August 25, 2026, opinions

Designated for publication Engelhardt, J. (Willett, Engelhardt, Douglas) (oral argument), Willett, J., concurring; criminal, Second Amendment, forfeiting argument Originally released a day before as an unpublished per curiam (though still with Judge Willett’s separate concurrence, re-released as a published disposition with the majority opinion attributed to Judge Engelhardt. Affirming dismissal of indictment of felon-in-possession on … More August 25, 2026, opinions

January 30, 2026, opinions

Unpublished decisions per curiam (Smith, Higginson, Wilson) (no oral argument), criminal, search and seizure Affirming conviction of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, upholding denial of motion to suppress. per curiam (Richman, Engelhardt, Wilson) (oral argument withdrawn), Title VI, sec. 1983 Affirming dismissal of claims by student dismissed from medical school for unsatisfactory academic performance. … More January 30, 2026, opinions

October 3, 2025, opinions

Designated for publication Southwick, J. (Higginbotham, Jones, Southwick) (oral argument), insurance Affirming dismissal of claims that insurance company’s cancelation procedures did not comply with Louisiana statutory requirements and breached the duty of good faith and fair dealing. The Fifth Circuit considered whether GoAuto Insurance and its premium finance company, APAC, complied with Louisiana’s statute governing … More October 3, 2025, opinions

October 1-2, 2025, opinions

Designated for publication per curiam (Stewart, Dennis, Haynes) (oral argument), criminal, evidence, sufficiency of evidence, sentencing Affirming conviction and 293-month sentence for drug trafficking and distribution offenses and possession of child pornography. Sean Shaughnessy appealed his conviction and sentence after a jury found him guilty of two drug-conspiracy counts, one drug-distribution count, and one count … More October 1-2, 2025, opinions

September 16, 2024, opinions

Designated for publication per curiam (Elrod, Ho, Wilson), Ho, J., concurring; administrative law, abortion law, standing On remand from the Supreme Court, vacating the district court’s order staying FDA rules regarding mifepristone and remanding for further proceedings. Judge Ho concurred, opining that the Supreme Court had the liberty to depart from precedent that the Fifth … More September 16, 2024, opinions

August 1-15, 2024, opinions

Another quick-blurb catch-up post (the briefing and arguing has been non-stop since mid-July–Take the Fifth may need to take on some more staff!). Designated for publication Southwick, J. (Barksdale, Southwick, Graves), criminal, Sixth Amendment, sentencing Affirming conviction and sentence on fraud under the Paycheck Protection Program, upholding denial of motion to substitute counsel and district … More August 1-15, 2024, opinions