Designated for publication Clement, J. (Clement, Elrod, Willett), prisoner suit Affirming dismissal of state prisoner’s sec. 1983 claims arising from prison officials’ actions regarding his parole hearing, as running afoul of the Heck rule barring sec. 1983 claims that are essentially challenges to the term of confinement. The Court rejected the plaintiff’s argument that he … More August 9, 2023, opinions
Designated for publication per curiam (Clement, Elrod, Willett), criminal, sentencing Affirming 405-month sentence on conviction of enticement of a minor, travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct, and transfer of obscene material to a minor; affirming $100 special assessment on each of three counts; but vacating $5,000 assessment under the Justice for Victims … More August 8, 2023, opinions
Designated for publication Barksdale, J. (Barksdale, Southwick, Higginson), qualified immunity Affirming qualified immunity summary judgment on failure-to-protect claims arising from detainee’s suicide, based primarily on whether jailer and officer defendants possessed subjective knowledge of a substantial risk of suicide by the detainee. The Court, based on the rule of orderliness, rejected the plaintiffs’ proposed objective-unreasonableness … More August 1, 2023, opinions
Designated for publication per curiam (Haynes, Engelhardt, Saldaña, by designation), Engelhardt, J., concurring; criminal, sentencing Affirming upward departure from 15-21-month guidelines range to impose 72-month sentence for convictions of identity theft and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The Court held that the district court did not abuse its discretion, as the district … More July 26, 2023, opinions
Designated for publication Elrod, J. (Elrod, Ho, Oldham), Oldham, J., dissenting in part; qualified immunity Reversing summary judgment in favor of defendant jail officials on qualified immunity grounds, and remanding for further proceedings. The plaintiff’s claims arise from being tasered while a pretrial detainee, when he alleges he was being fully compliant with the jail … More July 24, 2023, opinions
Designated for publication Duncan, J. (Wiener, Southwick, Duncan), breach of contract, COVID-19 Reversing dismissal of students’ putative class claims for breach of contract when defendant university failed to refund tuition and fees after switching to remote instruction during the COVID-19 pandemic, finding that the plaintiffs had adequately pled a breach of contract claim; but certifying … More July 19-20, 2023, opinions
Designated for publication Willett, J. (Richman, Wiener, Willett), Wiener, J., concurring; Title IX, sec. 1983 Denying rehearing en banc, and withdrawing prior panel opinion and substituting new opinion, reversing denial of qualified immunity dismissal of sec. 1983 claim on state-created danger grounds, and remanding for proceedings of Title IX claims arising from sexual assault of … More July 14-18, 2023, opinions
Designated for publication Stewart, J. (Richman, Stewart, Douglas), prisoner suit Dismissing appeal of dismissal of Texas state prisoner’s suit against medical personnel, upon denying motion to proceed in forma pauperis under 28 U.S.C. § 1915(g) and upon failure to pay required filing fees. The Court held that the plaintiff has accumulated more than three strikes … More July 10, 2023, opinions
Designated for publication Graves, J. (Graves, Ho, Duncan), Ho, J., concurring; immigration Denying Cambodian citizen’s petition for review of BIA order affirming IJ’s finding that he is removable for having been convicted of an aggravated felony. The Court held “that Khan’s conviction under 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 3925(a) constitutes receipt of stolen property, and … More May 30, 2023, opinions
Designated for publication Elrod, J. (Elrod, Ho, Wilson), timeliness Certifying to the Texas Supreme Court questions regarding the timeliness of filing a new suit after the original suit was dismissed for lack of jurisdiction, a question “concern[ing] the interpretation of a Texas statute that tolls the applicable statute of limitations where a prior petition is … More May 25-26, 2023, opinions
