April 16-22, 2024, opinions

Designated for publication per curiam (voting against en banc rehearing: Richman, Stewart, Southwick, Haynes, Graves, Higginson, Willett, Douglas, Ramirez; voting for en banc rehearing: Jones, Smith, Elrod, Ho, Duncan, Engelhardt, Oldham, Wilson); Willett, J., concurring in denial of en banc rehearing; Ho, J., dissenting from denial of en banc rehearing; Oldham, J., dissenting from denial … More April 16-22, 2024, opinions

April 1-2, 2024, opinions

Designated for publication Elrod, J. (joined by Richman, Jones, Smith, Stewart, Haynes, Higginson, Willett, Ho, Duncan, Engelhardt, Oldham, Douglas, Ramirez, JJ.) (Judges Southwick, Graves, and Wilson recused); Dennis, J., concurring in judgment only (joined by Higginson, Ramirez, JJ.); Ho, J., concurring (joined by Stewart, Elrod, Higginson, Ramirez, JJ.); mootness, appellate jurisdiction, standing In en banc … More April 1-2, 2024, opinions

November 16, 2023, opinions

Designated for publication Duncan, J. (Jones, Stewart, Duncan), personal tort Affirming dismissal of claims by plaintiffs who suffer from chronic Lyme disease against peer-reviewed medical journal arising from article published regarding new proposed treatment of Lyme disease; plaintiffs alleged that the article cast doubt on how to treat chronic Lyme disease and even whether the … More November 16, 2023, opinions

October 20, 2023, opinions

Designated for publication Southwick, J. (Richman, Southwick, Oldham), toxic tort, recusal Affirming district court judge’s denial of motion to disqualify himself from cases arising from Deepwater Horizon spill. The Court held that the district court judge’s former partnership in a law firm that represented a former defendant in the claims that had been found not … More October 20, 2023, opinions

October 2-3, 2023, opinions

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

September 26, 2023, opinions

Designated for publication Duncan, J. (Duncan, Wilson, Schroeder, by designation), criminal, attorney-client privilege Affirming convictions of defendant on numerous drug offenses related to ownership of pharmacy that was essentially an illegal pill mill; upholding use of audio recordings by the prosecution (though not used at trial) that defendant asserted intruded into his privileged conversations with … More September 26, 2023, opinions

August 24, 2023, opinions

Designated for publication Haynes, J. (Haynes, Engelhardt, deGravelles, by designation), § 1983, sovereign immunity, Ex parte Young Vacating judgment after bench trial in favor of plaintiff on his due process claim arising from Texas state officials’ notification of him that he would have to register as a sex offender under Texas law, and remanding with … More August 24, 2023, opinions

July 12, 2023, opinions

Designated for publication Douglas, J. (Higginbotham, Graves, Douglas), insurance Certifying to Texas Supreme Court question of whether attorneys’ fees are still owed under the Texas Prompt Payment of Claims Act after insurer makes payment of appraisal award plus interest. Wilson, J. (Wiener, Higginson, Wilson), Fair Labor Standards Act Reversing dismissal of plaintiffs’ FLSA overtime claims, … More July 12, 2023, opinions

June 5, 2023, opinions

Unpublished per curiam (Smith, Southwick, Wilson), criminal Granting Anders motion to withdraw, and dismissing appeal. per curiam (Stewart, Duncan, Wilson), criminal Granting Anders motion to withdraw, and dismissing appeal. per curiam (Davis, Smith, Douglas), criminal Granting Anders motion to withdraw, and dismissing appeal. per curiam (Stewart, Duncan, Wilson), criminal Granting Anders motion to withdraw, and … More June 5, 2023, opinions

March 22, 2023, opinions

Designated for publication Dennis, J. (Wiener, Dennis, Duncan), criminal, Confrontation Clause, Sixth Amendment, sufficiency of evidence, sentencing, crime of violence Upon granting petition for panel rehearing, vacating defendants’ conviction for aiding and abetting the discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence, but affirming conviction on other counts arising from two armored car armed … More March 22, 2023, opinions