Overton Hotel & Conference Center
2322 Mac Davis Lane
Lubbock, TX 79401
Sponsored by:
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, 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 exchange of practical solutions to common problems is encouraged.
Who Should Attend
The content of this program is designed for constitutional county judges, elected clerks and court personnel responsible for setting and deposing of probate and guardianship cases.
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 meals, lodging and transportation up to $1,000 per fiscal year.
All travel reservations made through third-party vendors (Hotels.com, Expedia.com, Booking.com, Airbnb.com, etc.) cannot be reimbursed. For more information on reimbursement, please call Ashley Royer at (800) 456-5974.
Reimbursements must be submitted to TAC within 60 days of the event. Any reimbursement 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.
Registration
Registration will open in September 2026 at the start of the new fiscal year. The registration fee for this conference is $150.
Registration fees are voluntary and used for expenses that are unallowable or are insufficiently covered by the Judicial & Court Personnel Training Fund Grant. This includes speaker fees, materials, meals and social activities. Fees collected are deposited to a fund held for county judges’ education within the general revenue funds for the Texas Association of Counties.
Committees
County Judges Education Advisory Committee
Hon. Stephanie Davis, Chair, Comanche County Judge
Hon. Brett Bray, Blanco County Judge
Hon. Martha Gomez Ponce, Dimmit County Judge
Hon. Dan Hicks, Scurry County Judge
Hon. Lisa Johnson, Hemphill County Judge
Hon. Doug Reeder, Morris County Judge
Hon. Robert Newsom, Hopkins County Judge
Hon. Curtis Parrish, Lubbock County Judge
Hon. Byron Ryder, Leon County Judge
Hon. Jimmy Sylvia, Chambers County Judge
Hon. Cindy Yeatts Brown, TAC President, Denton County Treasurer (ex officio)
Ms. Jamie Baker, Associate Dean and Director of the Law Library, Texas Tech University School of Law Library (ex officio)
County Clerks Education Advisory Committee for Probate Academy
Hon. Julie Smith, Chair, Potter County Clerk
Hon. CJ Chasco, Swisher County/District Clerk
Hon. Amy Kaiser, Leon County Clerk
Hon. Jennifer Fogg, Rockwall County Clerk
Hon. Alison Haley, Midland County Clerk
Hon. Juli Luke, Denton County Clerk
Hon. Jennifer Martin, Ector County Clerk
Hon. Karen E. McQueen, Brazos County Clerk
Hon. Karren F. Winter, Archer County Clerk
Hon. Kimberly Menke, Colorado County Clerk
Hon. Cindy Yeatts Brown, TAC President, Denton County Treasurer (ex officio)