Updates 2.27.2025

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March is Upon Us!

As we finish out these last few days of February, we have several resources to share related to inquests, and some reminders about upcoming webinars and other programs.

Breaking News

Bulletin for Judges Conducting Inquests: Measles Outbreak

The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) reports the first measles-related death in the ongoing outbreak affecting the South Plains and Panhandle regions. As of February 25, 2025, 124 confirmed cases have been reported since late January, with most occurring in children. Eighteen people have been hospitalized due to complications from the virus. For a detailed breakdown of cases by county, please refer to the DSHS update: Texas Health Services

Under Texas law, a “communicable disease” is defined as an illness transmitted from an infected person, animal, or environmental source. Health & Safety Code § 81.003. If an inquest suggests that a death may be related to a communicable disease, judges are required to report it immediately to the local health authority or the Texas Department of Health. Health & Safety Code § 81.045(c).

Key Indicators of Measles in Cause of Death Investigations
Measles is highly contagious and spreads through direct contact with infectious droplets or airborne transmission when an infected person breathes, coughs, or sneezes. Symptoms typically appear 7-14 days after exposure, beginning with high fever, cough, runny nose, and red, watery eyes. A few days later, a red rash develops, starting on the face and spreading to the rest of the body. Infected individuals are contagious from about four days before the rash appears to four days after. If signs of measles are suspected in an inquest, immediate reporting and further investigation are necessary.

TJCTC is closely monitoring updates from DSHS and will keep you informed as they are provided.

Constable Corner

Webinar from Police One: Unlocking grant opportunities: Funding the future of public safety technology

Tuesday, March 11, at 1 p.m. 

Learn how to maximize resources and address critical challenges, including crime scene documentation, crash reconstruction and pre-incident planning.

Note: This is not a TJCTC sponsored webinar, but from a reputable criminal justice training agency. 

Link to register: https://www.police1.com/webinar-unlocking-grant-opportunities-funding-the-future-of-public-safety-technology?utm_source=delivra&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=114071_FaroTech_P1_FullList_2979_24359.2_2-17-25&utm_id=8516488&dlv-emuid=340227d6-c376-43c9-955f-d7ee1ed0497d&dlv-mlid=8516488

Logo with text: Justice Court Section of the State Bar of Texas

Webinar from State Bar Justice Court Section: From Court Receivership Application & Hearing to What the Receiver Does After Issuance in Justice Court

FridayMarch 21, 2025, Noon – 1 pm 

Judge Ralph D. Swearingin, Jr. and Craig Noack will present From Court Receivership Application & Hearing to What the Receiver Does After Issuance in Justice Court. This session will offer 1 hour MCLE credit. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email with a link to join the webinar.

Course Description: This presentation will provide some insights from the bench on post-judgment collections and the appointment of receiverships. Additionally, the presentation will provide an in-depth look at the role of a receiver once appointed, including the behind-the-scenes work involved in collaborating with the judgment debtor

Note: This is not a TJCTC sponsored webinar, but from a section of the Texas State Bar Association.

Link to register: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/1LlWU5qsRx6H8Dv_ZcWpPA#/registration

Webinar

Upcoming TJCTC Webinars

Restorative Justice Pathways for Juvenile Offenses

March 14th from 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm

Explore the critical intersection of emotional hygiene, shame, and juvenile behavior in our powerful session. Discover effective restorative justice strategies designed to promote healing, accountability, and meaningful community involvement within the juvenile justice system. Join us to unlock the power of restorative justice!

Link to register: https://txstate.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_3YYucvTYS_C3ZTEKKMh_bQ#/registration

Law & Literature

Law & Literature Webinar

April 10th from 2:00 – 3:00 pm

Do you want to get paid to be part of a book club?  Join TJCTC’s webinar to discuss the book “Maid” that intersects the art of storytelling and the legal field.

Judge Brad Cummings from Hopkins County and TJCTC Attorney John Lackey will lead the discussion regarding the book.  Also, feel free to watch the Netflix series based on the book and be ready share your thoughts!

