Designated for publication B.A. Kelly Land Co. v. Aethon Energy Operating, L.L.C., 20-30090, appeal from W.D. La. Dennis, J. (Higginbotham, Smith, Dennis), mineral law Reversing in part, rendering in part, vacating in part, and affirming in part district court’s summary judgment in favor of defendant operator of two oil and gas production units and denial … More February 11, 2022, opinions
Designated for publication Landmark American Insurance Co. v. SCD Memorial Place II, L.L.C., 20-20389, appeal from S.D. Tex. Elrod, J. (Elrod, Willett, Engelhardt), insurance Reversing summary judgment in favor of insured on action regarding coverage of flood-related damage sustained during Hurricane Harvey, and rendering judgment in favor of insurer. The policy at issue here is … More February 3, 2022, opinions
Designated for publication Williams v. Boeing Co., 18-31158, appeal from E.D. La. Southwick, J. (Southwick, Graves, Engelhardt), personal tort, multi-district litigation Reversing in part final judgment entered in mesothelioma case by district court in Louisiana after summary judgment by MDL court in Pennsylvania, and remanded for further proceedings. The Court held that the MDL district … More January 11-14, 2022, opinions
Designated for publication Cleven v. Mid-America Apartment Communities, Inc., No. 18-50846, c/w Brown v. Mid-America Apartment Communities, Inc., No. 18-50851, appeal from W.D. Tex. Owen, C.J. (Owen, Smith, Dennis), Dennis, J., dissenting; class action, breach of contract On a Rule 23(f) appeal, reversing district court’s certification of classes in two actions against apartment company arising … More December 9, 2021, opinions
Designated for publication Gross v. Keen Group Solutions, L.L.C., 20-20594, appeal from S.D. Tex. Jones, J. (Jones, Smith, Haynes), Haynes, J., dissenting; appellate jurisdiction Dismissing appeal of district court’s denial of defendant’s Rule 60(b)(5) motion in dispute over whether arbitration award had been fully satisfied. The Court found that “[t]he district court here still has … More December 2-3, 2021, opinions
Designated for publication BVS Construction, Inc. v. Prosperity Bank, 21-50274, appeal from W.D. Tex. Clement, J. (Clement, Southwick, Willett), bankruptcy, res judicata Affirming district court’s and bankruptcy court’s overruling of debtor’s claim objection to secured creditor’s proof of claim, on basis that “res judicata, judicial estoppel, and judicial admission barred [debtor’s] claim objection on the … More November 15, 2021, opinions
Designated for publication Stevens v. St. Tammany Parish Government, 20-30644, appeal from E.D. La. Higginson, J. (King, Higginson, Wilson), environmental law, res judicata Affirming dismissal of state-law claims arising from sewage and stormwater drainage across plaintiffs’ properties on res judicata grounds, and affirming dismissal of Clean Water Act claims for failure to state a claim. … More November 3, 2021, opinions
Designated for publication Kapordelis v. Myers, 19-30968, appeal from W.D. La. Wilson, J. (King, Higginson, Wilson), habeas corpus Affirming denial of § 2241 petition filed by federal inmate as to his disciplinary conviction and deprivation of 27 days of good-conduct time upon being found to have violated Bureau of Prisons Disciplinary Code 218 for destruction … More November 2, 2021, opinions
Designated for publication U.S. v. Sincleair, 20-10495, appeal from N.D. Tex. Davis, J. (Davis, Haynes, Oldham), Oldham, J., dissenting; criminal, sentencing Vacating sentence reached upon application of two-point enhancement for possession of dangerous weapon, and remanding for resentencing. The Court held, “[I]t is not clear whether the district court determined that Sincleair personally possessed the … More October 27-29, 2021, opinions
Designated for publication U.S. v. Martinez, 20-50984, appeal from W.D. Tex. Costa, J. (King, Costa, Ho), criminal, sentencing, supervised release Granting Anders motion to appointed defense counsel to withdraw as no non-frivolous grounds for appeal exist, but specifically addressing why there is not a non-frivolous argument that the orally pronounced terms of supervised release did … More October 20, 2021, opinions
