Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals News

Last week brought reports of a deal to chop as much as a decade off the prison term of Jeff Skilling, the former Enron CEO and convicted fraudster.

A federal appeals panel has upheld the dismissal of a lawsuit filed by a group of Mississippi coastal landowners who alleged that emissions by energy companies contributed to global warming, which intensified Hurricane Katrina, which, in turn, damaged their property.

Middle-aged workers took a hit during the economic downturn, with many being laid off from long-held positions.

The Associated Press 5/13/13 Houston- A federal appeals court has refused to stop the scheduled execution this week of a man convicted of killing a Houston police officer 14 years ago this week.

An ERISA plan could sue a special needs trust in order to obtain reimbursement for medical costs borne on behalf of a plan beneficiary injured in an automobile accident, the en banc 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled in reversing judgment.

A former New Orleans police officer has appealed a judge's refusal to free him on bond while he awaits a retrial on charges he shot and killed a man without justification outside a strip mall in Hurricane Katrina's aftermath.

Associated Press/David J. Phillip, File - FILE - In this Oct. 23, 2006, file photo former Enron CEO Jeff Skilling, left, leaves the federal courthouse with his attorney Daniel Petrocelli, right, after being sentenced to 292 months in federal prison.

After multiple rounds of appeals and years of litigation, the government came to an agreement today with Jeffrey Skilling, the former CEO of Enron, that will reduce his sentence by up to ten years.

An often contentious issue in maritime litigation involving both personal injury and property damage is whether the wheelman in charge of a towing vessel that exceeds 26 violated the so-called "twelve-hour rule." According to 46 U.S.C. 8104 , "an individual licensed to operate a towing vessel may not work for more than 12 hours in a consecutive ... (more)

A Houston judge will rule in June on whether to reduce convicted former Enron CEO Jeff Skilling's sentence from 24 years to a period between 14 years and 17 and-a-half years.

U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals Judge James Graves claps during the Mississippi Trailblazers awards ceremony Saturday night.

Scott Schlegel, a former Jefferson Parish prosecutor, will be sitting on the 24th Judicial District bench after decisively defeating Hilary Landry for the seat left open when Judge Robert Murphy was elected last fall to the Louisiana 5th Circuit Court of Appeal.

Former Jefferson Parish Attorney Tom Wilkinson, right, arriving at federal court with his attorney, Ralph Whalen.

The Honorable Fred L. Banks, Jr., has been selected to receive the prestigious American Inns of Court Professionalism Award for the 5th Circuit.

In an important decision for private equity sponsors and other insiders who advance loans to their businesses, on April 30, 2013, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in In re Fitness Holdings International confirmed that bankruptcy courts may recharacterize debt as equity, but held that recharacterization is determined by state law.

American Family Life Assurance Company could compel arbitration of state-law claims challenging the distribution of death benefits under an accident insurance policy, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled in affirming a summary judgment.

The Canadian Parliament has been investigating the fraud regarding US testing for Mad Cow.

Attorney and former adjunct law professor, Gary Gerrard announced today that he has officially entered the race to replace Paul Broun in the U.S. House of Representatives representing Georgia's 10th Congressional District.

TED JACKSON / THE TIMES-PICAYUNE Renee Gill Pratt leaves Federal Court leaves federal court with her attorney Michael Fawer Monday July 25, 2011.

On March 3, 2013, Marcum LLP, a professional services firm that specializes in forensic accounting and financial litigation support services, filed a Fifth Amendment takings claim in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims for the uncompensated taking of their business assets by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.