1415 – The Docket

August 13, 2025

TJCTC Updates 8.13.2025

Legislative Updates and Other Training

As we come to the end of summer, there are some interesting online learning opportunities and of course legislative updates coming up very soon before we get back into the next year of regularly-scheduled training.

We have received several calls about legislative changes. We are hard at work going through the changes to explain them to you and update materials!

Several of the Legislative Update programs still have seats left:

Beaumont (Judges, Court Personnel, & Civil Process) on August 28

Virtual Civil Process on September 10

Lubbock (Judges & Court Personnel) on September 15

Virtual Judges & Court Personnel on September 17

Some other programs have short wait lists, and you may still get a spot, but it is not guaranteed.

Last Civil Process Conference of 2025

Virtual Civil Process Conference
August 19th – 22nd , 2025.
TCOLE #1415 and TCOLE #3131

Note: This will be the final TJCTC course for TCOLE Civil Process (for elected officials) #1415 for this training cycle.

Register through August 15 by logging in to your TJCTC profile at: https://enroll.tjctc.org/portal/events/reg/participantTypeSelection.do?method=load&entityId=2544790

After August 15, please email Jay Takach at jay.takach@txstate.edu if you are interested in joining.

For the next few months, we will be highlighting legislative changes each time we send out Updates.

Our first highlight is SB 2371, related to credit card skimmers on electronic terminals.

This bill created a new class c offense among other statutes related to credit card skimmers. It went into effect on May 27, 2025.

Sec. 607A.102.CRIMINAL OFFENSES. (a) A person commits an offense if the person refuses to allow an inspection of an electronic terminal at the merchant ’s place of business in violation of Section 607A.053. An offense under this subsection is a Class C misdemeanor.
(b) A person commits an offense if the person negligently or recklessly disposes of a skimmer that was installed on an electronic terminal by another person. An offense under this subsection is a Class B misdemeanor.
(c) A person commits an offense if, knowing that an investigation is ongoing or that a criminal proceeding has been commenced and is pending, the person disposes of a skimmer installed on an electronic terminal by another person. An offense under this subsection is a felony of the third degree

Upcoming Training Opportunity

TAC RMP Regional Pool Workshops

Various Dates from September 23, 2025 – October 02, 2025 (multi-day)

TAC Risk Management Pool Regional Workshops are scheduled around the state and are designed to be small, intense and topic-specific. These one-day sessions will cover the latest in risk control, human resources and law enforcement.

Who Should Attend?

Elected and appointed officials, decision-makers for the Pool, human resource directors and managers, workers’ compensation managers, and department managers or supervisors.

Registration Fees

The workshops are provided at no cost to county officials and staff.

Learn More and Register: https://www.county.org/education-and-events/calendar-of-events/2025/tac-rmp-regional-pool-workshop/overview

Online Training

TJCTC Webinar

Lunch and Learn Webinar (court personnel only):
From Lockouts to Light Switches: Understanding Writs of Re-Entry and Restoration in Texas

Tired of evictions? Bring your lunch and join us for a Lunch and Learn covering other common landlord/tenant cases like Writs of Retrieval, Re-Entry, Restoration, and Repair and Remedy. We’ll break down how to process and adjudicate these cases with practical tips and real-world insight.

This webinar is TOMORROW, Thursday, August 14th, from 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm.

Use this link to register now: https://txstate.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_F4H4R5sQTgmA8C3VuQWB-w

NCSC Webinar

AI evidence in jury trials: Authenticity, admissibility, and roles of the court and juries

As artificial intelligence (AI) technologies become more prevalent, state courts are likely to encounter AI-generated evidence, such as deepfakes, reconstructed videos, and synthetic documents.

Join the TRI/NCSC AI Policy Consortium to explore the evidentiary challenges posed by both acknowledged and unacknowledged AI-generated evidence in jury trials. Panelists will examine existing legal frameworks for authentication and admissibility and provide practical guidance for judges and attorneys. Special attention will be paid to the unique responsibilities of courts and juries in evaluating the authenticity and reliability of AI-generated evidence, as well as the potential need for updated jury instructions and judicial guidance.

Learn More and Register: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_ZUPPIm9pQLiEo5aV-UR30w?utm_campaign=774425_AI%20evidence%20in%20jury%20trials%3A%20Authenticity%2C%20admissibility%2C%20and%20roles%20of%20the%20court%20and%20juries&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&utm_content=v-0&dm_i=7L57,GLJT,4VW08I,2OO0Y,1#/registration

National Wellness Month

Did you know that August is National Wellness Month?

Take some time this month to reflect on your wellbeing as well as what you can do at the office and at home to promote wellness for your employees/coworkers and family.

