Designated for publication Jolly, J. (Jolly, Smith, Haynes), Federal Tort Claims Act Reversing district court’s dismissal of former federal inmate’s FTCA claim arising from alleged assault by prison officials; rejecting premise that there may be a de minimis injury exception from tort liability; remanding for further proceedings. Dennis, J. (Dennis, Engelhardt, Oldham), Oldham, J., dubitante; … More April 24, 2024, opinions
Designated for publication per curiam (voting against en banc rehearing: Richman, Stewart, Southwick, Haynes, Graves, Higginson, Willett, Douglas, Ramirez; voting for en banc rehearing: Jones, Smith, Elrod, Ho, Duncan, Engelhardt, Oldham, Wilson); Willett, J., concurring in denial of en banc rehearing; Ho, J., dissenting from denial of en banc rehearing; Oldham, J., dissenting from denial … More April 16-22, 2024, opinions
Designated for publication Willett, J. (Elrod, Willett, Duncan), employment, whistleblower, retaliation When a plaintiff brings a claim against the government and its employees for tortious conduct under the MWPA, is that claim subject to the procedural requirements of the MTCA? Higginson, J. (Wiener, Haynes, Higginson), insurance Affirming summary judgment for defendant insurer on claims for … More April 10, 2024, opinions
Designated for publication Oldham, J. (Dennis, Engelhardt, Oldham), Dennis, J., dissenting; bankruptcy Vacating bankruptcy court’s award of $239,655 in compensatory damages on civil contempt award, and remanding for further proceedings. The Court held that the bankruptcy court’s limited contempt power–limited to civil contempt–meant that it may only shift fees that are compensatory for actual expenses … More April 4, 2024, opinions
Designated for publication Elrod, J. (joined by Richman, Jones, Smith, Stewart, Haynes, Higginson, Willett, Ho, Duncan, Engelhardt, Oldham, Douglas, Ramirez, JJ.) (Judges Southwick, Graves, and Wilson recused); Dennis, J., concurring in judgment only (joined by Higginson, Ramirez, JJ.); Ho, J., concurring (joined by Stewart, Elrod, Higginson, Ramirez, JJ.); mootness, appellate jurisdiction, standing In en banc … More April 1-2, 2024, opinions
Designated for publication per curiam (Willett, Wilson, Ramirez), insurance, arbitration Reversing district court’s denial of motion to stay litigation and compel arbitration, and remanding with instructions to grant the motion. The plaintiff insured had a uniform policy allocated separately across ten insurers, eight domestic and two foreign, which contained an arbitration provision. After Hurrican Laura … More March 26, 2024, opinions
Designated for publication Clement, J. (Clement, Engelhardt, Oldham), prisoner suit Vacating dismissal of Texas state prisoner’s Eighth Amendment claim based on chronic sleep deprivation, where prison’s schedule only allowed three and a half hours of interrupted sleep, and remanding for further proceedings. The Court held that the district court applied the wrong standard when it … More March 22, 2024, opinions
Designated for publication Higginbotham, J. (Higginbotham, Smith, Higginson), Higginson, J., dissenting; product liability Reversing denial of judgment as a matter of law after jury verdict for plaintiff in manufacturing defect case arising from plaintiff’s injury while using propane tank manufactured by defendant, finding insufficient evidence to support the jury verdict, and rendering JMOL for defendant. … More March 21, 2024, opinions
Designated for publication Higginson, J. (Smith, Southwick, Higginson), insurance Reversing district court’s judgment denying declaratory relief to insurer that argued that the Louisiana Oilfield Anti-Indemnity Act invalidated coverage for contracts by insured to engage in “drill-and-blast” salt mining, under the Act’s applicability to activities comprising “drilling for minerals.” District court had not reached that question, … More March 18, 2024, opinions
Designated for publication per curiam (voting against en banc rehearing: Richman, Jones, Smith, Elrod, Haynes, Ho, Duncan, Engelhardt, Wilson; voting for en banc rehearing: Stewart, Southwick, Graves, Higginson, Willett, Douglas, Ramirez; recused: Oldham, J.); Jones, J., concurring in denial of rehearing (joined by Smith, Elrod, Ho, Engelhardt, Wilson, JJ.); Higginson, J., dissenting from denial of … More March 14, 2024, opinions