Learn more here: https://docket.wp.txstate.edu/2025/01/22/law-literature/

Link to register: https://txstate.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Er9LPQhaTl2jltrLKgyicQ#/registration

Clearing Your Docket While Helping Your Community: An Update

June 5th from 2:00 – 4:00 pm

This webinar will be an overview of strategies to clear criminal case dockets while ensuring that indigent defendants’ rights are protected.

It will include information about Omnibase holds, waiver of fines and fees, community service plans, other indigent assistance strategies, and include relevant legislative updates

Link to register: https://txstate.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_spcexLIFROSVykhcZrpsZg#/registration

"Resources for Courts to Share"

Heart Health Awareness Month

This month is Heart Health Awareness Month. From learning and teaching about inquests, we know that poor heart health often contributes to cause of death. Here are a few facts about heart health to think about for yourself and share with families when a person passes away as a result of heart disease.

Heart disease is very common. In the United States, heart disease is the leading cause of death for men, women, and people of most racial and ethnic groups. In 2022, 1 in every 5 deaths in the United States was caused by heart disease.

High blood pressure is a leading cause of heart disease. Nearly half of U.S. adults have high blood pressure, which puts them at risk for heart disease and stroke. And just 1 in 4 people with high blood pressure has it under control.

Heart disease is costly. The cost of health care services, medications, and lost productivity from heart disease amounted to $252.2 billion between 2019 and 2020.

More information and resources can be found on the CDC website: https://www.cdc.gov/heart-disease/php/heart-month/index.html#cdc_generic_section_2-shareable-and-printable-tools-in-english-and-spanish

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TJCTC Updates 5.30.2024

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Hello Judges, Clerks, Constables, & Deputies,

We have training opportunities and resources to share with you in this last eblast this month. We hope you are enjoying your summer so far!

Court Personnel Exams Open!

The spring edition of the court personnel exams are now open! Take your open book exam online with TJCTC’s virtual proctoring program. The exams will be open until June 19th. Register by June 14th to take exams during this timeframe. To learn about the exam and register now, visit our court personnel certification page: https://www.tjctc.org/court-personnel/clerk-certification-program.html For questions, email Jessica at jessforeman@txstate.edu.

What is the clerk certification program?

The Justice Court Clerk Certification Program allows experienced justice court clerks to demonstrate their knowledge of statutes, procedures, and ethical guidelines applicable to Texas justice courts. Justice court clerks who pass an examination receive certification as a Certified Clerk or a Master Certified Clerk. The Texas Justice Court Training Center creates and administers all exams.

Texas DSHS Training on Mass Fatalities

Wednesday, July 17, 2024

Location: Southwest Texas Regional Advisory Council (STRAC), 7500 W US Highway 90 1-200, San Antonio, Texas 78227

This in-person seminar will cover the topic of Mass Fatality Management in Public Health Region 8. Presentations will be given by the following agencies: American Red Cross, Bexar County Medical Examiner’s Office, Medicolegal Authority/Justice of the Peace, Texas Department of State Health Services Region 8, Texas Funeral Directors Association and Texas Mass Fatality Operations Response Team (TMORT).  When the presentations are completed, the speakers will form a panel and a question-and-answer session will occur to provide attendees the opportunity to ask questions or seek clarification for issues not addressed during the lectures.

For more information and to register, visit the DSHS website.

 

Impaired Driving Taskforce DWI Summits hosted by The Texas Center for the Judiciary

The DWI Summits bring judicial education to smaller communities around the state. Come learn about:

  • Case Law Updates (including mandatory traffic fines)
  • Back to Basics: DWI Sentencing
  • Ignition Interlock
  • Occupational licenses
  • Pre-trial issues

The program is open to County Judges, County Court at Law Judges, District Judges and Justices of the Peace. Programs begin at 10 a.m. and conclude by 3 p.m. Lunch is provided. Please check with your judicial education organization regarding reimbursement.

