Tag: Title VII

December 15, 2023, opinions

December 18, 2023

Designated for publication Southwick, J. (Barksdale, Southwick, Higginson), Higginson, J., dissenting; voting rights, election law, standing Reversing summary judgment in favor of voter advocacy organization, and rendering judgment in favor of Texas officials (actively defended by intervenor attorney general) rejecting organization’s challenge to Texas’s original “wet” signature requirement as a violation of the Civil Rights … More December 15, 2023, opinions

December 8, 2023, opinions

December 11, 2023

Designated for publication per curiam (Smith, Higginson, Engelhardt), criminal, Commerce Clause, Second Amendment, gun laws Affirming conviction of possession of a firearm by a felon. The Court held there was no plain error in application of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g) under the Commerce Clause, holding that Circuit precedent is clear that the statute does not … More December 8, 2023, opinions

November 30, 2023, opinions

December 1, 2023

Unpublished per curiam (Dennis, Engelhardt, Oldham), criminal, sentencing Affirming 72-month sentence, based on crime-of-violence sentencing enhancement, and constitutionality of conviction of being a felon in possession of a firearm. per curiam (Elrod, Ho, Wilson), Ho, J., dissenting in part; qualified immunity Dismissing appeal in part, reversing denial of qualified immunity summary judgment in part, and … More November 30, 2023, opinions

November 29, 2023, opinions

November 30, 2023

Designated for publication per curiam (King, Smith, Elrod), qualified immunity, municipal liability, Americans with Disabilities Act Affirming qualified immunity dismissal of plaintiff’s excessive force claims against K9 officer arising from dog-bite injuries when officers responded to call that plaintiff was suicidal, and bystander liability claims against second officer; and 12(b)(6) dismissal of municipal liability claim … More November 29, 2023, opinions

November 6, 2023, opinions

November 7, 2023

Unpublished per curiam (Wiener, Willett, Douglas), criminal, sentencing Affirming 110-month sentence on conviction of possession of a firearm by a felon in connection with a drug trafficking offense. per curiam (Willett, Duncan, Douglas), criminal, sentencing Affirming sentence on conviction of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine; possession of cocaine with intent to distribute … More November 6, 2023, opinions

November 2, 2023, opinions

November 3, 2023

Designated for publication Elrod, J. (Stewart, Elrod, Graves), qualified immunity, expert testimony, First Amendment Affirming in part and reversing in part qualified immunity dismissal of plaintiff’s claims arising from arrest for making a false report of a hostage situation. The Court first held that the district court did not abuse its discretion in excluding the … More November 2, 2023, opinions

October 23, 2023, opinions

October 24, 2023

Designated for publication Southwick, J. (Stewart, Dennis, Southwick), habeas corpus Affirming district court judgment granting sec. 2241 petition on holding that Louisiana state prisoner had a state-created liberty interest in parole that had been granted under Louisiana law, in suit arising from rescission of that parole just prior to its effective date. The Court first … More October 23, 2023, opinions

October 19, 2023, opinions

October 23, 2023

Unpublished per curiam (Wiener, Stewart, Douglas), prisoner suit Affirming summary judgment dismissal of jail detainee’s § 1983 claims. per curiam (Stewart, Graves, Oldham), appellate jurisdiction Dismissing as frivolous appeal from 2012 summary judgment. per curiam (Higginbotham, Stewart, Southwick), criminal, sentencing Affirming sentence on conviction of possessing a counterfeit mail key. per curiam (Higginbotham, Smith, Elrod), … More October 19, 2023, opinions

October 12, 2023, opinions

October 13, 2023

Designated for publication Duncan, J. (Wiener, Southwick, Duncan), First Amendment Vacating preliminary injunction against enforcement of city ordinance regulating aspects of operations, including business hours, of sexually-oriented businesses, and remanding for further proceedings. The Court summarized, “Under longstanding Supreme Court precedent, the Ordinance is likely constitutional. The City’s evidence reasonably showed a link between SOBs’ … More October 12, 2023, opinions

October 10-11, 2023, decisions

October 13, 2023

Designated for publication Clement, J. (Clement, Elrod, Willett), spoliation, trade secrets Affirming spoliation sanction of default judgment and damages award against spoliating defendant in suit alleging misappropriation of proprietary software code. Higginson, J. (Smith, Higginson, Willett), takings Reversing judgment that city violated Takings Clause when it refused to compensate a homeowner for damage to her … More October 10-11, 2023, decisions