Justia U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals Opinion Summaries

Defendant pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute cocaine base and one count of knowingly possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. The indictment also alleged Defendant had suffered a prior serious violent felony conviction based on a prior Texas conviction for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon for which Defendant served more than 12 months in prison. Based on Defendant's prior conviction, the district court determined that his statutory sentencing range was ten years to life in prison. Defendant appealed the application of the recidivist enhancement.The Fifth Circuit vacated Defendant's sentence, finding that the district court plainly erred. Under Borden v. United States, 141 S. Ct. 1817 (2021), an offense requiring the use, attempted use, or threatened use of physical force against another person is not a violent felony under the Armed Career Criminal Act if it criminalizes reckless conduct. The Texas aggravated assault statute at issue, Texas Penal Code Sec. 22.02(a)(1) and (2), allows for a defendant to be convicted based on reckless conduct.The court also found that the error affected Defendant's substantial rights because there was a reasonable probability that, but for the district court’s error, Defendant would have received a lesser sentence. View "USA v. Stoglin" on Justia Law

The Bank of Louisiana (“BOL”) and two of its directors appeal the district court’s dismissal of their complaints against the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). The district court ruled that the complaints rehashed allegations that it had repeatedly held it lacked jurisdiction to consider.On appeal, the Fifth Circuit affirmed the district court’s dismissal holding that preclusion principles bar relitigation of the same jurisdictional issue decided in a prior case. The court reasoned that BOL’s new complaints aim to relitigate the same jurisdictional issue decided previously. Once again, the BOL contendsed there is district court jurisdiction over its constitutional claims against the FDIC. That is the same issue the court decided against the BOL in the prior suits. The new complaints thus repeat rather than remedy the jurisdictional problem that warranted the earlier dismissals View "Bank of Louisiana v. FDIC" on Justia Law

A mother and daughter from El Salvador were ordered removed. The Board of Immigration Appeals affirmed. Mother and daughter retained counsel and filed a petition for review in the Fifth Circuit. As a result of personal issues and the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, counsel requested three extensions to file an opening brief. Upon the final due date, instead of filing an opening brief, counsel filed a motion asking the court to dismiss the petition for the mother, but remand it for the daughter. Evidently, the mother had died and the daughter was now proceeding as a minor orphan.The Fifth Circuit denied the petition. First, counsel provided no legal arguments for the relief he sought on behalf of his clients. Second, the court was not provided with the relevant standard to apply to the voluntary withdrawal of a petition for review. Finally, the court noted that counsel provided no explanation as to why giving up on daughter's petition for review was in her best interest and that, in the court's assessment, doing so would be manifestly unjust. View "Vasquez-De Martinez v. Garland" on Justia Law

Defendant was the passenger of a vehicle stopped for a traffic violation. During the stop, the officer became suspicious, removed the men from the car, and found a firearm in a jacket on the rear floorboard of the vehicle. Initially, Defendant was charged in state court, but when it was later discovered he was an illegal alien, he was charged with a federal firearms offense.The district court denied Defendant's motion to suppress the finding that Defendant lacked standing to challenge the search. Defendant subsequently pled guilty.The Fifth Circuit affirmed the district court's denial of Defendant's motion to suppress a firearm, albeit on substantive grounds. The court noted that the standing question was a difficult one, that it decided to leave for another day to address. However, because the search was a valid protective sweep, the court affirmed the district court's denial of Defendant's motion to suppress. View "USA v. Rodriguez" on Justia Law

Plaintiff alleged that her former employer, Circassia Pharmaceuticals (“Circassia”), fired her for discriminatory and retaliatory reasons. The district court granted summary judgment for Circassia, holding that Owens had failed to create a genuine dispute of material fact as to pretext.The Fifth Circuit affirmed the district court’s grant of summary judgment for Defendant in Plaintiff’s employment discrimination lawsuit. The court held even when an employee presents evidence that would allow a jury to conclude that an employer’s proffered justification for an adverse action is false, that does not necessarily permit a rational inference that the real reason was discrimination Plaintiff provided enough evidence to permit a finding that Circassia’s proffered justification for her termination is false. But she has presented a mere scintilla of evidence that the true reason for her termination was discriminatory animus, and “the burden of proof [is hers] throughout.” The court held that summary judgment for Circassia is therefore appropriate because Plaintiff's evidence is of insufficient “nature, extent, and quality” to permit a reasonable factfinder to resolve “[t]he ultimate determination” of discrimination in her favor. Finally, the court reasoned that Plaintiff failed to raise additional arguments regarding pretext to support her retaliation claim, thus falling short of creating a genuine dispute of material fact. View "Owens v. Circassia Pharmaceuticals" on Justia Law

