Agenda subject to change.
Speaker: Hon. Jerry Simoneaux
Probate 101: This session include the basics of the most common type of probate(independent administration), brief overview of dependent administration, probate as muniment of title, small estate affidavits and affidavits of heirship, etc. As a judge and as these are filed into your court, how do you know which procedures are appropriate and when? This session led by an experienced probate judge will help you determine whether you should grant those probate pleadings.
Speaker: Hon. Jerry Simoneaux
Recent updates to the Texas Estates Code reflect ongoing refinements in administration, oversight, and inventory requirements. Hear about the latest requirements and the continuing power and duty of the county court/judge to properly oversee the administration of guardianship cases.
Speaker: Hon. Curtis Parrish
Brief review of a standard guardianship case along with an actual guardianship hearing during the session.
Speaker: Tramer Woytek
Are You an Ethical Judge? This class will familiarize judges with the ethical responsibilities of the office of County Judge and review the Canons of Ethics, the ethical rules applicable to all Texas judges. We will cover the origins of ethics, the practical application of ethics from the bench and beyond, as well as the role of the Texas Commission on Judicial Conduct and how it applies to Constitutional County Judges.
Speaker: Hon. Curtis Parrish
Mental Health Proceedings: Judge Parrish will review the mental health process in court and feature a live hearing during the session.
Speakers: Stefan Silviera and Davis Hairston
The 90th Legislative Session is imminent. Hear what legislation appears to be on the horizon and how it might impact your county/court.
Speaker: Hon. Greg Holly
County judges are often presented with requests for search warrants. Once executed, the warrant may later be challenged at the trial court, often in district court. Why are warrants necessary in the first place? What information must the request for warrant contain? What must be included in the warrant itself? What factors should the judge consider in deciding whether or not to issue the warrant? This session will explore these issues and more, to ensure that warrants are properly issued and will hold up to a subsequent attack.
Speakers: Hon. Doug Reeder and Hon. Brett Bray
What is "motion practice"? As county judge, you will review numerous requests for action in cases. What are the common motions and the not -so-common motions that you will encounter? Hear from two experienced judges on what they routinely encounter and what they hardly ever see, making a judge go through the paces to determine what is being requested and can they grant it?
Speaker: Hon. Stephanie Davis, Hon. Curtis Parrish, Hon. Chris Pounds, and Hon. Kelly Rowe
Addressing mental health in the county requires cooperation, patience and sometimes trial and error. This panel discussion of county judges and county sheriffs from small and large counties will discuss challenges and solutions that have worked for them.
Speaker: Staley Heatley
Texas county judges and county attorneys work together as key leaders of county government, balancing administrative, legal, and fiscal duties. What are the duties of the County Judge and what are the duties of the County or District Attorney? Hear from a seasoned county attorney on the ideal relationship that these two important county offices can foster and best practices for each to "stay in their lane".
Speaker: Hon. Brett Bray
Motions for summary judgment are common in civil actions. The amended rule (Tex. R. Civ. Proc. 166a) reorganizes Rule 166a to more clearly distinguish between traditional summary judgment motions and no-evidence motions. Learn about the new time requirements, setting of hearings, deadlines by which you must rule on these pleadings, and more about the modernized rule 166a.
Speakers: Hon. Stephanie Davis, Hon. Chris Pounds, Margaret Estrada, and Molly Odgers
Juvenile justice problems are more prevalent, more costly, more challenging. With the rise of these cases and the mental health component, many counties are in crisis mode. Hear from one county about their observations of the issues in their community and how they are trying to meet the challenges with better outcomes for all.
Speaker: Bronwyn Blake This training provides an overview of the types of protective orders available under Texas law, recent legislative updates, and how protective orders can help improve survivor safety. Topics include protective orders related to family violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, trafficking, and emergency situations.
Speaker: Christine Adams
This session will explore the landscape of hemp-derived cannabis products being sold legally in Texas. The presenter will share examples of these readily available, impairing products, which are found in your local smoke shops, convenience stores, and even vending machines. An emerging trend of combining THC products with alcohol in licensed establishments, posing a significant threat to road safety, as evidenced by the data shared, will be uncovered. You will learn about the varied approaches of states towards on-site cannabis consumption, comparing adult-use states with those similar to Texas which have not legalized adult use. In addition, we will examine the current cannabis-related laws in Texas. You will come away from the session equipped with a deeper understanding of available products and explore potential strategies for how we can course correct to enhance community and roadway safety.
Speaker: Hon. Mark Hocker
This is a 2 part presentation that begins with the phone ringing in the middle of the night with an officer seeking a Blood Search Warrant – and all that entails – and continues through pretrial matters including non-evidentiary and evidentiary pretrial motions, and some relevant and significant DWI case law. It also includes an overview about determining indigence. Part 1 of 2.
Speaker: Hon. Mark Hocker
Continued session. Part 2 of 2.