Designated for publication per curiam (Higginbotham, Southwick, Higginson), Higginbotham, J., concurring; taking On remand from the U.S. Supreme Court, withdrawing previous order remanding to the district court with instructions to return litigation to the state court and instead remanding to the district court to decide whether to return the litigation to state court. Judge Higginbotham … More November 12-14, 2024, opinions
Designated for publication per curiam (Smith, Southwick, Douglas), criminal, restitution Affirming the denial of a motion for adjustment of a restitution order, holding that an inmate’s $1400 stimulus payment under the American Rescue Plan Act was not exempt from being applied toward a restitution order. Unpublished per curiam (King, Stewart, Haynes), criminal, guilty plea Affirming … More January 9, 2023, opinions
Designated for publication per curiam (Clement, Duncan, Wilson), prisoner suit, First Amendment Affirming summary judgment dismissal of Texas state prisoner’s § 1983 claims that confiscation of religious materials violated his First Amendment rights. The Court held that TDJC policies regarding storage of personal property and the confiscation of any personal property not stored properly according … More October 4-5, 2022, opinions
Designated for publication Garcia v. Orta, 21-50890, appeal from W.D. Tex. Southwick, J. (Smith, Wiener, Southwick), qualified immunity Reversing denial of summary judgment and rendering summary judgment in favor of arresting officers on qualified immunity grounds, dismissing plaintiff’s suit for detention without probable cause for DWI. Plaintiff had been held in pretrial detention, unable to … More August 25, 2022, opinions
Designated for publication Vazquez-Guerra v. Garland, 18-60828, petition for review of BIA order Ho, J. (Smith, Graves, Ho), immigration Denying petition for review of Mexican citizen’s petition for review of BIA order dismissing appeal of IJ order denying asylum and withholding of removal for her and her minor daughter based on an expressed fear that … More July 29, 2021 opinions
Brackeen v. Haaland, 18-11479, appeal from N.D. Tex. per curiam (Owen, Jones, Smith, Wiener, Stewart, Dennis, Elrod, Southwick, Haynes, Graves, Higginson, Costa, Willett, Duncan, Engelhardt, Oldham), Indian Child Welfare Act, standing, Administrative Procedures Act No one principal opinion commanded a majority of the en banc Court as to the constitutionality of the Indian Child Welfare … More Take the Fifth: April 6 and 7, 2021 opinions
Designated for publication U.S. v. Batiste, 19-30927, appeal from E.D. La. Engelhardt, J., (Graves, Costa, Engelhardt), criminal, sentencing, First Step Act Affirming in part sentence of imprisonment and denial of sentence-reduction under the First Step Act, but remanding in part the portion of the sentence regarding the term of supervised release for the district court … More Take the Fifth: Nov. 13, 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
