Unpublished decisions per curiam (Haynes, Graves, Ramirez) (no oral argument), prisoner suit Reversing in part and affirming in part dismissal of Texas state prisoner’s sec. 1983 claims. At issue on appeal was whether a Texas prisoner stated viable 42 U.S.C. § 1983 claims for (1) failure to protect under the Eighth Amendment against a sergeant … More July 27, 2026, opinions
Designated for publication Willett, J. (Stewart, Willett, Wilson) (no oral argument), Stewart, J., dissenting in part; mandamus, appellate jurisdiction, voluntary dismissal, school desegregation Dismissing appeal for lack of jurisdiction over judgment that was entered after voluntary dismissal of school desegregation case, and granting mandamus vacating post-dismissal judgment. This school-desegregation case had been pending for more … More July 13-15, 2026, decisions
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 Engelhardt, J. (Higginson, Willett, Engelhardt) (oral argument), Willett, J., concurring in part; class action, employment, Americans with Disabilities Act Affirming district court’s rejection of two proposed classes and certification of one modified subclass of United Airlines employees who sought religious accommodations from COVID-19 vaccine mandate and who were accommodated with unpaid leave. … More March 9, 2026, opinions
Designated for publication per curiam (Smith, Richman, Graves) (oral argument), free exercise, mootness On receiving an answer of “no” from the Texas Supreme Court on the certified question of whether Texas’s Code of Judicial Conduct prohibited judges from publicly refusing to perform same-sex weddings while continuing to perform opposite-sex weddings, holding that the suit was … More February 24, 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Unpublished decisions per curiam (Richman, Southwick, Willett) (no oral argument), Federal Tort Claims Act, service of process Affirming dismissal of FTCA claim for lack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
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
Designated for publication Willett, J. (Richman, Willett, Douglas), Douglas, J., dissenting; international custody, Hague Convention Granting panel rehearing, and entering new panel opinion reversing and remanding to district court with instructions to order the return of child to father in Venezuela. A Venezuelan father, Jose Leonardo Brito Guevara, sought the return of his daughter, A.F., … More September 4-5, 2025, opinions
Designated for publication Graves, J. (Smith, Graves, Duncan), trademark infringement, Lanham Act Affirming summary judgment in defendants’ favor on Lanham Act trademark infringement claims. This case stems from a dispute among members of the 1990s R&B group Jade. Di Reed sued her former bandmates Joi Marshall and Tonya Harris, along with a new singer, Myracle … More July 2, 2025, opinions
Unpublished per curiam (Elrod, Haynes, Duncan), criminal Granting Anders motion to withdraw, and dismissing appeal. per curiam (Jolly, Jones, Willett), Willett, J., concurring in judgment only; breach of contract, antitrust, recusal, diversity jurisdiction Dismissing as frivolous appeal from judgment denying motion to remand and judgment dismissing breach of contract and antitrust claims, among other claims, … More February 24, 2025, opinions
