Omni Corpus Christi Hotel
900 N. Shoreline Blvd.
Corpus Christi, TX 78401
1-800-THE-OMNI
Sponsor
The Texas Judicial Academy is a partnership between the Texas Association of Counties and the Texas Tech University School of Law.
Overview
The Probate Academy is a program designed to meet the educational needs of judges, clerks and other court personnel responsible for setting and disposing of probate and guardianship cases. The course will feature two tracks: one for judges and one for elected clerks and those responsible for daily operations of the probate court. Judges can earn 16 hours of continuing education credit for attending; approval is pending for credit for clerks. The curriculum has been designed to meet the specific needs of each constituency, emphasizing the duties set forth in the Texas Estates Code. The course also provides opportunities for interactive training and facilitated discussion with other elected officials and county personnel. In addition to in-depth training on core topics, the exchange of practical solutions to common problems is encouraged.
Reimbursement
This program is partially funded by a Judicial & Court Personnel Training Fund grant administered by the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals. In accordance with the grant guidelines, reimbursement of up to $750 per fiscal year may be provided for grant-allowable meals, lodging and transportation.
All travel reservations made through third-party vendors (Hotels.com, Expedia.com, Booking.com, etc.) cannot be reimbursed. For more information on reimbursement, please call Michele Mund at (800) 456-5974.
Reimbursement requests must be submitted to TAC within 60 days of the event. Any request received after 60 days will not be reimbursed.
Reimbursement may be provided for county judges and one clerk or clerk personnel (per county).
Who Should Attend
The content of this program is directed at constitutional county judges, elected clerks and court personnel when hearing and deposing a general jurisdiction probate docket.
County Judges Education Advisory Committee
Hon. Don Allred, Oldham County Judge, Chair
Hon. Brett Bray, Blanco County Judge
Hon. Byron Ryder, Leon County Judge
Hon. Francisco Ponce, Dimmit County Judge
Ms. Jamie Baker, Associate Dean and Director of the Law Library, Texas Tech University School of Law (ex officio)
Hon. Jimmy Sylvia, Chambers County Judge
Hon. Justin Lewis, Hill County Judge
Hon. Mark Allen, Jasper County Judge
Hon. Renee Couch, Comal County Treasurer (ex officio)
Hon. Ronnie J. Gordon, Hartley County Judge
Hon. Stephanie Davis, Comanche County Judge
Hon. Woodrow “Woody” Gossom Jr., Wichita County Judge
County Clerks Education Advisory Committee for Probate Academy
Hon. Bena E. Hester, Briscoe County District/County Clerk
Hon. Beth A. Rothermel, Washington County Clerk
Hon. Brent Zitterkopf, Howard County
Hon. Donece Gregory, Tyler County Clerk
Hon. Heidi Easley, Victoria County Clerk
Hon. Janette Green, Palo Pinto County Clerk
Hon. Julie Smith, Potter County Clerk
Registration
The conference registration fee is $125.
Registration fees are voluntary and used for expenses that are unallowable or are insufficiently covered by the Judicial & Court Personnel Training Fund grant. These include speaker fees, materials, meals and social activities. Fees are deposited in a fund held for county judge education within the general revenue funds of the Texas Association of Counties.
Omni Corpus Christi Hotel
900 N. Shoreline Blvd.
Corpus Christi, TX 78401
1-800-THE-OMNI
For reservations, book your room online or call 1-800-THE-OMNI and request space in the "2021 Probate Academy" room block. Single rooms at the prevailing GSA rate, $103, are limited, so please make your reservation as soon as possible. The deadline for these guaranteed room rates is April 20.
If needed, you may give the reservations agent our group code of 0510212020PROBA.
