Fifth Circuit

A Jewish man was denied a franchise by a Christian auto repair company, prompting him to argue in the Fifth Circuit that Section 1981 of the 1866 civil rights law prohibits religious discrimination in contract decisions. The company claims requiring franchisees to be Christian aligns with its identity, while the plaintiff's attorney contends the law should extend to protect Jewish individuals.

A Texas man challenges his conviction for murdering his ex-fiancée, arguing insufficient evidence links him to the crime. His defense highlights touch DNA on a condom as unreliable due to prior cohabitation and suggests another suspect, a former police detective with a history of misconduct, may be responsible.

The children of Melissa Perez, a 46-year-old woman shot and killed by San Antonio police during a schizophrenic episode, are appealing a lower court's dismissal of their civil rights lawsuit. The Fifth Circuit is reviewing whether the officers' use of force was reasonable, with body camera footage and the officers' decision-making under scrutiny.

Texas State Board of Education approved a K-12 reading list requiring Bible stories, voting 9-5 under a 2023 law. The list includes elementary-level stories like 'David and Goliath' and high school passages from the Bible, with opt-out provisions for parents. Critics argue the mandate violates religious freedom, while supporters claim it reflects the nation's religious traditions.

The Supreme Court ruled that a Rastafarian man cannot seek damages from Louisiana prison officials who shaved his dreadlocks, citing the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA). The decision, split along ideological lines, held that individual officers could not be liable for violating religious rights, as the prison—not the officials—accepted federal funds required to uphold RLUIPA protections.

The Supreme Court revived a personal injury lawsuit against Buddy Ayers Construction, ruling that a lower court erred in dismissing the case due to omissions in the plaintiff’s bankruptcy filings. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson emphasized that judicial estoppel requires a case-by-case analysis rather than a rigid presumption of bad faith.

A court has reversed sanctions imposed on Southwest Airlines. The ruling references a prior decision by the Fifth Circuit in a related lawsuit from last year.