Here is an article from WebMD that discusses all kinds of wellness strategies: https://www.webmdhealthservices.com/blog/august-is-national-wellness-month-lets-make-well-being-a-priority-all-year-long/

This is also a great time to do the 5 Day Challenge to Improve Your Mental Health if you haven’t already (or again if you want a refresher)!

You can find it on the TJCTC Self-Paced Modules Page – https://www.tjctc.org/onlinelearning/selfpacedmodules.html

October 29, 2024

TJCTC Updates 10.29.2024

Hello Everyone,

Wow! It is almost the end of October already. It has been a busy month at TJCTC getting ready for the next academic year and getting judges and court personnel registered for conferences and workshops. In this edition of TJCTC Updates, we have a few education opportunities for you as well as our Legal Question of the Month and other resources.

Board Question of the Month

Question: Does this new policy (below) mean I should do something different in eviction cases?

Answer: No. This document outlines limitations and policies that the Borrower/Landlord has to comply with based on the type of loan they received. If the Borrower/Landlord does not follow the policies, then there is a specific penalty outlined in the document. This isn’t something that the court needs to ask about during an eviction case.

Fed-Backed-Fannie-Mae Download

Registration Updates

Registration has been going smoothly thanks to our Program Administration Team and Home Office Team. If you get a chance, tell Jessica, Darby, Laura, Jasmine, Jeff, Sonya, and Francisco how much you appreciate them!

While many programs are full, there are still some spots available in the following programs for judges & court personnel.

Judges

Lubbock 20-hr Conference
Austin 10-hr Conference (same week as JPCA Day at the Capitol)
Baylor Criminal Trial Workshop
Secrets of the Dead Workshop
Impaired Driving Symposium

For more information about each program, visit: https://www.tjctc.org/justices-of-the-peace/education-events.html

Court Personnel

Virtual Criminal
Virtual Civil
Rural Clerk Workshop

For more information about each program, visit: https://www.tjctc.org/court-personnel/education-events.html

Civil Process

Registration for Civil Process will open next week.

For more information about next year’s programs, visit: https://www.tjctc.org/civil-process/education-events.html

Any elected constable who has not yet completed their 1415 TCOLE requirement for this training cycle will receive an early registration link from Laura Villarreal at lv13@txstate.edu by 10/29/2024.

Domestic Violence Awareness Month

Texas Advocacy Project Webinar: Power & Control: Going Beyond the Basics of Intimate Partner Violence

This training session will delve into the complexities of intimate partner violence, helping participants to recognize abusive tactics and identify high-risk indicators. We will also tackle common myths and misconceptions, shedding light on the barriers that make leaving an abusive relationship so challenging. Additionally, we’ll explore the impact trauma has on survivors and share empowering strategies to enhance their safety and support.

October 31 from 10 – 11 am

Registration Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMudeGsqDMsGNW3wsOZlvu93AsKLhMbNC2s#/registration

National Center for State Courts Trending Topic

Remote Justice: Virtual Support for Domestic Violence

Technology has been associated with exacerbating safety concerns for many survivors of domestic violence. Abusers may violate privacy and security online to maintain control over their partners. However, technology has recently proven to be of benefit in the form of support system for survivors.

Read the full article here: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/remote-justice-virtual-support-domestic-p6f2e/

Constable’s Corner: NEW Civil Process Proficiency Certification(CPPC) Exam Study Guide

If you are preparing to take the CPPC Exam, check out the new self-paced study guide with information about how to take the test and what information it will cover.

You can access the study guide on the TJCTC Self-Paced Module Page, here: https://www.tjctc.org/onlinelearning/selfpacedmodules.html

Happy Halloween! As always, we look forward to seeing you soon.

– Thea and the TJCTC Team

September 25, 2024

TJCTC Updates 9.25.2024

Hello Everyone!

September and the Back-to-School Season has flown by! At TJCTC we have been busy working with the JPCA Education Committees and Faculty on our next academic year of training. Spoiler alert – we think it is going to be great. Make sure you read all the way to the bottom for updates on training registration and more.

Important National Survey for Death Investigation Information

All Justices of the Peace in counties without a medical examiner’s office should have received an email earlier this month from RTI International on behalf of the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS), directing them to the Census of Medical Examiner and Coroner Offices (CMEC) website to confirm their office information and indicate if they perform death investigation functions. This information will be used in early October to send the survey to the appropriate person within each office.

The Census of Medical Examiner and Coroner Offices (CMEC) was created by the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) in 2004 as the first nationwide data collection effort designed to capture crucial information regarding the patchwork of Medical Examiner and Coroner offices across the United States. RTI International (RTI) conducted the CMEC on behalf of BJS, and subsequently completed a second iteration of the census in 2018. The report from the 2018 CMEC can be found at https://bjs.ojp.gov/content/pub/pdf/meco18.pdf .

