Unpublished decisions per curiam (Stewart, Graves, Oldham) (no oral argument), criminal Granting Anders motion to withdraw, and dismissing appeal. per curiam (Smith, Higginson, Wilson) (no oral argument), criminal Granting Anders motion to withdraw, and dismissing appeal. per curiam (Stewart, Willett, Wilson) (no oral argument), jurisdiction, civil, amendment Vacating dismissal of pro se plaintiff’s civil action … More May 21, 2026, opinions
Designated for publication Jones, J. (Jones, Duncan, Douglas) (no oral argument), Americans with Disabilities Act Affirming dismissal of ADA claims. Albert Hayes worked as an IT systems administrator for Army contractor GStek at Fort Polk. After COVID-era telework ended and he was required to return to the office, Hayes was diagnosed with Autism, Major Depressive … More May, 8, 11, 12, 2026 opinions
Designated for publication Wilson, J. (Willett, Duncan, Wilson) (oral argument), qui tam, False Claims Act Affirming dismissal of False Claims Act qui tam suit. Jack Palmer, hired by Comcast in 2016 to audit Tata Consulting Services’ immigration practices, filed a qui tam action under the False Claims Act (FCA). Tata employs roughly 30,000 workers in … More April 29, 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Unpublished decisions per curiam (Smith, Higginson, Wilson) (no oral argument), criminal, search and seizure Affirming conviction of possession with intent to distribute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 per curiam (Richman, Engelhardt, Wilson) (oral argument withdrawn), Title VI, sec. 1983 Affirming dismissal of claims by student dismissed from medical school for unsatisfactory academic performance.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
Designated for publication Higginbotham, J. (Higginbotham, Ho, Douglas) (no oral argument), Ho, J., concurring; False Claims Act, qui tam Affirming dismissal of qui tam action under False Claims Act. Inpatient-rehabilitation facilities (IRFs) provide intensive therapy to patients after hospital discharge and are reimbursed by Medicare per discharge, contingent on compliance with procedural rules such as … More November 3, 2025, opinions
Designated for publication Ho, J. (King, Ho, Ramirez), CARES Act, administrative law Affirming district court’s dismissal of plaintiff’s claim for forgiveness of CARES Act paycheck protection program loan for which plaintiff had not been eligible to begin with. The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), created by Congress under the CARES Act during the COVID-19 pandemic, provided … More August 6, 2025, opinions
Designated for publication Smith, J. (Smith, Graves, Duncan), Equal Protection Clause, Title VI, mootness Affirming dismissal of challenge to University of Texas’s pre-Harvard policy as moot, reversing mootness dismissal of challenge to post-Harvard policy, and remanding for further proceedings. The Fifth Circuit considered whether UT’s revised admissions practices complied with the Supreme Court’s 2023 ruling … More July 11, 2025, opinions
Designated for publication Engelhardt, J. (Ho, Engelhardt, Douglas), Douglas, J., dissenting in part; qualified immunity Affirming district court’s denial of qualified immunity on excessive force claim, but reversing denial of qualified immunity on unreasonable search claim, and remanding for further proceedings on claims arising from shooting death of homeowner by officers who had not announced … More February 25, 2025, opinions
Designated for publication per curiam (Elrod, Dennis, Higginson), habeas corpus, Armed Career Criminal Act Vacating dismissal of § 2255 petition challenging ACCA-enhanced sentencing, on the basis that a new decision from the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals that abrogated prior Fifth Circuit precedent that Texas-law robbery by threat and aggravated robbery by threat qualified as … More February 3-4, 2025, opinions
Designated for publication Southwick, J. (Southwick, Haynes, Douglas), Haynes, J., concurring; habeas corpus Affirming dismissal of § 2254 application based on holding that state court’s decision was not contrary to or an unreasonable application of clearly established Supreme Court precedent, when the state court determined that false testimony from the sole identifying witness regarding his … More January 17-22, 2025, opinions
