webinar – The Docket

January 16, 2026

TJCTC Updates 1.16.2026

We made it half-way through January!

Whew! The first month of this year is already flying by at a fast and furious pace! This edition of Updates includes more important information about updates to eviction cases, TJCTC Deskbook and material updates, the CPPC exam, and upcoming webinars (including one scheduled for today!).

TJCTC will be closed on Monday, January 9th in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day and will re-open on Tuesday. We hope you enjoy your long weekend if you also have the day off (or if you don’t, a quiet office).

Eviction Updates & New Texas Rules of Civil Procedure in Effect and Open for Comment

All eviction cases filed on or after January 1, 2026, will follow the new statutes and Rules that went into effect January 1. This means that courts may have a few confusing weeks where both the old law and new law apply to different cases. Luckily, because of the quick timelines in evictions, this issue should not be a problem for long.

In late November, the Texas Supreme Court released their updates to the Rules, including to Part V that applies to justice courts. The Court then updated their proposed Rules again late yesterday. This version of the Rules went into effect on January 1, 2026, but could change again after the Court reviews the public comments.

TJCTC has been incorporating Rule changes into our materials and classes, but please click the button below to review the changes yourself as well. Comments regarding the amendments should be submitted in writing to rulescomments@txcourts.gov by February 1, 2026.

Read the Summary of the Rules Changes

Review the New Rules

Updated Materials Now Online!

Hopefully you have already noticed, but the following Deskbooks have been updated recently:

Administrative Proceedings Deskbook
Civil Deskbook
Criminal Deskbook
Evictions Deskbook
Inquests Deskbook
Juvenile Deskbook
Recordkeeping & Reporting Deskbook
Trial Notebook
Practical Guide to Writs of Execution

The rest are coming soon!

Note, many forms, charts, and checklists have also been updated and will continue to be updated over the coming weeks as-needed.

Look for updates to the self-paced modules to start rolling out next month.

Visit TJCTC’s Website

Civil Process Proficiency Certification Exam

The Civil Process Proficiency Certification Exam will re-open for registration starting February 1, 2026.

You can find more information about the exam on the TJCTC website by clicking the button below.

Learn More

TJCTC Webinars

SB38, Evictions, and Federally Subsidized Housing; Information and Resources for JPs and Constables

February 26th from 10:00 – 11:30 a.m.

Join Nelson H. Mock, Managing Attorney for Texas RioGrande Legal Aid, for a presentation that will provide an overview of the recently amended Chapter 24 of the Texas Property Code, discuss changes to the eviction process, and offer an introduction to federally subsidized housing, including public housing, project-based section 8 (PBS8) apartments, Section 8 vouchers, and Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) properties.

Registration link: https://txstate.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_xvt0C0jNS0qra7QJ0GHsPA#/registration

Texas State Bar Justice Court Section Webinar

Making Sense of AI Technology in Justice Courts

January 16th from noon – 1:00 p.m. TODAY!!

Join the Texas State Bar Justice Court Section for a webinar this month as Heath Morgan, Partner, Martin Golden Lyons Watts Morgan and Lizbeth Parra Davila, Practicing Faculty, St. Mary’s University School of Law presents Making Sense of AI Technology in Justice Courts. This session will offer 1 hour MCLE credit, including .5 ethics credit. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email with a link to join the webinar.

Course Description: Generative AI is changing how legal work gets done and understanding what it can (and can’t) do is half the battle. This session will concentrate on safely and effectively adopting this new technology, both now and in the future. Learn the pros, cons, and necessary safeguards of using Generative AI in the Justice Courts.

Registration link: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/4MWungBOTci4Qvxrg1U8Tg#/registration

January 6, 2026

TJCTC Updates 1.1.2026

Happy New Year!

We have several new updates that we want to remind you of. One major update occurred late yesterday afternoon: The Texas Supreme Court made additional updates to Part V of the Rules of Civil Procedure, in particular Rule 510 that governs evictions cases. These updates went into effect today, and will apply to any case filed today or after (until the final Rules go into effect – which could bring more changes).

