Call to Order and Introductions

Presiding: Honorable Harrison Stafford II; Chairman, County Judges Education Committee; and Judge, Jackson County

Finding of Facts & Conclusion of Law

Mr. Kollin Shadle, Assistant Criminal District Attorney, Appellate Chief, Lubbock County Criminal District Attorney's Office

Learn how to gather and write the facts a judge finds to be true and the conclusions of law stemming from those facts.

Extradition

Mr. Steve Chalender, Law Enforcement Specialist, Texas Association of Counties

Extradition is the process of returning a person charged with a misdemeanor in Texas from another state to appear before a Texas court. Outline the entire extradition process and the enabling statutes.

Civil Procedure

Mr. Rex Hall, Associate General Counsel, Texas Association of Counties

Discuss civil trials, including objections, side bar comments during a trial, and the rules of civil procedure.

Civil Procedure (continued)

Mr. Gene Terry, Director of Operations, Texas Association of Counties

Discuss civil trials, including objections, side bar comments during a trial, and the rules of civil procedure.

Mock Contempt of Court Hearing

Honorable Woody Gossom, Judge, Wichita County

Honorable Susan Redford, Judge, Ector County

Honorable Daniel Burkeen, Judge, Limestone CountyWatch a live demonstration and discuss  the types of contempt of court. Review Texas law and procedures regarding contempt of court, addressing common issues that arise in this area and ways to deal with the contemnor.

Judicial Ethics and Problem Solving

Mr. Tom Broussard, Attorney, Texas State Commission on Judicial Conduct

Receive an overview of the Texas State Commission on Judicial Conduct and its procedures.

Electronic Court Reporting, Jefferson Audio Video Systems

Mr. Bob Mullins and Mr. David Layne: Jefferson Audio Video Systems            

Four technical experts demonstrate the flexibility that courts and judges have in creating trial records using electronic court-reporting technology.

Bail Bond Forfeiture

Mr. John Grace, Assistant Criminal District Attorney, Civil Litigation, Lubbock County

Follow the forfeiture procedure from the time a defendant posts bond then fails to appear, until it ends with a judgment nisi.                       

Search and Seizure

Mr. Charles P. Bubany, Professor, Texas Tech University School of Law

Discuss search and seizure law, outlining the constitutional and Texas statutory limits on law enforcement activity. Also review the requirements for issuance of arrest and search warrants.

Break

Electronic Monitoring Devices Demonstration

Dr. Rachel Smith, President and CEO, Victim's Safety First

Mr. Eddie Sandoval, Chief Operations Officer, Victim’s Safety First

Explore various electronic devices for monitoring probationers and discover the benefits and disadvantages of each, including cost.

Managing Alternative Sentencing

Honorable Charlie Baird, District Judge, 299 District Court,            

Get an inside look at a well-known judge’s innovative and sometimes controversial methods of appropriate sentencing, along with his rationale for reducing jail population and recidivism.

Honorable Daniel Burkeen, Judge, Limestone County

Explore the judge’s responsibility and the procedures for handling pre-trial motions and hearings.

Consequences of Drunk Driving: A Personal Story

Experience the personal account of the consequences of drunk driving from a young convict in the Georgia prison system. This moving account of life after conviction illustrates the unrecognized result of driving while impaired.

Judicial Legislative Update

Mr. Jim Allison, Allison, Bass, and Associates, Austin; and General Counsel County Judges & Commissioners Association of Texas

Discuss bills filed in the 81st legislative session that potentially impact constitutional county judges and courts.