*Agenda is subject to change
Clerks Agenda
| Tuesday, May 11 |
| 2-5 p.m. |
Registration Desk open |
| Wednesday, May 12 |
| 7 a.m.-5 p.m. |
Registration Desk Open |
| 8 - 8:15 a.m. |
Introductions and Welcome
Hon. Beth Rothermel, Washington County Clerk
Hon. Susan M. Redford, Executive Director, TAC
Hon. Barbara Canales, Nueces County Judge
Hon. Kara Sands, Nueces County Clerk |
| 8:15 a.m.- 9:15 a.m. |
Rules of the Road + Tabs
Hon. Janette Green, Palo Pinto County Clerk
Hon. Donece Gregory, Tyler County Clerk
Hon. Beth Rothermel, Washington County Clerk |
| 9:15 a.m.- 9:45 a.m. |
Opening a Safety Deposit Box
Hon. Janette Green, Palo Pinto County Clerk |
| 9:45 a.m. – 10 a.m. |
Break |
| 10 a.m. – 11 a.m. |
Citations
Hon. Julie Smith, Potter County Clerk |
| 11 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. |
Small Estates & Temporary Administration
Hon. Donece Gregory, Tyler County Clerk
Hon. Heidi Easley, Victoria County Clerk |
| 11:45 p.m. – 12:45 p.m. |
Lunch (provided) |
| 12:45 p.m. – 2:15 p.m. |
Subsequent Filings & Commission to take Depositions
Hon. Heidi Easley, Victoria County Clerk
Hon. Julie Smith, Potter County Clerk |
| 2:15 p.m. – 2:45 p.m. |
Foreign Wills
Hon. Beth Rothermel, Washington County Clerk |
| 2:45 p.m. – 3 p.m. |
Break |
| 3 p.m. – 5 p.m. |
Overview of the Probate Process and Legislative Update
Prof. Gerry W. Beyer, Governor Preston E. Smith Regents Professor of Law, Texas Tech University School of Law |
| 5 p.m. |
Adjourn |
| Thursday, May 13 |
| 7 a.m. – 5 p.m. |
Registration Desk Open |
| 8 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. |
Rules of the Road - Guardianships +Tabs
Hon. Janette Green, Palo Pinto County Clerk
Hon. Donece Gregory, Tyler County Clerk
Hon. Beth Rothermel, Washington County Clerk |
| 9:30 a.m. – 9:45 a.m. |
Break |
| 9:45 a.m. – 10:45 a.m. |
Temporary Guardianships
Hon. Heidi Easley, County Clerk, Victoria County |
| 10:15 a.m. – 11:15 a.m. |
Subsequent Filings
Hon. Heidi Easley, County Clerk, Victoria County
Hon. Janette Green, Palo Pinto County Clerk
Hon. Donece Gregory, Tyler County Clerk
Hon. Bena E. Hester, Briscoe County/District Clerk
Hon. Beth Rothermel, Washington County Clerk
Hon. Julie Smith, Potter County Clerk
Hon. Brent Zitterkopf, Howard County Clerk |
| 11:15 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. |
Break |
| 11:30 p.m. – noon |
Guardian Case without Guardianship
Hon. Donece Gregory, County Clerk, Tyler County |
| Noon – 1 p.m. |
Lunch (provided) |
| 1 p.m. – 2 p.m. |
Annual Reports, Annual Accounts & Letters
Hon. Beth Rothermel, Washington County Clerk
Hon. Janette Green, Palo Pinto County Clerk |
| 2 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. |
Transfers In & Out
Hon. Lisa Johnson, Hemphill County Clerk
Hon. Brenda McKanna, Moore County Clerk |
| 2:30 p.m. – 3:15 p.m. |
Roundtable Discussions
Hon. Heidi Easley, County Clerk, Victoria County
Hon. Janette Green, Palo Pinto County Clerk
Hon. Donece Gregory, Tyler County Clerk
Hon. Bena E. Hester, Briscoe County/District Clerk
Hon. Beth Rothermel, Washington County Clerk
Hon. Julie Smith, Potter County Clerk
Hon. Brent Zitterkopf, Howard County Clerk |
| 3:15 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. |
Break |
| 3:30 p.m. – 5 p.m. |
Clerk's Game
Hon. Heidi Easley, County Clerk, Victoria County
Hon. Janette Green, Palo Pinto County Clerk
Hon. Donece Gregory, Tyler County Clerk
Hon. Bena E. Hester, Briscoe County/District Clerk
Hon. Beth Rothermel, Washington County Clerk
Hon. Julie Smith, Potter County Clerk
Hon. Brent Zitterkopf, Howard County Clerk |
| 5 p.m. |
Recess |
| Friday, May 14 |
| 7 a.m. – noon |
Registration and Information Desk Open |
| 8 a.m. - 9 a.m. |
Registry of the Court
Hon. Laura Hughes, Kaufman County Clerk |
| 9 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. |
Reports
Hon. Sherry Lemon, Wise County Clerk |
| 9:30 a.m. – 10 a.m. |
Wills for Safekeeping
Hon. Karen McQueen, Brazos County Clerk |
| 10 a.m. – 10:45 a.m. |
