| Tuesday, Mar. 23 |
| Noon-5 p.m. |
Registration Desk Open |
| Commissioners Court Administrative Training |
| 1-1:50 p.m. |
County Budgeting
Speaker: Hon. Tramer Woytek, Judicial Education Liaison, TAC
|
| 1:50-2:40 p.m. |
Adopting and Calculating the Tax Rate
Speaker: Mr. Nathan Cradduck, Tom Green County Auditor
|
| 2:40-2:50 p.m. |
Break |
| 2:50-3:40 p.m. |
Agendas, Postings and Open Meeting Requirements
Speaker: Hon. Mary Cunningham, Judicial Program Manager, TAC
|
| 3:40-4:30 p.m. |
Communicating to the Public
Speaker: Dr. Peter McGuill, Director, V.G. Young Institute of County Government, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service
|
| Wednesday, Mar. 24 |
| 7:00 a.m. - 5 p.m. |
Registration Desk Open |
| 7-8 a.m. |
Coffee and Breakfast Buffet |
| 8 - 8:15 a.m |
Welcome & Introductions
|
| 8:15-9:15 a.m. |
Judicial Discretion and Ethics
The ability of judges to exercise discretion in the courtroom is a central tenant to justice and fairness in Texas. This session will review areas where the judge can exercise discretion and guidance on when it is appropriate.
Hon. Susan Redford, Executive Director, TAC
|
| 9:15 – 9:30 a.m. |
Break |
| 9:30 – 10:30 a.m. |
Appeals: Process and Interesting Cases
Judges are often faced with appeals to their rulings. This session will cover the basic process of appeals from County Courts and give the judges insight into some interesting cases and processes in the Courts of Appeals in Texas.
Hon. Kevin Yeary, Judge, Texas Court of Criminal Appeals
|
| 10:30 – 10:45 a.m. |
Break |
| 10:45 - 11:45 a.m. |
Indigent Defense
Introduction to the right to counsel for those charged with crimes who are unable to afford to hire their own attorney. This session will include an overview of the Texas Indigent Defense Commission’s grant and monitoring programs, the Texas Fair Defense Act, and key requirements of compliance for county judges in regard to indigent defendants.
Mr. Scott Ehlers, Director of Public Defense Improvement, Texas Indigent Defense Commission
|
| 11:45 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. |
Lunch Buffet
|
| 12:15 - 1:15 p.m. |
Lunch and Learn: Case Law Update
This session will provide an update of recent legislation impacting the prosecution and defense in Driving While Intoxicated cases, which are a major portion of criminal misdemeanor dockets in county courts.
Ms. Jessica Frazier, Chief Civil Prosecutor, Comal County
|
| 1:15 – 1:30 p.m. |
Break |
| 1:30 – 2:30 p.m. |
Emergency Detention Orders and Orders of Protection
This session will assist judges to better understand the role of emergency detention orders and orders of protective custody and special considerations in mental health cases.
Hon. Nathaniel Moran, Judge, Smith County
|
| 2:30 – 2:45 p.m. |
Break |
| 2:45 – 3:45 p.m. |
Guardianships
This session will cover substantive and procedural special issues that arise in guardianship cases and examine matters such as service, standing, mental health issues, bonds, APS investigations, wards, reporting and compliance issues, and complications that arise from removal or withdrawal of guardians.
Hon. Justin Lewis, Judge, Hill County
|
| 3:45 – 4 p.m. |
Break |
| 4 – 5 p.m. |
Cybersecurity Session
In today’s digital world, do you know some of the cyber security and privacy risks your office and related third-party vendors might face? The task of managing cyber and privacy risk is everyone’s job. This session will provide an overview of some common risks, threats and how to manage and mitigate them with some cybersecurity and privacy best practices.
Mr. Kevin Hurley, Membership Development Manage
Mr. David Sandoval, Cyber Security Consultant, TAC
|
| 5 p.m. |
Recognition of Fellows of Texas Judicial Academy |
| 5:15 p.m. |
Recess |
| Thursday, Mar. 25 |
| 7:00 a.m. – 5 p.m. |
Registration Desk Open |
| 7-8 a.m. |
Coffee and Breakfast Buffet |
| 8:15 – 9:15 a.m. |
Ethical Dilemmas for Judges
This session will review specific and recurring issues presented for judges and considerations insuring compliance with the Code of Judicial Conduct.