Our general counsel, Bronson Tucker, has put together a summary of the changes for our courts. Our entire legal team is also putting in additional hours over the holiday to update the forms, charts, and checklists that we were in the process of uploading when these changes came to our attention. Please be patient, as we are going to get these posted as soon as we can in the order that they are most needed.

Read the Summary of the Rules Changes

New Texas Rules of Civil Procedure in Effect and Open for Comment

In late November, the Texas Supreme Court released their updates to the Rules, including to Part V that applies to justice courts. The Court then updated their proposed Rules again late yesterday. This version of the Rules went into effect, this morning, on January 1, 2026, but could change again after the Court reviews the public comments.

TJCTC will be incorporating Rule changes into our materials and classes, but please click the button below to review the changes yourself as well. Comments regarding the amendments should be submitted in writing to rulescomments@txcourts.gov by February 1, 2026.

Review the New Rules

Civil Process Proficiency Certification Exam

The Civil Process Proficiency Certification Exam will re-open for registration starting February 1, 2026.

You can find more information about the exam on the TJCTC website by clicking the button below.

Learn More

TJCTC Webinars

Important Considerations for JPs: Dynamics of Family Violence and Updates from the 89th Legislative Session

January 8th from 1:00 – 3:00 p.m.

Join the Texas Council on Family Violence for an in-depth look at the dynamics of family violence and an overview of important updates from the 89th legislative session. Presenters will discuss how family violence may appear in the courtroom and offer guidance on how JPs can respond to family violence. The presenters will also provide an overview of new laws that intersect with survivors of family violence and provide insight on supporting implementation of new laws designed to foster safety and stability for survivors.

Click here to register.

Texas State Bar Justice Court Section Webinar

Making Sense of AI Technology in Justice Courts

January 16th from noon – 1:00 p.m.

Click here to register.

December 8, 2025

TJCTC Updates 12.5.2025

FY2026 Programs Underway

We had our first in-person program for this academic year earlier this week in Galveston. It was a treat to see a packed room full of judges ready to learn, and we can’t wait to welcome the New Judges next week in Bee Cave. While we love the ability to connect with y’all online, connecting in person is the best! In this edition of Updates you will find important updates to the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure, an update about the CPPC exam, a frequently asked legal question, and links to register for upcoming webinars.

Texas in the News for Fatal Truck Crashes

Judges, court staff, and law enforcement often see violations by CDL holders in the courtroom and on Texas roads. A recent article talked about the importance of safe driving and how truck traffic and crashes are on the rise in Texas. Read the article from the Texas Tribute on their website: https://www.texastribune.org/2025/11/12/texas-leads-in-fatal-truck-crashes-as-safety-enforcement-plummets/

New Texas Rules of Civil Procedure Open for Comment

In late November, the Texas Supreme Court released their updates to the Rules, including to Part V that applies to justice courts. This version of the Rules will go into effect on January 1, 2026, but could change again after the Court reviews the public comments. TJCTC will be incorporating Rule changes into our materials and classes, but please click the button below to review the changes yourself as well. Comments regarding the amendments should be submitted in writing to rulescomments@txcourts.gov by February 1, 2026.

Review the New Rules

Civil Process Proficiency Certification Exam

The Civil Process Proficiency Certification Exam will re-open for registration in the new year. As many legislative changes are going into effect in January, to avoid any confusion, TJCTC has decided to postpone the taking of the exam until 2026. You can find more information about the exam on the TJCTC website by clicking the button below.

Learn More

TJCTC Webinars

TAA Lease & Forms Update 2026

December 17 from 10:00 – 11:00 a.m.

Join TJCTC General Counsel Bronson Tucker, TAA Vice President and General Counsel Sandy Hoy, and attorney Howard Bookstaff for a discussion of the Texas Apartment Association’s lease and form updates for 2026 in light of the passage of SB 38.

Click here to register.

Important Considerations for JPs: Dynamics of Family Violence and Updates from the 89th Legislative Session

January 8th from 1:00 – 3:00 p.m.

