Texas Supreme Court Chief Justice Nathan L. Hecht delivered the State of the Judiciary on February 6 at a joint session of the 86th Legislature at the Texas House chamber. Hecht discussed a number of issues facing the court system, asking for support on items such as response to natural disasters, bail reform, court treatment … Continue Reading
The State Bar of Texas’ Texas Lawyers’ Assistance Program has taken the innovative step of adding a sitting judge to its staff of experts to reach out to fellow jurists about issues such as stress, burnout, compassion fatigue, and other mental health matters. The Texas Lawyers’ Assistance Program (TLAP) has always served judges as well … Continue Reading
Texas Supreme Court Justice Don Willett was sworn in to the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals today at the Texas Supreme Court in Austin. James Davis Blacklock, Willett’s replacement on the Supreme Court, was also sworn in. Willett, who was nominated to the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals by President Donald J. Trump … Continue Reading
The Harris County judiciary and Houston Bar Association presented the 2017 Harris County Bench Bar Pro Bono Awards to area law firms and an attorney for their service to local low-income residents. Texas Supreme Court Chief Justice Nathan L. Hecht gave the keynote address at the May 3 event, which was held at the Harris … Continue Reading
Over the years, I have become a huge advocate for and supporter of the jury system. After presiding over hundreds of jury trials I’ve concluded that juries tend to get it right. The collective wisdom of 12 or even six citizens is truly impressive; to use an old phrase, the sum is greater than its … Continue Reading
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit adopted a change to its rules this month. The amendment is as follows: FIFTH CIRCUIT RULE 32.4 5th Cir. R. 32.4 Motion for Extra-Length Briefs. A motion to file a brief in excess of the page length or word volume limitations must be filed at least … Continue Reading
Texas Supreme Court Chief Justice Nathan L. Hecht delivered the State of the Judiciary on February 1 to a joint session of the state legislature, touching on issues including judicial security and compensation, access to justice, electronic records, and the bail system. “As important as it is for courts to be efficient, it is more … Continue Reading
The United States Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit is accepting comments about a proposed amendment to Circuit Rule 32.4 concerning extra-length briefs. After receiving public comments following recent amendments to the Federal Rules for Appellate Procedure involving word-count limits, the court decided not to opt out but to propose an amendment to Rule … Continue Reading
Students in the Regional Day School Program for the Deaf at Bonham Elementary in El Paso got to dip their toes into the law for a day thanks to a federal judge and local attorneys. The pupils turned mock legal practitioners tried a faux case on September 30, using characters from the Disney movie Snow … Continue Reading
The 5th Court of Appeals in Dallas took a recent oral argument from the courtroom to the classroom as a part of a Dallas Bar Association program to educate students and the public about the courts system. With the “Appealing to the Public” initiative—in its 10th year—the DBA aims to improve the community’s understanding of … Continue Reading
The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals celebrated its 125-year anniversary with a celebration in its courtroom on Thursday. “For a moment, consider what it was like in 1891,” Presiding Judge Sharon Keller said, listing off the differences between the year the court was established and more than a century later to the former judges, briefing … Continue Reading
Registration is now open for the sixth annual Hays County Bench Bar Conference on October 25 at Camp Lucy in Dripping Springs. The event—hosted by the Hays County Bar Association in partnership with the Caldwell and Comal County bar associations—will feature county court judges, state appellate judges, and other speakers and will include networking opportunities, … Continue Reading
Lawyers and judges in the Dallas legal community will reaffirm their commitment to civility and professionalism during a new program next month. The Day of Civility and Professionalism, which will be observed in all Dallas state and federal courts, on September 9 aims to encourage attorneys and those serving in the judiciary to reemphasize their … Continue Reading
The city of Houston Municipal Courts is warning residents of a scam using text messages to solicit court fees. Companies are reportedly sending text messages to individuals prompting them to click a link to reset their court cases for a $10 fee, according to a press release and an announcement on the Houston Municipal Courts … Continue Reading
An updated version of a documentary on the debate over the role of race in college admissions is set to air at 10 p.m. tonight on KLRU-TV in Austin. Admissions on Trial: Seven Decades of Race and Higher Education, which won a State Bar of Texas Gavel Award in 2014, examines the history of race … Continue Reading
A few months after serving on a jury in a trial presided over by Judge Brandy Mueller, of Travis County Court at Law No. 6, Guy Forsyth found himself back in the courtroom Friday afternoon. This time, instead of listening to the facts of a case and deliberating a verdict, the 47-year-old Austin musician was … Continue Reading
The Harris County judiciary and Houston Bar Association presented their Bench Bar Pro Bono Awards at a ceremony May 2. Law firms, individuals, and a corporate legal department received the accolades for their work to provide legal services to low-income Harris County residents. The awards were established eight years ago in an effort to encourage … Continue Reading
Editor’s Note: This information was originally published in the February 2005 issue of the Texas Bar Journal. The child age exemption was 10 at the time of publication; it has since been changed to 12. The information included in this column is for educational and informational purposes only. Please consult an attorney regarding specific legal … Continue Reading
Chief Judge Carl E. Stewart of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals presented the new Barbara Jordan American Inn of Court with its charter at the federal courthouse in Austin on April 14. Stewart, president of the American Inns of Court Board of Trustees, spoke of the important role that inns of court play … Continue Reading
On February 13, 2016, this nation lost one of the greatest legal giants ever to sit on its highest court with the death of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia. Regardless of whether one agreed with the opinions he issued over the span of nearly 30 years on the court, one could not deny the … Continue Reading
If you happen to be in the Tarrant County Family Law Center around noon on the first Thursday of the month, you will find 30 to 50 chipper young (and mature) lawyers eagerly learning trial skills from Judge William Harris. What is taking place on these first Thursdays? It’s a new program called #LongLunchThursday. #LongLunchThursday was … Continue Reading
Texas judges who are considering appointing counsel in civil cases can now consult the ABA Directory of Law Governing Appointment of Counsel in State Civil Proceedings. The directory, released by the American Bar Association in 2014 with the assistance of the National Coalition for a Civil Right to Counsel, provides state-by-state guidance on when judges … Continue Reading
A former paramedic and police chief, Judge Kevin Madison knows the dangers of teenage drinking in terrifying detail. “I’ve had to remove bodies from cars,” Madison said. “It’s bad enough when they’re adults. But 15, 16 years old … it’s horrible.” Many of those wrecks were the result of alcohol, Madison said, and as presiding … Continue Reading
The State Bar of Texas’ Litigation Section will induct U.S. District Judge Mary Lou Robinson as a Texas Legal Legend on Friday. The ceremony will be held at noon at the Texas Tech University School of Law. When Judge Robinson was awarded her law degree from the University of Texas in 1950, she was one … Continue Reading
