (1) United States v. Halverson, 897 F.3d 645 (5th Cir. 2018), does not require a defendant to actually receive ‘valuable consideration’ in exchange for distributing child pornography under … More February 18, 2025, opinions
Unpublished per curiam (Richman, Douglas, Ramirez), criminal Granting Anders motion to withdraw, and dismissing appeal. per curiam (Southwick, Willett, Oldham), habeas corpus Dismissing as frivolous appeal from dismissal of § 2241 petition both as moot and for failure to exhaust administrative remedies. per curiam (Graves, Willett, Wilson), criminal, sentencing Affirming sentence on conviction of illegal … More February 17, 2025, opinions
Designated for publication Wilson, J. (Elrod, Oldham, Wilson), First Amendment, standing Vacating district court’s order denying legislative privilege to defendant Parish councilmembers whose Resolution to terminate library board members for erecting Pride Month displays at libraries had been challenged by three of those members as viewpoint discrimination, holding that the plaintiffs did not have standing … More February 10, 2025, opinions
