Hotel
Overton Hotel & Conference Center
2322 Mac Davis Ln.
Lubbock, TX 79401
(806) 776-7000
Sponsor
The Texas Judicial Academy is a partnership between the Texas Association of Counties and the Texas Tech University School of Law.
Overview
The Spring Judicial Education Session of the Texas Judicial Academy will give you an excellent opportunity to learn from and connect with judges from across the state and to discuss a wide range of topics that affect your judicial duties. The County Judges Education Advisory Committee has designed the curriculum and discussion points specifically for current constitutional county judges. The curriculum will not only include an in-depth review of core topics but will also address short topics of interest and introduce you to several cutting-edge programs being used successfully in other jurisdictions.
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 grant guidelines, judges may be reimbursed up to $750 total per fiscal year for attending the Fall Judicial Education Session, the Spring Judicial Education Session or the Texas College of Probate Judges.
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 Ashley Royer at (800) 456-5974 or email reimbursements@county.org.
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 only.
Who Should Attend
County judges
To encourage open discussion as well as, to facilitate judicial security precautions, ONLY member judges, that session's speaker, and TAC staff are allowed in the meeting rooms during sessions. This would apply, for example, to guests, assistants, spouses, etc. Thank you in advance for your cooperation with this policy.
Registration Information
Registration will open on Sept. 1 at the start of the new fiscal year. The registration fee for this conference 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 collected are deposited in a fund for county judge education within the general revenue funds of the Texas Association of Counties.
County Judges Education Advisory Committee
Hon. Don Allred, Chair, Oldham County Judge
Hon. Brett Bray, Blanco County Judge
Hon. Stephanie Davis, Comanche County Judge
Hon. Charlie Falcon, Andrews County Judge
Hon. Woodrow "Woody" Gossom Jr., Wichita County Judge
Hon. Lucy Hebron, Wood 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
Ms. Jamie Baker, Associate Dean and Director of the Law Library, Texas Tech University School of Law (ex officio)
Mr. Nathan Cradduck, Tom Green County Auditor (ex officio)
Overton Hotel & Conference Center – Room block full
2322 Mac Davis Ln.
Lubbock, TX 79401
(806) 776-7000
The room block at the Overton Hotel is currently full. To be added to the wait list, please email Regan Frugé. We will notify you if a room becomes available.
Overflow Hotel
Hyatt Place Lubbock
2309 Mac Davis Lane
Lubbock, TX 79401
(806) 741-0200
An overflow block of rooms has been booked across the street from the Overton Hotel at the Hyatt Place Lubbock. The room rate is $96 per night plus applicable taxes. To book your room, call 1-888-492-8847 and request a room with the "Texas Association of Counties" room block. You may also book online by going to www.hyatt.com and use the group code: G-TACS. Rooms must be booked by February 15 to secure the group rate.