Appeals
Hon. Teresa Kiel, Guadalupe County Clerk |
| 10:45 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. |
Legislative
Ms. Nannette Forbes, Legislative Consultant, TAC
Hon. Joyce Hudman, Brazoria County Clerk |
| 11:45 a.m. |
Adjourn |
Judges Agenda
| Tuesday, May 11 |
| 7 a.m.-5 p.m. |
Registration Desk Open |
| Wednesday, May 12 |
| 7 a.m.-5 p.m. |
Registration Desk Open |
| 8-8:15 a.m. |
Introductions and Welcome
Hon. Don Allred, Judge, Oldham County
Hon. Susan M. Redford, Executive Director, TA |
| 8:15 – 9:15 a.m. |
Overview of the Probate Process
Speaker: Prof. Gerry Beyer, Texas Tech University School of Law |
| 9:15 – 9:30 a.m. |
Break |
| 9:30 – 10:30 a.m. |
Legislative Update
Speaker: Prof. Gerry Beyer, Texas Tech University School of Law |
| 10:30 – 10:45 a.m. |
Break |
| 10:45 – 11:45 a.m. |
Collaboration: The Judge/Clerk Relationship
Speaker: Hon. Lucy Hebron, Judge, Wood County |
| 11:45 a.m. – 12:45 p.m. |
Buffet Lunch |
| 12:45 – 1:45 p.m. |
Nuts & Bolts of Guardianships
Speaker: Hon. Greg Holly, Judge, Ward County |
| 1:45 – 2 p.m. |
Break |
| 2 – 3 p.m. |
Special Mental Health Considerations in Guardianship Law and Orders of Protection in Texas
Speaker: Hon. Nathaniel Moran, Judge, Smith County |
| 3 – 3:15 p.m. |
Break |
| 3:15 – 4:15 p.m. |
Alternatives to Guardianship
Speaker: Hon. Justin Lewis, Judge, Hill County |
| 4:15 p.m. |
Recess |
| Thursday, May 13 |
| 7 a.m. – 5 p.m. |
Registration Desk Open |
| 8 – 9 a.m. |
Self-Help Testator-Holographic Wills, Codicils and Other Do-It-Yourself Issues
Speaker: Prof. Gerry Beyer, Texas Tech University School of Law |
| 9 – 9:15 a.m. |
Break |
| 9:15 – 10:15 a.m. |
Declaratory Judgements in Probate
Speaker: Prof. Gerry Beyer, Texas Tech University School of Law |
| 10:15 – 10:30 a.m. |
Break |
| 10:30 – 11:30 a.m. |
The Bank Account – Probate Estate Interface
Speaker: Prof. Gerry Beyer, Texas Tech University School of Law |
| 11:30 – 12:30 p.m. |
Buffet Lunch |
| 12:30 – 1:30 p.m. |
Judicial Update (Review of Recent Appellate Court Cases)
Speaker: Prof. Gerry Beyer, Texas Tech University School of Law |
| 1:30 – 1:45 p.m. |
Break |
| 1:45 – 2:45 p.m. |
Heirships and Administrations in Texas
Speaker: Ms. Susan Forbes, Partner, Forbes & Forbes |
| 2:45 – 3 p.m. |
Break |
| 3 – 4 p.m. |
Special Roles in Probate and Guardianships: Attorneys and Guardians Ad Litem, Investigators and Mediators
Speaker: Mr. Gus Tamborello, Attorney, Gus G Tamborello, P.C. |
| 4 – 4:15 p.m. |
Break |
| 4:15 – 5:15 p.m. |
Ethical Considerations in Probate and Guardianship
Speakers: Hon. Alan Bristol, County Relations Officer, TAC
Hon. Mary Cunningham, Judicial Program Manager, TAC
Hon. Tramer Woytek, Judicial Resource Liaison, TAC |
| 5:15 p.m. |
Recess |
| Friday, May 14 |
| 7 a.m. – noon |
Registration and Information Desk Open |
| 8 – 9 a.m. |
Bonds, Annual Reports and Transfers in Guardianship Cases in Texas
Speaker: Hon. Amanda Matzke, Judge, County Court at Law #1, Brazos County |
| 9 – 9:15 a.m. |
Break |
| 9:15 – 10:15 a.m. |
Texas Estates Code: What is a Valid Will in Texas
Speaker: Hon. Curtis Parrish, Judge, Lubbock County |
| 10:15 – 10:30 a.m. |
Break |
| 10:30 – 11:30 a.m. |
Kahoot! Game and Review
Speakers: Hon. Mary Cunningham, Judicial Program Manager, TAC
Hon. Tramer Woytek, Judicial Resource Liaison, TAC |
| 11:30 a.m. |
Adjourn |
*Agenda is subject to change
The Probate Academy provides 16 hours of judicial education credit for constitutional county judges. Application is pending for clerk education hours. Application is pending with the State Bar of Texas to determine MCLE credit for attorneys.
| Continuing Education Type |
Hours |
| Judges |
16 hours |
| Clerks |
16:45 hours |
| Attorneys |
16 CLE hours, includes 2 ethics hours |
All cancellation and refund requests must be received in writing (fax or email acceptable) on or before April 27.
Please email Regan Frugé at
reganf@county.org or send a fax to (512) 477-1324 to cancel your conference registration.