Designated for publication Higginbotham, J. (Higginbotham, Willett, Ho), Ho, J., concurring; personal tort, statutory immunity “(1) Is an employee of a city of another state—working under an agreement for emergency assistance between that city and a Louisiana municipality—a ‘representative’ of the State of Louisiana or one of its political subdivisions within the meaning of La. … More June 25, 2025, opinions
Designated for publication Elrod, C.J. (Elrod, Higginbotham, Southwick), prisoner suit Affirming partial summary judgment that inmate’s sec. 1983 claim was Heck-barred, and affirming denial of motion for leave to amend. Torriana Clark, an inmate at Rayburn Correctional Center in Louisiana, filed a § 1983 lawsuit alleging that Lt. Lance Wallace used excessive force against him … More June 23, 2025, opinions
Designated for publication Stewart, J. (Stewart, Clement, Willett), criminal, sufficiency of evidence, restitution Affirming conviction of operator of compound pharmacy for receiving illegal kickbacks as part of a conspiracy to induce physicians to prescribe highly lucrative prescriptions, and affirming restitution award. Xpress Compounding was a pharmacy focused on maximizing profits through pain cream prescriptions billed … More June 5, 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 per curiam (Jones, Oldham, Hendrix, by designation), Sarbanes-Oxley Act, employment law, timeliness, Rule 59(e) Reversing dismissal of employee’s Sarbanes-Oxley anti-retaliation claim against employer, but affirming dismissal of claim against employer’s parent company, and remanding for further poceedings. The case involves a Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX) whistleblower retaliation claim brought by Vuoncino, a corporate … More June 3, 2025, opinions
Designated for publication Willett, J. (Richman, Willett, Douglas), Douglas, J., dissenting; international child custody Reversing denial of petition to return child under the Hague Convention to father in Venezuela, and remanding with instructions to enter order to return child to Venezuela. After their separation in 2019, Jose Brito retained custody rights over his daughter A.F., … More June 2, 2025, opinions
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 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 Elrod, C.J. (Elrod, Higginbotham, Southwick), toxic torts, expert witness Affirming exclusion of plaintiff’s expert testimony in Deepwater Horizon-cleanup-related toxic tort action, and affirming summary judgment for defendant, but clarifying Circuit’s requirements for causation proof in an expert report. Under Daubert and Rule 702, expert testimony is admissible if it is both relevant … More May 12, 2025, opinions
Designated for publication Clement, J. (Clement, Engelhardt, Wilson), Title VII, employment discrimination, labor law, jury instructions, pleadings amendment Reversing the denial of Southwest’s motion for judgment as a matter of law on employee’s belief-based Title VII claim and RLA retaliation claim and remanding with instructions for the district court to enter judgment for Southwest; affirming … More May 8-9, 2025, opinions
