Designated for publication per curiam (Elrod, Richman, Willett), Willett, J., dissenting (no oral argument); qualified immunity, municipal liability Affirming the district court’s dismissal of all claims—both the individual-capacity claims on qualified immunity grounds and the Monell claim for failure to plausibly allege an official policy or custom. On August 29, 2020, Tara Fogleman-Laxey staged a … More August 24, 2026, opinions
Designated for publication per curiam (Smith, Haynes, Oldham) (no oral argument), criminal, sentencing, guilty plea On remand from U.S. Supreme Court, dismissing appeal of conviction and sentence in light of appeal waiver in plea agreement. Davantae London robbed multiple Wal-Mart stores at gunpoint in the Houston area. As part of his plea agreement, he waived … More August 19-21, 2026, opinions
Designated for publication Higginson, J. (Richman, Higginson, Douglas) (oral argument), criminal, sufficiency of evidence, witness testimony, evidence, sentencing, Second Amendment, Commerce Clause Affirming conviction and sentence on drug and firearms charges. Travis Enclade and Terence Wilson, relatives suspected of narcotics trafficking in New Orleans, were the subjects of a two-month DEA surveillance operation using pole … More August 17-18, 2026, opinions
Designated for publication per curiam (Elrod, Clement, Oldham) (oral argument withdrawn), immigration Denying Salvadoran citizen’s petition for review of BIA’s denial of his request for deferral of removal under the Convention Against Torture. Jose Mauricio Lopez-Barrera, a Salvadoran national, petitioned for review of the BIA’s denial of his request for deferral of removal under the … More August 14, 2026, opinions
Designated for publication Elrod, C.J. (joined by Jones, Smith, Stewart, Richman, Southwick, Graves, Higginson, Willett, Ho, Duncan, Engelhardt, Oldham, Wilson, Douglas, Ramirez, JJ.), Haynes, J., concurring in denial only (w/o separate opinion); immigration, amendment Denying, without prejudice, motion to amend on appeal to add five new class representatives Three Venezuelan nationals filed a habeas petition … More August 13, 2026, opinions
Unpublished decisions per curiam (Jones, Ho, Wilson) (no oral argument), criminal, sentencing Affirming 136-month sentence following a guilty plea for possession with intent to distribute cocaine. The defendant challenged the quantity of drugs attributed to him for calculating his base offense level. He argued that statements from multiple confidential sources were unreliable and that the … More August 10, 2026, opinions
Designated for publication Southwick, J. (Southwick, Graves, Wilson) (oral argument withdrawn), Wilson, J., concurring; arbitration Affirming denial of defendant’s motion to compel arbitration. Floor and Decor Outlets of America (“F&D”), a national flooring retailer, contracted with MAPP, L.L.C., a local Louisiana construction management company, for the building of a retail store in Metairie, Louisiana. F&D … More August 6, 2026, opinions
Designated for publication Graves, J. (Wiener, Haynes, Graves) (oral argument), takings, preemption Affirming dismissal of challenges to City’s short-term rentals regulations. New Orleans has enacted a series of ordinances to address the negative effects of short-term rentals (e.g., Airbnb) on residential neighborhoods, including noise, trash, loss of neighborhood character, and reduced affordable housing. A group … More August 5, 2026, opinions
Designated for publication Willett, J. (Willett, Engelhardt, Douglas) (oral argument withdrawn), Privileges and Immunities Clause, Equal Protection, preliminary injunction Reversing denial of preliminary injunction to plaintiff challenging Texas residency provisions for escrow-officer license, and remanding with instructions to enter preliminary injunction. Geoffrey Polk, a resident of Illinois licensed to practice law in approximately forty jurisdictions … More August 4, 2026, opinions
Designated for publication Engelhardt, J. (Wiener, Engelhardt, Oldham) (oral argument withdrawn), personal tort, preemption Reversing judgment for defendant on claims arising from fatal truck-auto accident in which one of defendant’s employee’s was the involved truck driver; and remanding for further proceedings. Satnam Singh Lehal’s tractor-trailer jackknifed on the way to Laredo, Texas, crossed into oncoming … More August 3, 2026, opinions
