The State Bar of Texas announced the results of its statewide 2022 judicial poll. The results are available at texasbar.com/pollresults. At the direction of the Texas Supreme Court, the State Bar conducted a nonpartisan straw poll of contested Supreme Court, Court of Criminal Appeals, and courts of appeals district races on the 2022 election ballot. … Continue Reading
Editor’s note: The Office of Court Administration made the following updated statement on the security breach that began impacting the judiciary on May 8. On Friday, May 8th, the Office of Court Administration (OCA), the information technology (IT) provider for the appellate courts and state judicial agencies within the Texas Judicial Branch, identified a serious … Continue Reading
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
San Antonio federal judge Xavier Rodriguez has been named as the recipient of a State Bar of Texas award that recognizes long-term contributions to continuing legal education. Rodriguez, judge of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, will receive the 2017 Gene Cavin Award for Excellence in CLE at the State Bar … 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
As Texas celebrates its inaugural Jury Appreciation Week, we asked judges and district clerks across the state to describe why they believe jury service is important.… Continue Reading
The Barbara Jordan American Inn of Court is now accepting membership applications from any practicing attorney or judge in Travis County and its contiguous counties. The Barbara Jordan Inn of Court recently received its charter at a ceremony in Austin on April 14. It joins about 24 other American Inns of Court in Texas and … 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
Three judges of the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals were sworn in during a formal investiture ceremony on Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2015, at the House Chambers of the Texas Capitol. Bert Richardson, Kevin Patrick Yeary, and David Newell, all of whom were elected to the bench by the public in November 2014, are the newest … Continue Reading
The Judicial Section of the State Bar of Texas recently presented two of its most important awards at the Bar Foundation Luncheon, held in conjunction with the Judicial Education Conference in Fort Worth, on Sept. 8, 2014. Tracy Nuckols, project manager of State Bar sections, received the Friend of the Judiciary Award, and Larry Gist, … Continue Reading
The Texas judiciary has plans to develop a Judicial Civics and Education Center and, because of a $50,000 grant from the Texas Bar Foundation, the project is now in the design phase. Anticipated to be located in the entry-level corridor of the Tom C. Clark Building within the Capitol Complex, the education center is expected … Continue Reading
The Municipal Judges Section of the State Bar of Texas is accepting nominations for its Judge Michael L. O’Neal Outstanding Jurist Award. Now in its 15th year, this accolade is named in honor of the former chair of the State Commission on Judicial Conduct who helped write the ethics rules for the judiciary. Judge O’Neal … Continue Reading
On Tuesday, March 22, Gov. Rick Perry appointed Elsa Alcala of Houston to the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals for a term to expire at the next general election.… Continue Reading
You have the privilege to help establish the ethical standards that govern our profession. I encourage you to exercise that privilege by analyzing the proposed amendments to the Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct; making educated, independent decisions regarding the amendments; and voting on them in the referendum.… Continue Reading
The Supreme Court of Texas will hear two oral arguments in Amarillo on Nov. 10, 2010, as part of the Amarillo Area Bar Association's 100th anniversary.… Continue Reading
Today’s issue of The Recorder, an ALM publication in California, includes an article about the Eastern District of Texas ("Big Tech Shouts ‘Yipee!,’ Patent Bar Chattering as Rader Heads to Texas"). To help prepare for his imminent elevation to chief judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, Judge Randall Rader will … Continue Reading
The Texas Court Records Preservation Task Force had its first meeting yesterday at the Supreme Court of Texas. The 20 member task force was formed to discuss the issues surrounding preservation of local court records in counties across the state. The task force is chaired by Bill Kroger of Baker Botts L.L.P. and was created partly … Continue Reading
On January 13th, the Supreme Court of Texas celebrated its 170th anniversary. A special open session of the Court, where the Texas Supreme Court Historical Society observed its 20th anniversary, was followed by a reception at the Texas Law Center. Roland K. Johnson, president of the State Bar of Texas, and Larry McNeill, president of … Continue Reading
Justice Eva Guzman, the first Latina to serve on the Texas Supreme Court, celebrated her formal investiture on Monday, January 11. The ceremony took place in the Texas House of Representatives Chamber, in front of an audience filled with Guzman’s colleagues, friends, and family. Governor Rick Perry administered the oath of office, praising Guzman’s “consistent … Continue Reading
All Texas lawyers are invited to join the Supreme Court of Texas for its 170th anniversary on Wednesday, January 13. The celebration will begin with an open session of the Court in the Supreme Court of Texas Courtroom at 4:00 p.m. Special remarks will be made by Chief Justice Wallace B. Jefferson, State Bar of … Continue Reading
Happy Birthday to the Texas Lawyer’s Creed! The Creed contains principles for civility and courtesy between lawyers and honesty in statements to judges and lawyers and was promulgated in 1989 by both the Supreme Court of Texas and Texas Court of Criminal Appeals. On Thursday, Nov. 5, two former justices of the Texas Supreme Court … Continue Reading