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 2 2026
24-40612 Published

Autoficio, L.L.C; Brian Whiteside Plaintiffs— v. Cimble Corporation; Alvin Allen; Paul Barrett Defendants—

The Fifth Circuit affirmed a district court judgment in favor of Brian Whiteside, ruling that he had standing to sue despite acting as an agent for a corporate entity. The court further held that the jury's finding of justifiable reliance was supported by sufficient evidence and that the exclusion of a disputed tape recording did not prejudice the defendants' substantial rights.

Civil Environmental (Civil)
Read summary →
Apr 2 2026
25-10468 Per Curiam

United States of America v. Carlos Robles

The Fifth Circuit affirmed Carlos Robles's sentence, ruling that the district court properly applied sentencing guidelines cross-references and enhancements based on relevant conduct involving grooming and sexual acts with a minor. The court further upheld supervised release conditions requiring SORNA compliance and polygraph testing as reasonably related to public safety and the nature of the offense.

Child Sexual Abuse Material Criminal Sentencing Guidelines Supervised Release
Read summary →
Apr 2 2026
25-60109 Per Curiam

Washington v. Cain

The Fifth Circuit affirmed the dismissal of a prison employee's civil rights suit, holding that she lacked Article III standing to challenge prosecutorial decisions. The court modified the judgment to dismiss the claims without prejudice, noting that federal courts cannot supervise criminal investigations or second-guess the vigor of prosecutions.

Civil Civil Rights - PLRA / Prisoner Standing
Read summary →
Apr 2 2026
25-10619 Per Curiam

Neil McDougall v. Saudi Arabian Oil Company, doing business as Saudi Aramco

The Fifth Circuit affirmed the dismissal of a fraud lawsuit against Saudi Aramco, ruling that the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act bars the suit because the alleged torts occurred in Saudi Arabia. The court held that the defendant's Houston-based subsidiary did not qualify as an agency or instrumentality of the foreign state for the purposes of the commercial-activity exception.

Civil Insurance
Read summary →
Apr 2 2026
25-60269 Panel Decision

United States of America v. Lexus Sanchez Weaver

The Fifth Circuit reversed a district court's suppression order, holding that a search warrant affidavit supported by three controlled drug buys was not a bare-bones document. The court also remanded the case for a new determination on whether the defendant implicitly waived his Miranda rights during a custodial interview.

Civil Civil Rights - Voting
Read summary →
Apr 2 2026
25-20062 Per Curiam

Brown v. American First National Bank

The Fifth Circuit affirmed summary judgment for American First National Bank, ruling that the Browns failed to provide sufficient evidence to prove racial discrimination under 42 U.S.C. § 1981. The court held that the plaintiffs' allegations were speculative and did not allow a reasonable jury to infer that the bank's refusal to open accounts was motivated by race rather than legitimate business concerns.

Civil Civil Rights - Employment Summary Judgment
Read summary →
Apr 2 2026
25-10489 Panel Decision

Porch.com Plaintiff— v. Gallagher Re, Incorporated, formerly known as Willis Re Defendant—

The Fifth Circuit reversed the dismissal of Porch.com's breach of contract claims against Gallagher Re, holding that the district court erred by resolving factual disputes regarding the broker's post-placement administrative duties. The appellate court affirmed the dismissal of claims related to record retention and sanctions compliance but remanded the case to allow a jury to determine if Gallagher failed to properly administer reserve funding and collateral verification.

Bankruptcy Civil Contract
Read summary →
Apr 2 2026
25-40363 Per Curiam

United States of America Plaintiff— v. Noel Mercado Defendant—

The Fifth Circuit remanded the case to correct a clerical error in the Presentence Investigation Report that retained an inapplicable obstruction of justice enhancement. The court ordered the district court to amend the record to ensure official documents accurately reflect the sentencing proceedings without altering the defendant's conviction or sentence.

Criminal Obstruction of Justice Sentencing Guidelines
Read summary →