Click here to register.

Legal Question of the Month

A frequent question regarding Occupational Driver’s Licenses is whether an SR-22 is required for the court to issue an order granting an ODL.

If the applicant is otherwise required to have an SR-22 by DPS, then they will need to provide that to the court as their evidence of financial responsibility. If they are not required to have an SR-22, then it is not a requirement for the ODL and they can just provide the standard proof of insurance. An SR-22 can be required for various reasons, such as when an applicant’s driving privilege has been suspended due to a car crash, they have received a second or subsequent conviction for No Motor Vehicle Liability Insurance, or a civil judgment has been filed against them. A court can usually determine whether an applicant is required to have an SR-22 by looking at the applicant’s driving record or the applicant’s information on the DPS License Eligibility website.

We are aware that some people have heard from DPS that an SR-22 is always required to get an ODL. It is also listed as always being a requirement on certain forms and websites. There is not, however, any statutory authority for this. TJCTC’s recommendation is to only require an SR-22 before granting an ODL if the person is otherwise required to have the SR-22. If they are not, the court does not have the authority to require it. Instead, it will be between the applicant and DPS if DPS is improperly requiring it before issuing the actual license (though it is fine to let the applicant know that DPS may require this). Also note that some judges have reported that while DPS may say an SR-22 is always required, they have sent many orders to DPS without an SR-22 (when it was not otherwise required) and have never had a problem.

November 10, 2025November 10, 2025

TJCTC Updates 11.10.2025

Legal Updates for Judges

This edition of Updates is heavily focused on updates that will impact justices of the peace, but don’t forget to scroll down for some upcoming TJCTC webinars!

New Comment on Rules of Judicial Conduct

Over the past couple of weeks there have been many news articles about a recent comment on the Rules of Judicial Conduct related to the performance of marriage. Note that some of the news articles didn’t report this in detail, and we want to make sure that justices of the peace have all of the information

The comment states, “It is not a violation of these canons for a judge to publicly refrain from performing a wedding ceremony based upon a sincerely held religious belief.”

Note, this comment only applies to the sanctioning by the Commission on Judicial Conduct, and not to any other potential liability for refusing to marry a couple including a potential lawsuit. This means that while a judge who refuses to marry a couple based on their sincerely held religious belief will not be sanctioned by the Commission, they could still be sued if the couple believes that the action was discriminatory.

Obergefell v. Hodges, the U.S. Supreme Court case allowing same-sex marriage is still good law, and as recently as last week, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to reexamine the issue in a recent case.

The most cautious advice is to continue to only perform marriages to all that request them or not perform marriages at all.

Read the Comment

Propositions Pass

All 17 state-wide propositions on the election ballot this week in Texas passed. What does this mean for justice courts?

The biggest impact on justice courts will be the passage of Proposition 5. It allows for SJR 5 to go into effect, related to magistration.

In summary, SJR 5 authorized a constitutional amendment allowing a magistrate to deny bail for additional violent felony offenses. It requires the state to demonstrate in these cases that bail is insufficient to either prevent the defendant’s willful non-appearance in court or reasonably ensure the safety of the victim, the community, and law enforcement.

Look for more information soon about effective dates and details regarding this constitutional amendment.

Read SJR 5

Attorney General Opinion

KP-0501

Question: Can a judge prohibit the carrying of concealed firearms in courtrooms by the District Attorney and Assistant District Attorneys.

Opinion: While the judiciary possesses broad authority over court-rooms, that authority does not license a categorical prohibition on lawful forms of concealed carry by individuals—like district attorneys and their assistants—who are expressly exempted from Texas Penal Code sections 46.02 and 46.03.

What does this mean for justice courts?

While it is important for the judge and bailiff to know who in the courtroom has a weapon for court security purposes, the court cannot prohibit prosecutors and other similar individuals from carrying a weapon in the courtroom. This opinion is a great reminder to include prosecutors and other individuals who are routinely appearing in your court in court security planning to make sure the court security officers and bailiffs can be as prepared as possible if safety becomes an issue.

