April 17, 2023, opinions

Designated for publication Higginbotham, J. (Higginbotham, Southwick, Higginson), bankruptcy Affirming district court’s affirmance of bankruptcy court’s order approving credit-bid sale of hotel property to debtor’s parent company and discharge of all liens, holding that the lender was a good faith purchaser. Elrod, J. (Wiener, Elrod, Engelhardt), criminal, guilty plea, restitution Affirming $75,000 restitution award as … More April 17, 2023, opinions

April 6-12, 2023, opinions

Designated for publication Higginson, J. (Wiener, Higginson, Wilson), criminal, sentencing, Brady violation, restitution Affirming convictions of depriving two persons of their constitutional rights under color of law, arising from defendant’s sexual assault of two men while a police officer, and concurrent sentences of 12 and 360 months. The Court held that withheld evidence was not … More April 6-12, 2023, opinions

March 13-14, 2023, opinions

Designated for publication Willett, J. (Graves, Willett, Engelhardt), insurance, preemption, sovereign immunity, standing Affirming dismissal of former federal employee’s claim against health insurer and federal Office of Personnel Management arising from the denial of coverage for proton therapy for cancer; district court had dismissed claims against OPM under sovereign immunity, and against Blue Cross on … More March 13-14, 2023, opinions

December 8, 2022, opinions

Designated for publication per curiam (Higginbotham, Duncan, Engelhardt), Rule 60, recusal Affirming denial of Rule 60 motion filed for reconsideration of judgment dismissing claims arising from arrest and incarceration, which motion was filed after the clerk of court notified the parties years after the judgment that the presiding judge had owned stock in one of … More December 8, 2022, opinions

September 16-19, 2022, opinions

Designated for publication Elrod, J. (Stewart, Clement, Elrod), subpoenas, sovereign immunity Reversing partial denial of motions to quash subpoenas duces tecum that had been served on county district judges to determine their role in creating and enforcing Harris County’s bail schedule, which was the subject of plaintiffs’ constitutional challenge to the county’s felony-bail system. The … More September 16-19, 2022, opinions

July 14, 2022, opinions

Designated for publication Fairchild v. Coryell County, 20-50237, appeal from W.D. Tex. Costa, J. (Jolly, Southwick, Costa), excessive force, qualified immunity Reversing summary judgment in favor of jailer defendants and county on plaintiffs’ excessive force claims arising from the jailers’ forceful pinning of a pretrial detainee to the floor of her cell until she died, … More July 14, 2022, opinions

July 12, 2022, opinions

Designated for publication Securities and Exchange Commission v. Novinger, 21-10985, appeal from N.D. Tex. Stewart, J. (Jones, Stewart, Duncan); Jones, J., concurring (joined by Duncan, J.); Rule 60(b); First Amendment Affirming denial of Rule 60(b) motion filed five years after consent judgment, where defendant challenged the “no-deny” provision of its settlement of an SEC civil … More July 12, 2022, opinions

June 30, 2022, opinions

Designated for publication South Central Houston Action Council v. Oak Baptist Church, 21-20559, appeal from S.D. Tex. Jones, J. (Jones, Elrod, Higginson), bankruptcy, magistrate jurisdiction Vacating affirmance of summary judgment entered by bankruptcy court, where on appeal to district court the district court had referred the bankruptcy appeal to a magistrate with the parties’ consent. … More June 30, 2022, opinions

June 7-12, 2022, opinions

(Still in catch-up mode here, so the opinions designated for publication will get the same brief treatment as the unpublished opinions …) Designated for publication Crittindon v. LeBlanc, 20-30304, appeal from M.D. La. Higginbotham, J. (Higginbotham, Costa, Oldham), Oldham, J., dissenting; qualified immunity Affirming in part and reversing in part denial of qualified immunity for … More June 7-12, 2022, opinions

January 6, 2022, opinions

Designated for publication Seguin v. Remington Arms Co., 17-30499, appeal from E.D. La. Southwick, J. (Owen, Dennis, Southwick), Dennis, J., dissenting; products liability, jurisdiction Certifying question to the Louisiana Supreme Court of whether plaintiff’s products liability claim against gun manufacturer arising from injury from accidental discharge of her father’s hunting rifle on a hunting trip … More January 6, 2022, opinions