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Split Fifth Circuit Panel Grants Mandamus to Order Venue Transfer Under 28 U.S.C. § 1404(a), Holding That District Court Erred in Relying on Court Congestion as a Controlling Factor

The Fifth Circuit has been the site of vexing and notorious venue battles, as parties jostle to forum shop – or avoid – districts in Texas and Louisiana. In In re Google, No. 25-40788 (5th Cir. April 7, 2026), a 2-1 panel holds that the district court clearly abused its discretion in denying defendant Google,…

Split Fourth Circuit Panel Holds That There Was No Injury Fairly Traceable to Maryland State Officials Under the Federal Servicemembers Civil Relief Act, and Thus No Article III Standing by Servicemembers to Enforce the Act

In Rouse v. Fader, No. 25-1004 (4th Cir. Mar. 24, 2026), a 2-1 panel of the Fourth Circuit holds that the plaintiffs—“three married couples, each with one spouse who was an active-duty servicemember”—lacked Article III standing to enforce the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act, 50 U.S.C. § 3902, because no injury was fairly traceable to the…

Fifth Circuit Clears Up Intracircuit Conflict, Holding That Video Recordings of Depositions Are Taxable as Costs Under Fed. R. Civ. P. 54(d)(1) and 28 U.S.C. § 1920

In Clouse v. Southern Methodist Univ., No. 24-10860 (5th Cir. Mar. 16, 2026), the Fifth Circuit resolves a split among the circuit’s district courts by holding that ordering both video and printed depositions are chargeable as costs under Fed. R. Civ. P. 54(d)(1) and  28 U.S.C. § 1920. The panel thus affirms a total $184,033.11…

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