Designated for publication Engelhardt, J. (Smith, Haynes, Engelhardt) (oral argument), Haynes, J., dissenting; criminal, sentencing Vacating sentence of two consecutive 30-year terms for production of child pornography, and remanding for resentencing. David Koan pled guilty to two counts of production of child pornography under 18 U.S.C. § 2251(a). He had previously been sentenced in Texas … More October 1-2, 2026, opinions
Designated for publication Douglas, J. (Southwick, Higginson, Douglas) (oral argument), trade secrets, RICO Reversing dismissal of plaintiff’s RICO/theft-of-trade-secrets claim, and remanding for further proceedings. EnvTech, Inc. is a company that developed a confidential proprietary one-step chemical formula and cleaning process for hydrofluoric acid alkylation (“HF alky”) units in oil refineries, controlling roughly 80% of the … More June 9 2026, opinions
Unpublished decisions per curiam (Richman, Southwick, Willett) (no oral argument), Federal Tort Claims Act, service of process Affirming dismissal of FTCA claim for lack of sufficient service of process. per curiam (Stewart, Graves, Oldham) (no oral argument), criminal, sentencing Affirming conviction and sentence for illegal reentry. per curiam (Smith, Haynes, Oldham) (no oral argument), § … More February 16, 2026, opinions
Designated for publication Ramirez, J. (Smith, Stewart, Ramirez) (oral argument), trade secrets Affirming judgment as a matter of law vacating jury’s $75 million damages award on trade secrets misappropriation claim, and summary judgment dismissal of alternative misappropriation of confidential information claims. Trinseo Europe GmbH sued KBR, Stephen Harper, and related consulting entities, alleging misappropriation of … More January 21, 2026, opinions
Designated for publication Higginson, J. (Higginson, Ho, Wilson) (oral argument), trade secrets, injunction Vacating permanent injunction imposed with regard to claimed misappropriation of trade secrets, but otherwise affirming judgment of trade-secret-misappropriation liability on jury verdict, $56 million compensatory damages award, and $112 million exemplary damages award. Computer Sciences Corporation (“CSC”) sued Tata Consulting Services (“TCS”) … More November 21, 2025, opinions
Unpublished opinions per curiam (Stewart, Clement, Willett), criminal, sentence reduction Vacating denial of motion for sentence reduction, and remanding for reconsideration. per curiam (Smith, Graves, Duncan), breach of contract, trade secrets Affirming summary judgment and evidentiary rulings in favor of defendant in breach of contract and trade-secret-misappropriation claims. per curiam (Smith, Stewart, Duncan), criminal Affirming … More April 30, 2025, opinions
Designated for publication Elrod, C.J. (Elrod, Jones, Stewart), criminal, search and seizure Reversing grant of motion to suppress evidence from a house and vehicle, holding that the good-faith exception applied to overcome the bare-bones nature of the affidavit in support of the search warrant, and remanding for further proceedings. Southwick, J. (Southwick, Haynes, Douglas), Equal … More March 3-4, 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 per curiam (Voting AGAINST en banc rehearing: Elrod, Stewart, Southwick, Haynes, Graves, Higginson, Willett, Douglas, Ramirez, JJ.; voting FOR en banc rehearing: Jones, Smith, Richman, Ho, Duncan, Engelhardt, Oldham, Wilson, JJ.); qualified immunity Denying en banc rehearing of September 10, 2024, panel opinion (Douglas, J., joined by Wiener, J.; Smith, J., dissenting) … More January 2-5, 2025, opinions
Designated for publication Southwick, J. (Stewart, Dennis, Southwick), securities fraud Denying second petition for en banc rehearing, no active-duty judge having requested a poll, and re-issuing mandate. The Court held that the district court judge’s finding of unclean hands, such that no setoff was awarded, rather than the unclean-hands issue going to the jury, was … More August 26-27, 2024, opinions
