Judicial Orientation for New County Judges

Sponsored By

The Texas Judicial Academy is a partnership between the Texas Association of Counties and the Texas Tech University School of Law.

Overview

The Judicial Orientation for New County Judges is a great opportunity for newly elected judges to meet their peers and other professionals in judicial education. New judges will become acquainted with and proficient in the key functions of their judicial duties. Our goal is for judges to leave the education sessions with ample knowledge and confidence to perform the duties of their office.

Reimbursement

This program is partially funded by a Judicial and Court Personnel Training Fund Grant administered by the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals. County judges may be reimbursed at the General Services Administration (GSA) rates for allowable travel, lodging, and meal expenses.

Flight and hotel reservations are not reimbursable through third-party vendors such as Expedia, Hotwire, etc. Reimbursements must be submitted to TAC within 60 days of the event.  Any reimbursement received after 60 days will not be reimbursed. Reimbursement may be provided for county judges only.

Who Should Attend

All county judges with judicial duties who were elected in the 2018 general election, and any judge elected or appointed since Jan. 1, 2015.

Registration

Early conference registration is $250 through Jan. 15. After Jan. 15, registration is $275.

Registration fees are voluntary and used for expenses that are unallowable or are insufficiently covered by the Judicial and Court Personnel Training Fund Grant. This includes speaker fees, materials, meals, and social activities. Fees collected are deposited to a fund held for county judges education within the general revenue funds for the Texas Association of Counties.

County Judges Education Advisory Committee

Hon. Wes Suiter, Chair, Angelina County Judge
Hon. Don Allred, Oldham County Judge
Hon. Brett Bray, Blanco County Judge
Hon. Ronnie J. Gordon, Hartley County Judge
Hon. Woodrow “Woody” Gossom, Jr., Wichita County Judge
Hon. Justin Lewis, Hill County Judge
Hon. Francisco Ponce, Dimmit County Judge
Hon. Byron Ryder, Leon County Judge
Hon. Jimmy Sylvia, Chambers County Judge
Hon. Becky A. Wilbanks, Cass County Judge
Ms. Jamie Baker, Associate Law Librarian and Interim Director, Texas Tech University School of Law Library (ex-officio)
Ms. Alyson Drake, Assistant Director for Public Services, Director of the Excellence in Legal Research Program, and Assistant Law Librarian, Texas Tech University School of Law (ex-officio)