Hon. Tramer Woytek, Judicial Resource Liaison, TAC
|
| 9:15 – 9:30 a.m. |
Break |
| 9:30 – 10:30 a.m. |
Evidence: Hearsay
County Judges are frequently faced with evidentiary decisions, many of which involve hearsay rules. Judges will acquire information related to hearsay objections to assist them in distinguishing proper evidence, objections, and analysis and to determine admission and weight of this evidence.
Prof. John Watts, Texas Tech University
|
| 10:30 – 10:45 a.m. |
Break |
| 10:45 – 11:45 a.m. |
Docket Considerations in Criminal Prosecutions
This session will provide judges with an overview of preparing and managing the court’s docket and will provide practical tips to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of your court.
Hon. Alan Bristol, County Relations Officer, TAC
|
| 11:45 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. |
Lunch Buffet |
| 12:15 – 1:15 p.m. |
Lunch and Learn: DWI and Misdemeanor Prosecutions
This session will discuss misdemeanor crimes and the consequences of conviction for those crimes. DWI cases are prevalent in County Court and the discussion will focus on those cases and various options available in sentencing.
Hon. Ben Nolen, Judge, Tom Green County Court-at-Law
|
| 1:15 – 1:30 p.m. |
Break |
| 1:30 – 2:30 p.m. |
Juvenile Law Overview
This session will provide basic discussion of juvenile law in Texas and provide an overview of the path a juvenile case takes from detention of the juvenile through disposition of the case.
Hon. Stephanie Davis, Judge, Comanche County
|
| 2:30 – 2:45 p.m. |
Break |
| 2:45 – 3:45 p.m. |
Civil Appeals from Justice Court
This course will review the requirements for a case to be appealed from justice court and the procedure for handling them once it is received and under the jurisdiction of the constitutional county court.
Mr. Randall Sarosdy, General Counsel, Texas Justice Court Training Center
|
| 3:45 – 4 p.m. |
Break |
| 4 – 5 p.m. |
Bonds: Forfeitures and Conditions
This session will discuss concerns surrounding proper bonds, types and conditions of those bonds and effects of forfeiting bonds.
Hon. Jerry Bearden, Judge, Mason County
Hon. Brett Bray, Judge, Blanco County
Hon. Tramer Woytek, Judicial Resource Liaison, TAC
|
| 5 p.m. |
Recess |
| Friday, Mar. 26 |
| 7-8 a.m. |
Coffee and Breakfast Buffet |
| 7 a.m.-noon |
Registration and Information Desk Open |
| 8:15 – 9:15 a.m. |
Pesky Problems in Probate
While the area of probate and estates is generally a landmine for the unwary, there are particular “pesky” issues which seem to crop up regularly.
Mr. Gus Tamborello, Attorney, Gus G Tamborello, P.C.
|
| 9:15 – 9:30 a.m. |
Break |
| 9:30 – 10:30 a.m. |
Heirships and Administrations
A court must make a formal determination of a decedent’s heirs in three main situations. First, the decedent died intestate and no estate administration is necessary. Second, as part of a dependent administration to ascertain heirs. Third, as part of an independent administration to determine heirs both for purposes of ascertaining the people who must consent to the independent administration as well as the heirs who will receive the property. This presentation will discuss the heirship determination procedure as well as cover the basics of how heirs are determined under Texas law.
Professor Gerry Beyer, Texas Tech University
|
| 10:30 – 10:45 a.m. |
Break |
| 10:45 – 11:45 a.m. |
Legislation on the Horizon
This session will provide an overview of current happenings in the 87th legislative session and those issues and special concerns that may impact county courts, commissioners courts and the budgets of Texas Counties.
Mr. Noe Barrios, Legislative Director, TAC
|
| 11:45 a.m. |
Adjourn |