Probate Academy

Sponsors

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. The curriculum has been designed to meet the specific needs of each constituency, emphasizing the duties set forth in the Texas Estates Code and providing opportunities for interactive training and facilitated discussion with other elected officials and county personnel. In addition to in-depth training on core topics, the course encourages the exchange of practical solutions to common problems.

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 may be provided for grant-allowable lodging and transportation expenses.

All travel reservations made through third-party vendors (Hotels.com, Expedia.com, Booking.com, etc.) cannot be reimbursed. For more information on reimbursements, please call Ashley Royer 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 no more than two attendees per county: the county judge and one clerk or clerk personnel.

Who Should Attend

The content of this program is directed to constitutional county judges, elected clerks and court personnel when hearing and deposing of a general jurisdiction probate docket.

Registration

The 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 for county judges’ 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)

County Clerks Education Advisory Committee for Probate Academy

Hon. Shelley Coston, Bell County Clerk
Hon. Heidi Easley, Victoria County Clerk
Hon. Janette Green, Palo Pinto County Clerk
Hon. Donece Gregory, Tyler County Clerk
Hon. Karen McQueen, Brazos County Clerk
Hon. J.C. Perez III, Jim Wells County Clerk
Hon. Julie Smith, Potter County Clerk
Hon. Karren Winter, Archer County Clerk