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.

Mar 18 2026

25-20119 Panel Decision

In the Matter of Instant Brands Acquisition Holdings Inc. Et al. Debtor GuangDong Midea Consumer Electric Manufacturing Company Limited; FoShan ShunDe Midea Electrical Heating A...

The Fifth Circuit affirmed the bankruptcy court's ruling that individual purchase orders under a master supply agreement are divisible contracts, allowing a debtor to retain indemnification rights for completed transactions. This decision clarifies that when parties negotiate distinct terms for each order, those orders remain separate from the overarching master agreement for bankruptcy assignment purposes.

Bankruptcy Civil

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Mar 18 2026

25-60349 Per Curiam

George Massey v. Sean Tindell

The Fifth Circuit vacated a certificate of appealability because it failed to indicate a substantial showing of the denial of a constitutional right as required by federal statute. The court dismissed the appeal because the petitioner's sole claim was for actual innocence, which is not cognizable under federal habeas corpus review.

Constitutional Habeas Corpus - State Prisoner (28 USC 2254)

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Mar 18 2026

25-40289 Per Curiam

United States v. Lindsey

The Fifth Circuit affirmed a conviction for possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. The court held that law enforcement officers possessed reasonable suspicion to prolong a traffic stop despite the defendant's arguments regarding innocent conduct.

Criminal Drug Trafficking

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Mar 18 2026

25-40302 Per Curiam

Rahdar v. City of Friendswood

The Fifth Circuit affirmed the dismissal of a couple's Section 1983 claims alleging false and retaliatory arrest, ruling that police officers had probable cause for both incidents. The court held that the plaintiffs failed to overcome the qualified immunity defense because the officers' actions did not violate clearly established law.

Civil Civil Rights - Employment Civil Rights - Section 1983 Qualified Immunity

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Mar 18 2026

25-40644 Per Curiam

Hrncir v. Internal Revenue Service

The Fifth Circuit affirmed the dismissal of Anthony Hrncir's pro se complaint for lack of subject matter jurisdiction. The court held that Hrncir failed to adequately brief his arguments and that his novel legal theories regarding intellectual consciousness do not establish a valid cause of action under the Freedom of Information Act or the Privacy Act.

Civil Social Security Standing

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Mar 18 2026

25-10986 Per Curiam

United States v. Castillo

The Fifth Circuit granted appointed counsel's motion to withdraw and dismissed the criminal appeal after finding no nonfrivolous issues for review. The court concluded the appeal was frivolous under the Anders standard because the defendant failed to file a response and the record supported counsel's assessment.

Anders Brief Criminal

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Mar 18 2026

24-20550 Panel Decision

United States of America v. Arturo Mendoza

The Fifth Circuit vacated three supervised release conditions imposed on a child pornography defendant because the district court failed to specify their duration or justify their necessity. The court held that location monitoring cannot include home detention without explicit order and that financial conditions require a finalized restitution award to be lawful.

Child Sexual Abuse Material Criminal Sentencing Guidelines Supervised Release

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Mar 18 2026

25-10408 Per Curiam

United States v. Garcia Brizuela

The United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit granted a motion by the Federal Public Defender to withdraw from representing the defendant. The court dismissed the appeal after finding no nonfrivolous issues for appellate review.

Anders Brief Criminal

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Mar 17 2026

25-50659 Per Curiam

United States v. Chapa-Castaneda

The Fifth Circuit affirmed a conviction for illegal reentry under Section eight thousand three hundred twenty-six. The court rejected a constitutional challenge to the recidivism enhancement, noting the argument is foreclosed by Supreme Court precedent.

Criminal Immigration (Criminal)

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Mar 17 2026

24-30154 Per Curiam

United States v. Hawthorne

The Fifth Circuit affirmed Gabriel Hawthorne's conviction and sentence for conspiring to distribute fentanyl, finding the evidence sufficient to support the verdict. The court also rejected Hawthorne's motion for a new trial and found no error in the district court's sentencing explanation.

Criminal Drug Trafficking

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