September 5, 2024, opinions

Unpublished per curiam (King, Stewart, Higginson), criminal Affirming conviction of wire fraud. per curiam (Jolly, Graves, Oldham), criminal, sentencing Affirming denial of motion for sentence reduction. per curiam (Jones, Willett, Engelhardt), foreclosure Affirming summary judgment dismissal of claims arising from mortgage servicing. per curiam (Jolly, Graves, Oldham), criminal, sufficiency of evidence Affirming conviction of possession … More September 5, 2024, opinions

August 29-30, 2024, opinions

Designated for publication Dennis, J. (Jones, Dennis, Willett); Willett, J., concurring; Jones, J., dissenting; qualified immunity, municipal liability Reversing summary judgment dismissal on qualified immunity grounds of excessive force claims arising from violent arrest of plaintiff, holding that the defendant officer “failed to show the absence of a genuine dispute of material fact as to … More August 29-30, 2024, opinions

August 22, 2024, opinions

Designated for publication Stewart, J. (Higginbotham, Stewart, Higginson), criminal, equitable tolling, sufficiency of evidence, witness testimony Vacating conviction of making false statements on the basis that equitable tolling of the statute of limitations was unavailable; but affirming convictions of conspiracy to defraud the United States and falsification of records in a federal investigation, rejecting sufficiency … More August 22, 2024, opinions

August 1-15, 2024, opinions

Another quick-blurb catch-up post (the briefing and arguing has been non-stop since mid-July–Take the Fifth may need to take on some more staff!). Designated for publication Southwick, J. (Barksdale, Southwick, Graves), criminal, Sixth Amendment, sentencing Affirming conviction and sentence on fraud under the Paycheck Protection Program, upholding denial of motion to substitute counsel and district … More August 1-15, 2024, opinions

July 30-31, 2024, opinions

Designated for publication Higginson, J. (Higginbotham, Higginson, Duncan), qualified immunity, municipal liability, Fourth Amendment, § 1983 Dismissing appeal in part for want of appellate jurisdiction over appeals of denial of summary judgment on punitive damages claim, the summary judgment to police officer on Fourth Amendment search claim, and the summary judgment to the City and … More July 30-31, 2024, opinions

July 1-17, 2024, opinions

Take the Fifth’s resident opinion-aggregator was out of the country for the first two and a half weeks of July, so the following are just abbreviated accounts of dispositions without any summary. Designated for publication Southwick, J. (Smith, Southwick, Higginson), bankruptcy, contempt Affirming contempt order entered by bankruptcy court against defendant in adversary proceeding. Stewart, … More July 1-17, 2024, opinions

June 28, 2024, opinions

Designated for publication Wilson, J. (Richman, Graves, Wilson); Graves, J., concurring; insurance Reversing district court’s judgment in favor of life insurance beneficiary, applying Texas law to provide that, even if the beneficiary was named before being married to the decedent, once a subsequent divorce decree is effective the beneficiary is stripped of their beneficiary status. … More June 28, 2024, opinions

June 10, 2024, opinions

Unpublished per curiam (Richman, Jones, Ho), Bivens claim Affirming in part and vacating in part plaintiff federal inmate’s Bivens claims arising from delayed and denied medical care for injuries, and remanding for further proceedings. Engelhardt, J. (Higginbotham, Smith, Engelhardt), qualified immunity Affirming denial of motion to dismiss excessive force claims on the basis of qualified … More June 10, 2024, opinions

June 5-7, 2024, opinions

Designated for publication Smith, J. (joined by Jones, Stewart, Southwick, Higginson, Willett, Ho, Duncan, Engelhardt, Oldham, Wilson, Ramirez, JJ.); Haynes, J., concurring in judgment only; Richman, C.J., dissenting (joined by Elrod, Graves, Douglas, JJ.); criminal, sufficiency of evidence, Miranda rights, due process On en banc rehearing of panel opinion that had reversed on the basis … More June 5-7, 2024, opinions

May 30, 2024, opinions

Designated for publication Graves, J. (Richman, Graves, Wilson), criminal, sentencing Vacating sentence that relied on career offender enhancement on conviction for conspiracy to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine hydrochloride and 280 grams of cocaine base, and remanding for resentencing. The Court summarized: “When the Government fails to prove by a preponderance of the … More May 30, 2024, opinions