Frequently Asked Questions

Depending on the size of the county, the county judge has a wide range of judicial and administrative duties. Click here for more information on what a county judge does.

Required hours are found in the Rules of Judicial Education posted to the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals site.

• New judges must obtain 30 credit hours in their first 12 months and 1.33 hours (16 hrs/12) for each month afterward until the end of the current reporting period (round total to nearest whole number). The judicial reporting period for continuing education is the Texas state fiscal year, currently Sept. 1, 2023 through Aug. 31, 2024.​

How do I see how many hours I've obtained so far?

• You may view your transcript online by logging into the Member Portal and following these instructions. You may also contact Ashley Royer or Regan Williams at (800) 456‑5974.
• Can I obtain hours outside of the Texas Judicial Academy? Outside hours may be approved by submitting an application that meets the appropriate criteria.

• Sample orders, and charts can be found in the County Judges Benchbook or on the Judicial Academy Resources page.

• Find your regional administrative judge here and follow their instructions to assign a Judge to your case.

• The Office of Court Administration has sample orders, including orders for digital recording. Sample standing orders can be found here.

• TAC Legal has legal publications and FAQ by subject for the administrative functions of the County Judge.

• The Texas Justice Court Training Center has several charts and resources on inquest procedures.

• Required hours are found in the Rules of Judicial Education posted to the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals site.
  • New judges must obtain 30 credit hours in their first 12 months and 1.33 hours (16 hrs/12) for each month afterward until the end of the current reporting period (round total to nearest whole number). The judicial reporting period for continuing education is the Texas state fiscal year, currently Sept. 1, 2023 through Aug. 31, 2024.​

• New Judges must also complete the Public Information Act Training and Open Meetings Act Training. Both videos can be found at the Office of Attorney General.