5th Cir.

United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit

Every decision we've summarized from United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.

Apr 30 2026
25-60500 Per Curiam

GIS Holdings, L.L.C., (Avondale Operations); The Gray Insurance Company v. Director, Office of Workers' Compensation Programs, United States Department of Labor; Walter B. Crews...

The Fifth Circuit affirmed the Benefits Review Board's award of permanent total disability benefits to a longshoreman, finding substantial evidence supported the lower tribunal's conclusion that the worker reached maximum medical improvement and could not return to the workforce. The court rejected the employer's arguments regarding alternative employment and job retraining, noting the employer failed to meet its burden of proof and forfeited the retraining argument.

Civil Social Security
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Apr 30 2026
25-50098 Per Curiam

Otis v. Miller

The Fifth Circuit affirmed the dismissal of an inmate's Eighth Amendment claim regarding prison conditions, ruling that the complaint failed to allege personal involvement by the named officials. The court held that the plaintiff did not provide sufficient facts to demonstrate that the defendants were deliberately indifferent to a substantial risk of serious harm.

Civil Civil Rights - PLRA / Prisoner
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Apr 30 2026
25-40686 Per Curiam

Pacheco-Morales v. Young

The Fifth Circuit dismissed the appeal of a former Texas prisoner seeking to challenge his conviction, ruling that his claims were untimely and failed to state a valid cause of action. The court held that the appellant's allegations of conspiracy and discrimination were conclusory and that he cannot raise new theories of relief for the first time on appeal.

Civil Civil Rights - ADA / Other Qualified Immunity
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Apr 30 2026
25-40428 Published

United States of America v. Jose Rodriguez, Jr.

The Fifth Circuit affirmed a 240-month statutory maximum sentence for child pornography possession, rejecting claims that the district court unreasonably weighed the defendant's prior sexual assault conviction. The court held that the district court properly considered the defendant's lack of remorse and the need to protect the public under 18 U.S.C. § 3553(a).

Child Sexual Abuse Material Criminal Sentencing Guidelines Supervised Release
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Apr 30 2026
25-40395 Per Curiam

Joyce Hilts v. City of Port Arthur

The Fifth Circuit affirmed the dismissal of a former city employee's due process claims, ruling that her at-will employment status negated any protected property interest in her job. The court further held that her substantive due process claim was time-barred because the termination became final upon receipt of the notice, not after the internal appeal process concluded.

Civil Civil Rights - Employment Civil Rights - Section 1983 Summary Judgment
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Apr 30 2026
25-30712 Per Curiam

United States of America v. Elijah Martin

The Fifth Circuit reversed Elijah Martin's convictions under 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1), holding the statute unconstitutional as applied to him because his predicate offenses were simple drug possession. The court found the government failed to demonstrate a sufficient historical tradition for disarming individuals based on non-violent drug possession under the Bruen test.

Criminal Drug Trafficking Firearms
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Apr 29 2026
25-60490 Per Curiam

In the Matter of Ikechukwu H. Okorie Debtor Ikechukwu H. Okorie v. Wells Fargo Bank, N.A.; Harris County; Alief Independent School District; West Keegans Bayou Improvement District

The Fifth Circuit affirmed the denial of a debtor's motion to void bankruptcy property sales, ruling that individual debtors lack standing under 11 U.S.C. § 363(n) to pursue claims reserved for trustees. The court further held that the debtor's attempt to reopen the sales was barred by res judicata and statutory time limits.

Bankruptcy Civil Environmental (Civil) Res Judicata
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