Designated for publication Smith, J. (Smith, Southwick, Higginson), labor law Granting petition for review of NLRB order ruling that Tesla infringed on employees’ rights to unionize when it required employees to wear specific Tesla uniforms and prohibited employees from wearing union-insignia t-shirts instead (though the policy allowed employees to wear as many union stickers on … More November 14, 2023, opinions
Designated for publication Higginbotham, J. (Higginbotham, Smith, Elrod), product liability, expert witness, jury instructions Affirming judgment and damages award against Honda in strict liability and negligence defective design and product liability claims arising from side-impact car accident, rejecting arguments that district court erred in denying motion to exclude liability experts, denying motion for new trial … More November 7-8, 2023, opinions
Designated for publication deGravelles, J. (Haynes, Engelhardt, deGravelles, by designation), maritime law, punitive damages Affirming the judgment after a bench trial that defendant had wrongfully arrested and detained the plaintiff’s vessel after ramming it and preventing its departure from the defendant’s shipyard for five days, that punitive damages were justified, and that prejudgment interest was … More October 16-17, 2023, opinions
Designated for publication Clement, J. (Clement, Elrod, Willett), spoliation, trade secrets Affirming spoliation sanction of default judgment and damages award against spoliating defendant in suit alleging misappropriation of proprietary software code. Higginson, J. (Smith, Higginson, Willett), takings Reversing judgment that city violated Takings Clause when it refused to compensate a homeowner for damage to her … More October 10-11, 2023, decisions
Designated for publication Richman, C.J. (Richman, Wiener, Willett), criminal, Anti-Kickback Statute, sufficiency of evidence, Travel Act, Speedy Trial Act, Bruton violation, Court Reporter’s Act, jury instructions, prosecutorial conduct, sentencing, restitution The Court upheld the sufficiency of evidence to support the Anti-Kickback Statute convictions of six co-defendants, holding that the government need not prove defendants had … More October 2-3, 2023, opinions
Designated for publication per curiam (Richman, Jones, Smith, Stewart, Dennis, Elrod, Southwick, Haynes, Graves, Higginson, Willett, Duncan, Ho, Engelhardt, Oldham, Wilson); Ho, J., concurring in denial of rehearing; Jones, J., dissenting from denial of rehearing (joined by Smith, Duncan, JJ.); absolute immunity Denying rehearing en banc on a 7-9 vote, Judges Richman, Jones, Smith, Southwick, … More October 26-28, opinions
Designated for publication Wilson, J. (Dennis, Southwick, Wilson), Dennis, J., dissenting in part; criminal, sufficiency of evidence, restitution, competence, severance, search and seizure, Brady violation Affirming in part, vacating in part, and remanding for further proceedings on convictions and sentences arising from RICO conspiracy, drug trafficking, firearms, and murder charges related to violent gang activity. … More October 11-17, 2022, opinions
Designated for publication per curiam (Jolly, Higginson, Engelhardt), Engelhardt, J., concurring; insurance, remand, diversity jurisdiction, removal Affirming denial of motion for remand, but reversing summary judgment in favor of insurer on coverage dispute arising from insurer’s denial of plaintiff’s Hurricane Harvey-related property damage coverage claims on the basis of an exclusion for pre-existing wear and … More October 3, 2022, opinions
Designated for publication U.S. v. Kelley, 20-30436, appeal from W.D. La. Elrod, J. (King, Elrod, Southwick), habeas corpus Vacating district court’s denial of habeas relief on petitioner’s § 2255 petition, holding that the Supreme Court’s decision in Rehaif v. United States, 139 S. Ct. 2191, 219 (2019), that knowledge of felony status is an essential … More July 8, 2022, opinions
Designated for publication Glenn v. Tyson Foods, Inc., 21-40622, c/w Chavez v. Tyson Foods, Inc., 21-11110, appeals from E.D. Tex. and N.D. Tex. Willett, J. (Willett, Engelhardt, Wilson), federal officer jurisdiction, removal Affirming district courts’ remand orders for claims against Tyson Foods arising from its decision to keep its poultry processing plants open during the … More July 7, 2022, opinions
