Case Explained: Summary Calendar Ahmad Williams; Malaika Williams Plaintiffs— v. Rent 2 Own Trailers, L.L.C.; Gabriel Arguello; Federico Arguello; Ivan Serna; Adriana Chuey; Arguello Insurance Group; Jacobo Arguello; Vickey Pirela Defendants—

Court: United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit Filed: 2026-06-18 The Fifth Circuit partially dismissed the appeal regarding the district court’s transfer order from Pennsylvania to Texas and vacated the district court’s dismissal of the underlying contract dispute, remanding the case for further proceedings. The court held that it lacked jurisdiction to review the venue transfer order issued by a district court in another circuit, as such orders are only reviewable by the court of appeals in the circuit where the transfer originated. Regarding the merits of the dismissal, the court applied a waiver standard based on the parties’ conduct and the specific terms of the lease agreement. The court found that the defendants waived their right to enforce the pre-litigation mediation clause because they failed to demand mediation within the thirty-day period following the plaintiff’s notice of dispute in June 2023, instead choosing to repossess the trailers. Furthermore, the defendants’ litigation conduct—specifically their failure to raise or pursue mediation for six months after the suit was filed and their participation in a joint case management plan without requesting mediation—compounded this waiver. Consequently, the district court erred in dismissing the case as premature based on an unenforced mediation clause. The practical consequence is that the dismissal is vacated, the case returns to the district court for further proceedings consistent with this opinion, and the parties remain free to utilize alternative dispute resolution methods if they choose. Do It For The Case Law is a news reporting service. Nothing in this episode constitutes legal advice.