June 27 at the Courtyard by Marriott

3955 North Expressway 77/83

Brownsville, TX 78520

July 11 at the Marriott El Paso

1600 Airway Blvd

El Paso, TX 79925

Email hollyd@yourhonor.com if you would like to attend or need more information. 

Free Lexipol Webinar for Law Enforcement

Every Day Is a Training Day: The Value of Daily Training on Policy

Thursday, May 30 | 1 pm Eastern

Presented by: Chief (Ret.) Mike Ranalli and Battalion Chief (Ret.) Bruce Bjorge

When first responders are operating in the field, they are often required to make quick decisions. As a public safety leader, you hope your personnel have been trained on both policy and practice and you trust they are making sound decisions. However, there are times when your personnel encounter unfamiliar scenarios — situations that are low frequency but high risk.

Join Chief (Ret.) Mike Ranalli and Battalion Chief (Ret.) Bruce Bjorge, as they discuss how using Daily Training Bulletins (DTBs) can help ensure your personnel are not only reviewing agency policy but also receiving regular training on your agency policy.

You’ll learn:

  • The legal and cultural reasons training requirements exist.
  • How DTBs can be one of the most versatile tools in your training toolbox.
  • How to identify which training needs can be met by DTBs and which can’t.
  • How Lexipol’s Policy Management solution can help to fulfill your policy training needs.

Register today!

Registration is free. Can’t make it? Register anyway and Lexipol will send you a link to the recording after the event.

 

NCSC Webinar – Courageous Conversations

Wednesday, June 12

Courageous conversations are fundamental to effective leadership. As a leader, conversations with your team, colleagues, and even supervisor can, at times, be challenging to navigate. It is through the careful navigation of these conversations that one can foster positive relationships and ensure effective communication.

In this episode of Navigating Leadership, Sara Grondahl, Human Resources Director for the Alaska Court System, will discuss familiar challenges and barriers to effective communication and leave you feeling empowered with a toolbox of skills and strategies that will allow you to confidently put courageous conversations into practice.

Register Today!

Future sessions of this series include:

  • July 10 – Effective Leadership Teams
  • August 14 – How to Get and Give Good Feedback
  • September 11 – What Does Leadership Mean to You?
  • October 9 – Transitioning to a New Leadership Role
  • November 13 – Developing a Leadership Culture

Visit ncsc.org/leadershipseries for more information and to access sessions on demand.

Mental Health Resources

To round out Mental Health Awareness Month, the JCMH Collaborative Council recently shared the following resources for county officials involved in Mental Health Committees/Councils/Workgroups. Several may be helpful in rural areas, especially to get grant funding or loan forgiveness programs started for mental healthcare workers.

State Office of Rural Health Resources

This is a great resource for rural judges to share with their local partners who work in the mental healthcare. SORH works to support rural health providers by providing technical assistance with finance, operations, and quality through a variety of grant programs, workshops, and one-on-one assistance.  Additional resources include educational awards that are available to individual clinicians and health care institutions, information and referral, funding resources, and assistance with medical license applications.

Visit their website

 

 Mental Health Professionals Loan Repayment Program 

Mental health professionals practicing in a Mental Health Professional Shortage Area (MHPSA) and providing services to recipients under a medical assistance program, may be eligible for a loan repayment award between $10,000 and $160,000, depending on your practice specialty.

If this sounds like it applies to professionals in your county, check out their website.

Department of Health and Human Services Loan Repayment Program 

This is another grant opportunity for mental health and substance abuse professionals who work in underserved areas.

If this sounds like it applies to professionals in your county, check out their website.

Save-the-Date for the Annual JCMH Summit

Please join the Texas Judicial Commission on Mental Health (JCMH) for the 2024 Judicial Summit on Mental Health taking place November 21 – 22, 2024, at the Marriott Dallas Allen Hotel & Convention Center in Allen, Texas.

JCMH is also accepting session proposals if your court or another county program is doing something that you would like to share with stakeholders around the state.

Visit the JCMH website for details and more information.

 

We hope you found something helpful in this update. See you at a program soon!

– Thea & the TJCTC Team

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