Designated for publication U.S. v. Perez-Espinoza, 20-40769, appeal from S.D. Tex. Oldham, J. (Davis, Willett, Oldham), criminal, sentencing Affirming sentence, holding that orally pronounced supervised-release term that defendant would have to report to U.S. Probation Office within 72 hours of return to U.S. was not materially different from written term that he would have to … More April 21, 2022, opinions
Designated for publication Rodriguez v. Garland, 20-60008, petition for review of BIA order per curiam (Higginbotham, Willett, Duncan); Duncan, J., concurring (joined by Higginbotham, Southwick, Higginson, Willett, JJ.); Elrod, J., dissenting (joined by Jones, Smith, Wilson, JJ.); Ho, J., dissenting; immigration Denying petition for panel rehearing and for en banc rehearing, with eight judges voting … More April 19, 2022, opinions
Designated for publication Foster v. Warden, 20-10841, appeal from N.D. Tex. Southwick, J. (Dennis, Southwick, Wilson), mootness Vacating dismissal on mootness grounds of former military prisoner’s suit regarding the constitutionality of term of supervised release he had been found to have violated, and remanding to district court for determination of whether post-imprisonment effect on eligibility … More April 13-14, 2022, opinions
(Note: While normally Take the Fifth provides more detailed summaries for opinions designated for publication and only basic disposition notes and links for unpublished opinions, because this is a catch-up post after two weeks of being away from the blog, we are just providing the links and basic disposition notes for both published and unpublished … More March 19-31, 2022, opinions
Designated for publication U.S. v. Castro, 18-10137, appeal from N.D. Tex. Oldham, J. (Ho, Oldham, Wilson), habeas corpus Denying petition for rehearing, but withdrawing prior panel opinion and substituting new opinion that vacates Certificate of Appealability and dismisses appeal from denial of § 2255 petition. The Court held that it had the power to vacate … More March 14-18, 2022, opinions
Designated for publication Fakhuri v. Garland, 19-60275, petition for review of BIA order Smith, J. (Smith, Costa, Wilson), immigration Denying in part and dismissing in part Jordanian citizen’s (and legal permanent resident’s) petition for review of BIA order sustaining IJ’s determination that Tennessee conviction of money laundering was an “aggravated felony” supporting removal, on basis … More March 10-11, 2022, opinions
Designated for publication Collins v. Yellen, 17-20364, appeal from S.D. Tex. per curiam (joined by Owen, Jones, Smith, Elrod, Southwick, Higginson, Willett, Ho, Duncan, Engelhardt, Oldham, Wilson, JJ.); Haynes, J., dissenting, joined by Stewart, Dennis, Graves, Costa, JJ.); separation of powers After partial vacatur and remand by U.S. Supreme Court of en banc decision at … More March 1-4, 2022, opinions
Designated for publication Wilson v. City of Bastrop, 21-30204, appeal from W.D. La. Duncan, J. (Jones, Higginson, Duncan), qualified immunity Affirming summary judgment dismissal on qualified immunity grounds in suit against police officer arising from fatal shooting of an armed suspect, and dismissing for lack of appellate jurisdiction appeal from dismissal of claims against city … More February 21, 2022, opinions
Designated for publication Craig v. Martin, 19-10013, appeal from N.D. Tex. Owen, C.J. (Owen, Barksdale, Duncan), qualified immunity Reversing denial of qualified immunity summary judgment on excessive force claims and rendering judgment in favor of police officer defendant. The Court held that the video evidence showed that it was not objectively unreasonable for the officer … More February 15, 2022, opinions
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
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