(Still in catch-up mode here, so the opinions designated for publication will get the same brief treatment as the unpublished opinions …) Designated for publication U.S. v. Hamilton, 20-20645, appeal from S.D. Tex. Higginson, J. (Higginson, Willett, Ho), criminal, sentencing, sufficiency of evidence Affirming conviction of conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud, in violation of 18 … More June 13-15, 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provides more detailed summaries for opinions designated for publication and only basic disposition notes and links for unpublished opinions, because this is a catch-up post after two weeks of being away from the blog, we are just providing the links and basic disposition notes for both published and unpublished … More March 19-31, 2022, opinions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 McFarland v. Lumpkin, 19-70011, appeal from S.D. Tex. per curiam (Higginbotham, Southwick, Willett), habeas corpus, ineffective assistance of counsel, Brady claim, Sixth Amendment Affirming denial of habeas relief, after having granted COA on denial of claims of ineffective assistance of counsel, Brady violation, and Sixth Amendment violation. Reminiscent of the original panel … More February 14, 2022, opinions
Designated for publication U.S. v. Crittenden, 18-50635, appeal from W.D. Tex. Elrod, J. (Dennis, Elrod, Costa), Costa, J., dissenting; criminal, new trial Finding no abuse of discretion in district court’s order of a new trial upon a finding that “though the evidence was sufficient to support a conviction, the court had cautiously reweighed the evidence … More February 8, 2022, opinions
Designated for publication Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast, Inc. v. Phillips, 18-30699, appeal from M.D. La. Elrod, J. (Higginbotham, Elrod, Ho), Ho, J., concurring; abortion law, sovereign immunity, Ex parte Young Granting petition for panel rehearing, withdrawing opinion issued July 15, 2021, which had reversed in part the denial of dismissal on sovereign immunity grounds the … More January 20, 2022, opinions
Designated for publication Ibrahim v. Garland, 20-60936, petition for review of BIA order Smith, J. (King, Smith, Haynes), immigration Denying petition by Egyptian citizen (and lawful permanent U.S. resident) for review of BIA order to remove him to Egypt upon his conviction in Louisiana of indecent behavior with juveniles. The Court held that the government … More December 6, 2021, opinions
Designated for publication Gross v. Keen Group Solutions, L.L.C., 20-20594, appeal from S.D. Tex. Jones, J. (Jones, Smith, Haynes), Haynes, J., dissenting; appellate jurisdiction Dismissing appeal of district court’s denial of defendant’s Rule 60(b)(5) motion in dispute over whether arbitration award had been fully satisfied. The Court found that “[t]he district court here still has … More December 2-3, 2021, opinions
Unpublished Lopez-Rivas v. Garland, 20-60205, petition for review of BIA order per curiam (King, Costa, Ho), immigration Denying Guatemalan citizen’s petition for review of BIA order dismissing her appeal of an Immigration Judge (IJ) decision denying a motion to reopen her 1996 in absentia exclusion order. Hernandez v. Garland, 20-60260, petition for review of BIA … More November 4, 2021, opinions
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