Read the Opinion

Caselaw Update

State v. Chavez

No. 03-25-00124-CR, Texas Third Court of Appeals, Austin

Issue: Is a blood search warrant invalid because there was no oath or affirmation verbally administered? Does the good-faith exception in CCP Art. 38.23(b) applicable to allow the evidence to be admissible anyway?

Holding: The warrant is invalid, and the good-faith exception does not apply, because it requires objective rather than subjected reliance on the search warrant by the officer. The Court found that any reasonable officer would have known that the warrant was invalid if no oath or affirmation was given and the affidavit was not sworn. Telling an officer where to sign is not the same thing as placing them under oath.

What does this mean for Justice Courts and Law Enforcement?

Judges should be careful to always place an officer under oath before having them sign a probable cause affidavit, and officers should remind the judge of the requirement if necessary. Blood search warrants are so common in Texas today, and the requirements are not overly complicated, so the Courts will likely expect judges and law enforcement to be familiar with the procedural requirements in the future.

Read the Case

TJCTC Webinars

TAA Lease & Forms Update 2026

December 17 from 10:00 – 11:00 a.m.

Click here to register.

Important Considerations for JPs: Dynamics of Family Violence and Updates from the 89th Legislative Session

January 8th from 1:00 – 3:00 p.m.

Click here to register.

October 28, 2025

TJCTC Updates 10.28.2025

Educational Opportunities and Legislative Updates

This edition of Updates includes a special Constable’s Corner and training opportunities, including registration information for TJCTC’s upcoming Justice of the Peace Evictions Workshop this fall and the final webinar in a series of webinars from the Texas State Bar about legislative updates.

We also included some information about an exciting NCSC project that could be really helpful for rural courts.

NCSC Legal Deserts Problem-Solving Project

Is your county a legal desert (a rural area where there isn’t enough legal help for those who need it)? Your court may be the perfect candidate for this new NCSC project providing support and resources to partner courts to help solve problems related to the lack of legal resources.

Don’t wait, look at the website now, because the priority application deadline is November 3, 2025!

Learn More and Apply

Constable’s Corner

TCOLE Training Requirement Reminder

In addition to the continuing basic requirements for a licensed peace officer, constables and their deputies require additional training each 4-year TCOLE cycle including training from LEMIT and TJCTC.

Constable-Specific

Newly Elected Constables:
Must complete Newly Elected Constable training (#3742 – does not include any
ALERRT training hours) thru LEMIT within 2 years of first appointment as Constable.

Constable Continuing Education:
Must complete Continuing Education for Constables (#3743) thru LEMIT each 4-
year training cycle thereafter. The course includes 8 hours of ALERRT training. You
will be required to complete an additional 8 hours of ALERRT training to meet the
16-hour legislative requirement.

Civil Process:
Must complete Civil Process (#1415) through the Justices of the Peace and
Constables of Texas (JPCA) from the Texas Justice Court Training Center (TJCTC)
at Texas State University each 4-year training cycle.

To see the full list of training required for peace officers, including constables and deputies, review THE BRIEFING from TCOLE that came out this October.

HB 5081 Confidential Information for Judges & Court Staff Online

HB 5081 amended the Government Code Chapter 92 to protect the information of “At-Risk Individuals” (which includes judges, clerks, and employees of courts) on public websites. The legislature passed this bill to help protect the privacy and safety of those that run our courts.

To learn more, read the bill online or review the slides on the TJCTC Legislative Updates Page.

Judges, Don’t Miss the Evictions Workshop this Fall!

This judge’s-only workshop will cover all of the new changes to the evictions laws as well as include interactive scenarios about how they will be implemented when they go into effect January 1, 2026.

November 12-14, 2025 via Zoom

Don’t worry, there will be additional workshops and classes for court personnel and constables next spring and summer.