Defendant was a high-ranking member of the Juarez Cartel between 2000 and 2011. He was charged and convicted of three narcotics offenses, and given three life sentences. He appealed his convictions and sentences on various grounds.The Fifth Circuit affirmed Defendant's convictions and sentences. The district court's empaneling of an anonymous jury was justified based on concerns over juror safety. Reviewing for plain error, the court also rejected Defendant's claims pertaining to the admission of extraneous evidence. prosecutorial misconduct. The court held that the record was insufficient to address Defendant's ineffective assistance of counsel claims and that his sentences were neither procedurally nor substantively unreasonable. View "USA v. Castillo-Rubio" on Justia Law

Officers of the Prentiss Police Department arrested Plaintiff for aggravated assault after he and others told the officers that Plaintiff had shot the victim. Plaintiff sued the officers and the City of Prentiss under 42 U.S.C. Section 1983 for arresting him without probable cause. He argued that the officers lacked probable cause because he told them that he shot the victim in self-defense. The district court granted summary judgment on all claims and awarded fees to the defendants.   On appeal, Plaintiff argued, first, that the Officer and Chief arrested him without probable cause and that they are not entitled to qualified immunity. Second, the Chief intentionally or recklessly omitted material statements in the warrant affidavit, resulting in a warrant lacking probable cause. Third, the City of Prentiss is liable under Monell. Fourth, he established a material fact issue on his state-law malicious-prosecution claim. Finally, Defendants are not entitled to attorneys’ fees.   The Fifth Circuit affirmed the district court’s summary judgment order and award of fees to Defendants. The court reasoned it is not enough to invoke the general principle that the Fourth Amendment prohibits a warrantless arrest without probable cause. Therefore, the Officer and Chief would be entitled to qualified immunity even if they lacked probable cause for the initial warrantless arrest. Further, the court concluded that Plaintiff cannot show want of probable cause therefore, his malicious-prosecution claim cannot succeed. Finally, Plainitff has not shown that the district court abused its discretion in granting attorneys’ fees. View "Loftin v. City of Prentiss, MS" on Justia Law

Plaintiff and his son’s mother met with the insurance company’s producer seeking insurance covering the life of their adult son. The producer filled out the application, as well as a temporary insurance agreement (the “TIA”) to cover the son’s life while the application was pending. After completing the application and the TIA, the producer gave Plaintiff the opportunity to review. The producer subsequently submitted the application and authorized the TIA. After receiving notice of the death, Defendant sent Plaintiff a letter notifying him that the application had not been processed. Defendant subsequently denied coverage. Its basis for doing so was the misrepresentation and omission of key parts of the son’s medical history. Plaintiff then filed suit in state court against the producer and insurance company. The district court determined that Defendant denied coverage without just cause.The Fifth Circuit affirmed the district court’s ruling holding that the life insurance company was bound by its producer’s errors and omissions. The court reasoned that the district court acted within its discretion to deny Defendant’s pretrial motion in limine. Further, Defendant forfeited its argument related to the contractual element of “cause,” by not first presenting it to the district court. As for the insured’s “consent” to the contracts, the producer’s actions, errors and omissions in completing the insurance application and TIA were properly imputed to Defendant such that Defendant was estopped from raising the son’s lack of consent. Finally, the district court acted within its discretion in assessing penalty interest against Defendant. View "Thomas v. Ameritas Life Insurance" on Justia Law

Defendant was indicted for conspiracy to possess methamphetamine after DEA agents executed a search warrant at his motel room, recovering more than 150 grams of methamphetamine. The indictment alleged two prior convictions to trigger a sentencing enhancement, one related to operating a methamphetamine lab and the other for possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute.At trial, the government provided a detailed account of the Defendant's actions that led the DEA to obtain a search warrant, which was a controlled buy to a confidential informant. However, the officer witness who provided this testimony was not present and was merely recounting another officer's observations. Defendant was convicted.The Fifth Circuit reversed Defendant's conviction on Confrontation grounds. If the government intends to present out-of-court statements in an attempt to provide context for its investigation, use of the evidence must be “circumspect” and “limited.” Here, the witness's testimony was not limited or circumspect and provided prejudicial details that deprived him of his right to confront the witnesses against him. View "USA v. Hamann" on Justia Law

In 2004, Petitioner was ordered removed in absentia; however, he continued to reside in the United States. In 2019, Petitioner filed a motion to reopen under 8 U.S.C. Sec. 1229a(c)(7)(C)(iv)(III), which extends the amount of time a Petitioner who is a "battered spouse" can file a motion to reopen. The Board of Immigration Appeals ("BIA") denied Petitioner's motion to reopen, refusing to waive the one-year filing deadline that applied to battered spouses. The BIA determined that the abuse Petitioner suffered did not qualify as an "extraordinary circumstance" and that the hardship Petitioner or his children would not suffer "extreme hardship" if removed.The Fifth Circuit denied Petitioner's petition for review, finding that the BIA did not abuse its discretion. Extraordinary circumstances or extreme hardship requires proof of something beyond ordinary circumstances or mere hardship, and something more than the typical challenges associated with relocation. View "Pena-Lopez v. Garland" on Justia Law