We are excited to share that data collection for the 2023 CMEC will begin in early October of this year. Topics covered will include budget, staffing and salaries, caseload, and other relevant measures and practices (e.g. is there a computerized case management system, how many scene investigations are done). Also new this year will be the inclusion of Justices of the Peace in Texas who performing death investigations.

If there are questions or if you did not receive an email, please email cmec@rti.org to get your log in information so you can confirm your role.

Legal Question of the Month

Is a Driver’s License required in order for a person to be placed on Deferred?

No, that is not a requirement for deferred disposition under CCP Art. 45.051. However, there is a driver’s license requirement for DSC dismissal under CCP 45.0511. For more information (including an exception to this requirement), please see p. 54 of TJCTC’s Criminal Deskbook: https://www.tjctc.org/tjctc-resources/deskbooks.html.

We have had several questions lately about offenses being eligible for DSC or Deferred. Chapter 5 of the Criminal Deskbook (at the above link) is all about DSC, Deferred, and other Dismissals. You can likely find your answer there. In addition, don’t forget about the TJCTC Charts & Checklists Page: https://www.tjctc.org/tjctc-resources/charts-and-checklists.html where we have flowcharts for both DSC and Deferred.

Online Education Opportunities

NCSC Webinars

Transitioning To a New Leadership Role

October 9th, 2024

Court Systems rely on effective leadership to operate effectively and efficiently, and leadership requires more than just seniority or title.
Embracing a new leadership position can be a transformative experience that can lead to personal growth and professional development. It also sends a signal that the organization is committed to promoting growth within. Transitioning into a new leadership role allows individuals to showcase their skills and make a positive impact on their teams and organizations.
In this session, we will explore techniques for successfully positioning yourself for leadership opportunities. Panelists will share their personal insights on their own experiences with transitions into leadership roles while discussing the challenges they encountered, and lessons learned along the way.

Register Here: https://www.ncsc.org/conferences-and-events/events-calendar/2024/webinars/october/webinar-transitioning-to-a-new-leadership-role

Navigating AI in Court Systems – Ethics, Legal Frameworks, and Practical Tools

October 16th, 2024

The integration of AI in court systems promises enhanced efficiency and decision-making capabilities. However, it also raises significant ethical and legal challenges that courts must address to maintain public trust and uphold the principles of justice.
This session, an extension of the first ethics webinar, Ethics of Generative AI: A Guide for Judges and Legal Professionals, will assist participants in developing an AI ethics infrastructure to ensure that AI technologies are used responsibly and ethically. A proactive approach that includes guiding principles, standards, and protocols helps courts prevent misuse, bias, and potential harm, thereby safeguarding the integrity of the judicial process and preserving public trust and confidence in our legal system.

Register Here: https://www.ncsc.org/conferences-and-events/events-calendar/2024/webinars/october/webinar-navigating-ai-in-court-systems-ethics,-legal-frameworks,-and-practical-tools

2024-2025 Education Event Schedules Released

Did you notice that our website has been updated with all of the 2024-2025 Upcoming Conferences and Workshops? Take a look at “Education Events” under your tab (Judges, Court Personnel, Constables) to see where our programs will be held this year. Look for a brochure online and in your mailboxes soon!

Registration Dates:

Justice of the Peace Registration – October 8

Court Personnel Early Registration (ONLY for clerks who were not able to attend a conference this year) – October 22

Regular Court Personnel Registration – October 28

Civil Process Registration – November 5

Judicial Education Requirements

Did you have to rush to complete last minute requirements this year? Check out this page on our website to make sure you know exactly what you need for this academic year that began on September 1, 2024: https://www.tjctc.org/justices-of-the-peace/education-requirements.html

Constable’s Corner: Constable Education Requirements

This is the last year of the 4-Year TCOLE Training Cycle (9/1/21-8/31/25). Make sure if you are an Elected Constable, you are able to log on to register if you haven’t yet completed your 1415 Civil Process requirement. We are working hard to ensure that all elected constables are able to get into our programs, but space in your preferred program might fill early! This year we will have programs in Galveston, Austin, El Paso, and virtually. You can view the dates on our website: https://www.tjctc.org/civil-process/education-events.html

Please feel free to reach out to us if you have questions. Laura Villarreal at lv13@txstate.edu is your point of contact for registration.

If you have questions about your other TCOLE Requirements, you can likely find the answer on the TCOLE Website: https://www.tcole.texas.gov/content/training-requirements.

Looking forward to seeing you at a conference or workshop soon!

– Thea & the TJCTC Team