December 18-20, 2025, opinions

Designated for publication per curiam (en banc) (voting against rehearing: Elrod, Stewart, Southwick, Haynes, Graves, Higginson, Willett, Ho, Douglas, Ramirez, JJ.; voting for rehearing: Jones, Smith, Richman, Duncan, Engelhardt, Oldham, Wilson, JJ.); Ho, J., concurring in denial of rehearing; Oldham, J., dissenting from denial of rehearing (joined by Jones, Smith, Richman, Duncan, Engelhardt, Wilson, JJ.) … More December 18-20, 2025, opinions

December 10-11, 2025, opinions

Designated for publication Richman, J. (Smith, Dennis, Richman) (oral argument), Dennis, J., concurring; criminal, sentencing Affirming conviction and concurrent five-year and life sentences for conspiracy to stalk and cyberstalking using a dangerous weapon and resulting in death; but vacating conviction and consecutive life sentence for using, carrying, brandishing, and discharging a firearm during a crime … More December 10-11, 2025, opinions

December 2, 2025, opinions

Designated for publication Clement, J. (Clement, Graves, Ho) (no oral argument), criminal, sentencing Vacating sentence in part and remanding for conformance of the written judgment of terms of supervised release with oral pronouncement. The Fifth Circuit confronted a recurring post-Diggles question: what should be done when a written judgment includes unpronounced discretionary conditions of supervised … More December 2, 2025, opinions

November 24, 2025, opinions

Designated for publication Duncan, J. (Smith, Graves, Duncan) (no oral argument), diversity jurisdiction, commercial litigation Affirming that diversity jurisdiction exists, and affirming summary judgment for lender/plaintiff holding defendants liable as guarantors for loans made by Appellees Cadence Bank and Century Bank. The Banks made two large loans to Bridgelink Engineering LLC (which the Johnsons managed) … More November 24, 2025, opinions

November 18-20, 2025, opinions

Designated for publication Higginbotham, J. (Higginbotham, Ho, Douglas) (no oral argument), Federal Tort Claims Act Affirming dismissal of FTCA claims. The Fifth Circuit reviewed pro se claims brought by Howard and Theresa Ellsworth under the Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA), arising from alleged negligent diabetes treatment Mr. Ellsworth received at VA facilities between 2016 and … More November 18-20, 2025, opinions

November 14, 2025, opinions

Designated for publication per curiam (Barksdale, Willett, Duncan) (oral argument withdrawn), Willett, J., concurring (joined by Duncan, J.); criminal, Second Amendment Affirming conviction of possession of a firearm by a felon, rejecting Second Amendment and Commerce Clause challenges as foreclosed by Circuit precedent. Initially designated as an unpublished opinion, then changed to designate as being … More November 14, 2025, opinions

November 6, 2025, opinions

Designated for publication Engelhardt, J. (Dennis, Southwick, Engelhardt) (oral argument), Dennis, J., dissenting in part; First Amendment, sovereign immunity, standing Vacating injunction entered on First Amendment pre-enforcement challenge brought by drag performer and organizations against Texas law regulating “sexually oriented performances on public property and in the presence of minors”; and remanding for further proceedings. … More November 6, 2025, opinions

November 5, 2025, opinions

Designated for publication Engelhardt, J. (Wiener, Engelhardt, Oldham) (oral argument withdrawn), immigration Denying Guatemalan citizen’s petitions for review of BIA denials of his motion to reopen removal proceedings and motion to reconsider. The Fifth Circuit denied Oscar Rene Rosa Arevalo’s petitions for review of the Board of Immigration Appeals’ denials of his motions to reopen … More November 5, 2025, opinions

October 23-24, 2025, opinions

Published decisions per curiam (Elrod, Jones, Higginson) (no oral argument), Higginson, J., dissenting; criminal, discovery, sealed records Granting unopposed motion for summary reversal of unexplained denial of joint unopposed motion for entry of modified protective order for production of criminal discovery records. Finding: “The dissent raises the concern that a reversal of the District Court’s … More October 23-24, 2025, opinions

October 22, 2025, opinions

Unpublished decisions per curiam (Jones, Duncan, Douglas) (no oral argument), criminal Granting Anders motion to withdraw, and dismissing appeal. per curiam (Clement, Southwick, Oldham) (no oral argument), civil Affirming judgment in favor of defendant, with no description of claims or appeal issues. per curiam (Richman, Willett, Douglas) (oral argument), Willett, J., dissenting in part; vaccine … More October 22, 2025, opinions