| Tuesday, March 8 |
| 3-5 p.m. |
Registration Desk Open |
| Wednesday, March 9 |
| 7 a.m.-5 p.m. |
Registration Desk Open |
| 7-8 a.m. |
Breakfast Buffet |
| 8-8:15 a.m. |
Welcome and Introductions |
| 8:15-9:15 a.m. |
Judicial Discretion and Ethics in Election Years
Speaker: Hon. Tramer Woytek, Judicial Resource Liaison, TAC |
| 9:15-9:30 a.m. |
Break |
| 9:30-10:30 a.m. |
Magistrations and Bail Bonds in 2022
Speaker: Mr. Randall Sarosdy, Attorney, Texas Justice Court Training Center |
| 10:30-10:45 a.m. |
Break |
| 10:45-11:45 a.m. |
DWI and Other Misdemeanors: Arrest Through Trial
Speaker: Hon. Ben Nolen, Judge, Tom Green County Court at Law |
| 11:45 a.m.-12:15 p.m. |
Buffet Lunch |
| 12:15-1:15 p.m. |
Lunch and Learn: DWI Case Law Update
Speaker: Ms. Jessica Frazier, Assistant District Attorney, Comal County District Attorney’s Office |
| 1:15-1:30 p.m. |
Break |
| 1:30-2:30 p.m. |
Legal Issues Surrounding Marijuana Cases
Speaker: Mr. Brian Watson, Assistant District Attorney, Bee County District Attorney’s Office |
| 2:30-2:45 p.m. |
Break |
| 2:45-3:45 p.m. |
Indigent Defense and Mental Health Issues
Speakers: Mr. Scott Ehlers, Director, Texas Indigent Defense Council
Mr. Michael Young, Chief Public Defender, Bexar County |
| 3:45-5:15 p.m. |
Indigent Defense and Pre-Trial Services: Regional Projects and Budget Impacts
Speakers: Hon. Richard Evans, Judge, Bandera County
Hon. Chris Schuchart, Judge, Medina County
Hon. Jimmy Sylvia, Judge, Chambers County |
| 5:15 p.m. |
Welcome Reception and Recognition of Fellows of Texas Judicial Academy |
| Thursday, March 10 |
| 7 a.m.-5 p.m. |
Registration Desk Open |
| 7-8 a.m. |
Breakfast Buffet |
| 8-9 a.m. |
Eviction Appeals from Justice Court: Fallout from Moratoriums
Speaker: Ms. Thea Whalen, Director, Texas Justice Court Training Center |
| 9-9:15 a.m. |
Break |
| 9:15-10:15 a.m. |
Bond Surrenders, NISI’s, Forfeitures and Revocations
Speakers: Hon. Alan Bristol, County Relations Officer, TAC
Mr. Neal Burt, Civil Chief, Lubbock County Criminal District Attorney’s Office
Ms. Deborah Earley, County Attorney, Blanco County
Hon. Tramer Woytek, Judicial Resource Liaison, TAC |
| 10:15-10:30 a.m. |
Break |
| 10:30-11:30 a.m. |
Guardianships: Tips from the Bench
Speaker: Hon. Curtis Parrish, Judge, Lubbock County |
| 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. |
Lunch on Your Own |
| 1-2 p.m. |
The County Judge as a Teammate and Leader in the Courtroom (and Courthouse)
Speakers: Hon. Stephanie Davis, Judge, Comanche County
Hon. Julia Miller, Judge, Runnels County
Hon. Cindy Vanlandingham, Judge, Bosque County |
| 2-2:15 p.m. |
Break |
| 2:15-3:15 p.m. |
Efficient Docket Management
Speakers: Judge Marty Lucke, Judge, Floyd County
Hon. Bella Rubio, Judge, Real County
Hon. Byron Ryder, Judge, Leon County |
| 3:15-3:30 p.m. |
Break |
| 3:30-4:30 p.m. |
Zoom Hearings in a Post-Covid World
Speakers: Ms. Megan LaVoie, Administrative Director, Office of Court Administration
Ms. Kelly Thibodeau, Executive Assistant to the Executive Director, Office Court of Administration |
| 4:30 p.m. |
Recess |
| Friday, March 11 |
| 7 a.m.-12 p.m. |
Registration Desk Open |
| 7-8 a.m. |
Breakfast Buffet |
| 8-9:30 a.m. |
Considerations for Setting Bail
Speaker: Mr. Joseph Stephens, Chief Public Defender, Concho Valley Public Defender’s Office |
| 9:30-9:45 a.m. |
Break |
| 9:45-11:15 a.m. |
Legislative Update: SB6
Speaker: Mr. Noe Barrios, Director of Legislative Services, TAC |
| 11:15 a.m. |
Adjourn |
*Agenda is subject to change.
The Spring Judicial Education Session provides 16 hours of judicial education credit for constitutional county judges. Application is pending with the State Bar of Texas to determine MCLE credit for attorneys.
| Continuing Education Types |
Hours |
| Judges |
16 |
| Attorneys |
Pending |
Please email Regan Frugé to cancel your conference registration. You may also fax a notice of cancellation to (512) 477-1324.