Annual Judicial Education Conference Information

Please join us September 9 - 12, at the Westin Galleria and Westin Oaks in Houston. The Curriculum Committee, officers of the Judicial Section,and Texas Center staff have worked together to build an educational and engaging program. Inspired by the 2012 Olympic Games, our conference theme is "Vision, Discipline, Courage” – something that every jurist strives to bring to the bench. Read more...

Gov. Perry Appoints Seven to Governing Board of Texas Indigent Defense Commission

Gov. Rick Perry has appointed seven members to the Governing Board of the Texas Indigent Defense Commission. Pursuant to House Bill 1754 of the 82nd Legislature, the commission will develop policies and standards for providing legal representation and other defense services for indigent defendants at trial, on appeal and in post-conviction proceedings.

Jon Burrows of Temple is Bell County judge. He is a member of the State Bar of Texas, Bell County Bar Association, National and Texas associations of Counties, and Texas Conference of Urban Counties, and past board member of the Brazos Region G Water Plan Group. He is chair of the Hill Country Transit District, a board member of the Central Texas Council of Governments and Hill Country Community Action Association, and past president of the North and East County Judge and Commissioners Association. He is also past chairman of the Temple Chamber of Commerce and United Way of Central Texas, and a past trustee of Temple College. Burrows served as a colonel in the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Air Force Reserve. He received a bachelor's degree and master's degree from the University of Oklahoma, and a law degree from the University of Texas. He is appointed for a term to expire Feb. 1, 2014.  Read more...

New Liaison for TACA

Justice Debra H. Lehrmann is the new liaison for TACA. Please welcome her on her new duties. To see her accomplishments visit here.

Missouri judges get penalty cost before sentencing

It is the first state to provide judges with defendant-specific data on what particular sentences would cost the taxpayers, and on the likelihood that the person in the dock will reoffend.

Not everyone is happy about it.

"I don't think it has any purpose in a process of balancing justice," complained Jack Banas, the St. Charles County prosecuting attorney. "Justice doesn't come down to dollars and cents. You have to look at the system as a whole picture."  Read More...

Justice by the Numbers

Rochester

In communities across the country, people use statistics on hospitals, schools and other public services to decide where to live or how to vote. But while millions of Americans deal with their local criminal courts as defendants and victims each year, there is no comparable way to assess a judicial system and determine how well it provides basic legal services.

This lack of data has a corrosive effect: without public awareness of a court system’s strengths and weaknesses, inefficiencies and civil liberties violations are never remedied.  Read More...

Dallas County criminal court records now available to public online

Dallas County is now one of the few places in Texas where you can get online access to court documents for free.

District Clerk Gary Fitzsimmons and County Clerk John Warren have worked together for months to provide the service. It's part of Fitzsimmons' electronic filing initiative in which court papers are filed electronically with no paper file...read more

Dear TACA Membership,

I hope everyone had a fun and safe holiday. I am sending out this message to remind everyone of the upcoming deadline for scholarship applications. Knowing how tight budgets are right now this is a great way to get to conference. The deadline for submitting your application is August 15th.
FOUNDERS SCHOLARSHIPS
Three scholarships in honor of founding members Martin Allen, Bob Wessels and longtime TACA supporter Trisha Hall were established in 1996 to commemorate TACA’s 20th anniversary. Founders Scholarships shall be used to attend the TACA Annual Education Conference. TACA will waive the conference registration fee. The TACA Treasurer will reimburse the scholarship recipient for travel, meals and lodging associated with the conference according to the Travel Policy up to an amount not to exceed $750.

GOODWILL SCHOLARSHIPS
In 2004, TACA members began a fund-raising effort that now supports Goodwill Scholarships established to assist members with the costs of attending the TACA Annual Education Conference. These scholarships are funded from monies outside of the TACA budget and are available based on fund-raising from year to year. Goodwill Scholarships shall be used to attend the TACA Annual Education Conference. TACA will waive the conference registration fee. The TACA Treasurer will reimburse the scholarship recipient for travel, meals and lodging associated with the conference according to the Travel Policy up to an amount not to exceed $750.
Applications for the Goodwill Scholarships shall be received by the Scholarship Committee Board Liaison on or before August 15 of each year.

Thank You,

Randy Walker