Take the Fifth: Dec. 26-31, 2020 opinions

Designated for publication Daves v. Dallas County, 18-11368, appeal from N.D. Tex. Southwick, J. (Southwick, Graves, Engelhardt), cash bail, § 1983, Equal Protection, Due Process, sovereign immunity, Ex Parte Young Affirming preliminary injunction against imposition of cash bail on indigent arrestees as unconstitutional, with modifications to injunction to not apply to criminal district court judges … More Take the Fifth: Dec. 26-31, 2020 opinions

Take the Fifth: Dec. 11 and 14, 2020 opinions

Designated for publication Stelly v. Duriso, 19-20160, appeal from S.D. Tex. Haynes, J. (Jones, Haynes, Ho), Ho. J., concurring in part; intentional infliction of emotional distress, employment discrimination Vacating district court’s default judgment in favor of plaintiff on intentional infliction of emotional distress (“IIED”) claim against individual defendant in lawsuit against unions and maritime association … More Take the Fifth: Dec. 11 and 14, 2020 opinions

Take the Fifth: Dec. 7 and 8, 2020 opinions

Designated for publication U.S. v. Lipscomb, 18-11168, appeal from N.D. Tex. Clement, J. (Clement, Ho, Duncan), habeas corpus, Armed Career Criminal Act Vacating district court’s grant of § 2255 petition and remanding to reinstate original sentence. Petitioner had been convicted as a felon in possession of a firearm after being apprehended with a sawed-off shotgun … More Take the Fifth: Dec. 7 and 8, 2020 opinions

Take the Fifth: Nov. 2-6, 2020 opinions

Designated for publication Pizza Inn, Inc. v. Clairday, 19-11302, appeal from N.D. Tex. Smith, J. (Smith, Clement, Oldham), breach of contract, equitable intervention doctrine Reversing district court’s upholding of jury verdict in favor of franchisee, applying equitable intervention doctrine and awarding damages and attorneys’ fees to franchisee for pizza franchise’s refusal to renew contract when … More Take the Fifth: Nov. 2-6, 2020 opinions

Take the Fifth: Oct. 28, 2020 opinions

Designated for publication Mi Familia Vota v. Abbott, 20-50907, appeal from W.D. Tex. per curiam (Owen, Davis, Southwick), election law, Covid-19, mask mandate On October 27, 2020, on a remand from the Fifth Circuit, the district court issued a preliminary injunction of one provision of Governor Abbott’s declaration regarding COVID-19-related election procedures in Texas–specifically, a … More Take the Fifth: Oct. 28, 2020 opinions

Take the Fifth: Oct. 19, 2020 opinions

Designated for publication Richardson v. Hughs, 20-50774, appeal from W.D. Tex. Smith, J. (Higginbotham, Smith, Oldham), Higginbotham, J., concurring; election law, sovereign immunity Staying, pending appeal, the district court’s injunction of Texas’s procedures regarding mail-in ballot signature verification and voter-notification procedures. Texas’s absentee mail-in balloting procedures–a system that, as confirmed by 5th Circuit’s October 14th … More Take the Fifth: Oct. 19, 2020 opinions

Take the Fifth: Oct. 14, 2020 opinions

To create a little efficiency for the writers of this blog, Take the Fifth will take a different tack beginning today. We will continue to include full summaries of those opinions designated for publication, but for unpublished opinions will only continue to provide links to the opinions and basic statistical information regarding basic outcome, district … More Take the Fifth: Oct. 14, 2020 opinions

Take the Fifth: Oct. 5, 2020 opinions

Empower Texans, Inc. v. Geren, 19-50557, appeal from W.D. Tex., designated for publication Southwick, J. (Elrod, Southwick, Haynes), mootness Vacating District Court’s dismissal of suit on grounds of legislative immunity, holding the suit to be moot, and remanding with instructions to dismiss as moot. Plaintiffs had filed suit against the Chairman of the Committee on … More Take the Fifth: Oct. 5, 2020 opinions