Fall Judicial Education Session

Judicial Discretion and Ethics in Election Years
Speaker: Hon. Tramer Woytek, Judicial Resource Liaison, TAC

The ability of judges to exercise discretion in the courtroom is a central tenet of justice and fairness in Texas. This session will review areas where the judge can exercise discretion, offer guidance on when it is appropriate and focus on the special challenges during election cycles.

Legislative Session: A Look Forward
Speaker: Mr. Noe Barrios, Director of Legislative Services, TAC

This session will explain the TAC Legislative team’s work on several judicial priorities in the upcoming legislative session and provide information on the importance of the role of the county judge in providing feedback and input through the process.

Retiring Judges Panel
Speakers: Hon. Don Allred, Oldham County Judge
Hon. Jerry Bearden, Mason County Judge
Hon. Nate McDonald, Matagorda County Judge
Hon. Francisco Ponce, Dimmit County Judge
Moderator: Hon. Kim Halfmann, County Relations Officer, TAC

This panel will provide advice and guidance on how to make your courtroom effective while serving the interest of the justice system.

Working Lunch- DWI Pre-trial & Sentencing Options Discussion by Counties
Speaker: Hon. Tramer Woytek, Judicial Resource Liaison, TAC

This roundtable discussion will cover pre-trial and sentencing options in DWI cases to help promote effective change in the defendant and the community while reducing recidivism.

Guardianship Docket Management   
Speakers: Hon. Lucy Hebron, Wood County Judge
Hon. Justin Lewis, Hill County Judge
Mr. Jeff Rinard, Director of Enterprise Planning & Regulatory Services, Office of Court Administration

Experienced county judges will join the Office of Court Administration to discuss best practices and resources available in managing the guardianship docket and the responsibilites of the county judge in monitoring and reviewing these cases.

Juvenile Hearings: Detention to Adjudication
Speaker: Hon. Stephanie Davis, Comanche County Judge

Judge Davis will provide an overview of each juvenile hearing with tips for improving the outcome of juveniles placed in the justice system.

DWI Trial
Speaker: Hon. Deborah Earley, County Attorney, Blanco County

This session will provide a complete overview of a DWI trial, from calling a jury panel and common questions and objections that arise in questioning potential jurors, to the order of the trial, jury instructions in a DWI trial and preserving the record for appeal.

Contempt Hearings
Speaker: Hon. Susan M. Redford, Executive Director, TAC

This session will provide an overview of when and how to use contempt effectively in your courtroom.

Judgment NISIs, Bond Forfeitures
Speaker: Ms. Bridget Chapman, Assistant District Attorney, Williamson County

This session will provide an overview of the civil practice in handling the forfeiture of bonds in criminal cases when a defendant fails to appear in court.

Mental Health Pre-Trial & Specialty Courts
Speakers: Ms. Melissa McRoy Shearer, Director, Travis County Mental Health Public Defender
Ms. Katy Jo Muncie, Director of Defense Services & Outreach, Capital Area Private Defender Service
Ms. Katie Salzer, Assistant County Attorney, Travis County
Hon. Kimberly Williams, Judge, Travis County Court-at-Law #9
Moderator: Mr. Scotty Vasquez, Assistant County Attorney, Travis County

This panel will illustrate how the Travis County Misdemeanor Mental Health Court uses court orders to keep offenders with mental health issues on treatment while avoiding the stigma of conviction. The panel discussion is designed to provide useful tools to take back to your courtroom.

Senate Bill 6: Damon Allen Act
Speaker: Mr. Joe Stephens, Chief Public Defender, Concho Valley Public Defenders Office

This session will provide the most up-to-date training on how to comply with the recent legislative changes concerning the Damon Allen Act in Senate Bill 6 that significantly changed magistrate warnings and the issuance of bail bonds.

Legislative Update: SB 6 and the Public Safety Reporting System
Speaker: Ms. Kelsey Bernstein, Legislative Consultant, TAC

This session will take a deep dive into the legislative changes implemented with the adoption of Senate Bill 6, known as the Damon Allen Act, and the requirements county judges must follow.

Considerations for Setting Bail
Speakers: Hon. Tramer Woytek, Judicial Resource Liaison, TAC

An overview of the practical implication of the process of setting the amount of bail, considerations relating to the release of certain defendants on monetary or personal bond, the importance of a magistrate in criminal cases, and how the county judge has a role in each of these processes.

Rules of Evidence
Speaker: Hon. Ashley Cain Land, County Attorney, Chambers County

This session will review the rules applied in criminal and civil proceedings in county courts and evidentiary issues that commonly arise in county courts.

Dispositions in Deferred Adjudication
Speaker: Mr. Andrew Lambert, Auditor II, CRD Compliance and Training Bureau, Texas Department of Public Safety

The Texas Department of Public Safety will provide a presentation on common issues that arise in the ordering of deferred adjudication cases in criminal court, how these cases remain pending in county courts, and resources available to identify and dispose of these cases.

Mental Health Community Resources
Speakers: Mr. Shawn Edwards, Crisis Intervention Team, Burleson County Sheriff’s Office

This panel will discuss ways that small counties are handling cases involving defendants with mental health issues and ways to implement programs and processes in your county.