January 2, 2024, opinions

Designated for publication Engelhardt, J. (Southwick, Engelhardt, Wilson), abortion, administrative law, standing, preemption Affirming district court’s permanent injunction against Guidance letter issued by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (“CMS”), the agency of the Department of Health and Human Services charged with administering the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act of 1986, which … More January 2, 2024, opinions

December 18, 2023, opinions

Designated for publication Jones, J. (Jones, Higginson, Duncan), Higginson, J., concurring; Clean Water Act, mootness Vacating district court’s judgment declining to review the Corps of Engineers’ jurisdictional determination under the Clean Water Act that landowner’s property contained jurisdictional wetlands, which determination the Corps had reached after the remand by the district court of an earlier … More December 18, 2023, opinions

December 15, 2023, opinions

Designated for publication Southwick, J. (Barksdale, Southwick, Higginson), Higginson, J., dissenting; voting rights, election law, standing Reversing summary judgment in favor of voter advocacy organization, and rendering judgment in favor of Texas officials (actively defended by intervenor attorney general) rejecting organization’s challenge to Texas’s original “wet” signature requirement as a violation of the Civil Rights … More December 15, 2023, opinions

December 12-14, 2023, opinions

Designated for publication Duncan, J. (Higginbotham, Higginson, Duncan), criminal, guilt plea Affirming conviction of attempted interference with commerce by robbery, finding sufficient evidence in the record to support the defendant’s guilty plea. Haynes, J. (Clement, Haynes, Oldham), ERISA Affirming dismissal of ERISA claim against insurance company hired by plan’s sponsor, administrator, and fiduciary to maintain … More December 12-14, 2023, opinions

December 11, 2023, opinions

Designated for publication Oldham, J. (Jolly, Engelhardt, Oldham), jurisdiction, voting rights Vacating district court’s declaratory judgment regarding the unconstitutionality of Houston’s voter-registration provisions, and remanding to the district court with instructions to dismiss without prejudice due to the lack of an Article III case or controversy. The Court noted that the parties were in agreement … More December 11, 2023, opinions

December 8, 2023, opinions

Designated for publication per curiam (Smith, Higginson, Engelhardt), criminal, Commerce Clause, Second Amendment, gun laws Affirming conviction of possession of a firearm by a felon. The Court held there was no plain error in application of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g) under the Commerce Clause, holding that Circuit precedent is clear that the statute does not … More December 8, 2023, opinions

December 5, 2023, opinions

Designated for publication Higginbotham, J. (Higginbotham, Smith, Elrod), Smith, J., dissenting; criminal, sentencing, Armed Career Criminal Act, habeas corpus On defendant’s § 2255 motion, vacating sentence on conviction of possession of a firearm by a felon, and remanding for resentencing without the ACCA enhancement. On a 2011 charge for possession of a firearm by a … More December 5, 2023, opinions

November 30, 2023, opinions

Unpublished per curiam (Dennis, Engelhardt, Oldham), criminal, sentencing Affirming 72-month sentence, based on crime-of-violence sentencing enhancement, and constitutionality of conviction of being a felon in possession of a firearm. per curiam (Elrod, Ho, Wilson), Ho, J., dissenting in part; qualified immunity Dismissing appeal in part, reversing denial of qualified immunity summary judgment in part, and … More November 30, 2023, opinions

November 29, 2023, opinions

Designated for publication per curiam (King, Smith, Elrod), qualified immunity, municipal liability, Americans with Disabilities Act Affirming qualified immunity dismissal of plaintiff’s excessive force claims against K9 officer arising from dog-bite injuries when officers responded to call that plaintiff was suicidal, and bystander liability claims against second officer; and 12(b)(6) dismissal of municipal liability claim … More November 29, 2023, opinions

November 28, 2023, opinions

Designated for publication per curiam (en banc Court), Voting Rights Act Granting en banc rehearing of November 10 panel opinion that affirmed the district court’s injunction against County’s redistricting plan that eliminated a majority-minority county commissioner district, but that had expressly requested an en banc poll on the basis of the panel’s disagreement with binding Circuit precedent … More November 28, 2023, opinions