Register Here: Justice of the Peace Virtual Evictions Workshop

State Bar Justice Court Section Webinar

Justice Court Section Legislative Update Part III: All Other Topics

Friday, November 7, 2025, Noon – 1:00 pm CDT

1 Hour MCLE Credit

This final webinar in the series will cover a variety of bills from the most recent legislative session, excluding SB 38 and SB 1333, which were covered in earlier sessions.

Presenter: Rebecca Glisan, TJCTC Director of Curriculum & Staff Attorney

This webinar is welcome to anyone who wants to join!

Note, this webinar is sponsored by the Texas State Bar Justice Court Section and is not an official TJCTC webinar.

October 28, 2025

TJCTC Updates 10.16.2025

Training, Legislative Updates, and a New Tobacco Awareness Program

This edition of Updates includes lots of training opportunities, including registration information for TJCTC’s upcoming Justice of the Peace Evictions Workshop this fall and a great series of webinars from the Texas State Bar about legislative updates.

Don’t forget to read all the way to the bottom to see this week’s Legal Question of the Week and get access to a new, improved E-Cigarette and Tobacco Awareness Program for your courts!

HB 1306 Benefits for JPs

House Bill 1306 amended several code sections to add Death Investigation Professionals (JPs, Medical Examiners, and death investigators) to the list of people who can receive benefits if exposed to contagious diseases.

In addition, the same Death Investigation Professionals were added to code provisions providing medical, survivor, and Worker’s Compensation benefits if they arise from injury or death while executing their duties.

Click the button below to review the bill.

HB 1306

Important E-Cigarette and Tobacco Awareness Program Update

Recently, the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) partnered with the Texas School Safety Center at Texas State University to develop and release a new, free, online, self-paced E-Cigarette and Tobacco Awareness Program (ETAP) course.

This program replaces the former Texas Youth Tobacco Awareness Program (TYTAP).

This new program (ETAP) is the only Texas Department of State Health Services-approved e-cigarette and tobacco awareness program to meet the requirements of Health and Safety Code Section 161.253.

ETAP offers (2) separate online tracks that are available statewide and at no cost to users. Those courses include:

ETAP Referral Course: This course is intended for individuals under age 21 who are cited for possession of tobacco products, including e-cigarettes (vapes), and are referred by the courts or their school. It also provides young Texans with the information and skills necessary to quit and avoid tobacco products in the future. Schools and educators are also encouraged to use the ETAP Referral Course as an alternative to school suspension or Disciplinary Alternative Education Program.

ETAP Prevention Course: This course is designed for young Texans in grades 6-12 who are interested in learning about the harmful health effects of e-cigarettes and other tobacco products, tobacco industry marketing to young people, and how young people can build a vape free, tobacco free culture in their school. Schools and educators are encouraged to promote the ETAP Prevention Course as a way for students to receive awareness education regarding the harmful effects of tobacco use and vaping.

For questions about the course specifically, please reach out to tobacco.free@dshs.texas.gov.

Learn More About ETAP

Read the Press Release About ETAP

FY2026 Registration

Did you know that registration has already started for (some) FY26 Academic Year Conferences and Workshops??

Registration will open at 8:00 am (Please don’t wake up at midnight…you will be disappointed!) on the following dates:

Justices of the Peace – Open Now!!! Some programs are already full.

Court Personnel – Open Now!!! Programs are full, but some waitlists are open.

Constables & Deputies – October 21, 2025

*Note: Only court personnel notified by TJCTC are eligible for early registration. This registration is for court personnel who were unable to attend a conference last year. If anyone who is not eligible registers, they will be removed from the registration list and may not get a slot during regular registration.

Click the buttons below to see the agendas, dates, and locations of programs.

Justices of the Peace

Court Personnel

Constables & Deputies

Highlight on Evictions & Landlord/Tenant Issues

All conferences this year will feature sessions about evictions and landlord/tenant issues and will be updated with all of the new legislative changes.

There will also be special programming exclusively on these topics. One example is the workshop for justices of the peace:

Justice of the Peace Virtual Evictions Workshop – November 12 – 14, 2025 via Zoom

Legal Question of the Week

Question: If a defendant e-files an inability to pay appeal affidavit, say, on a Thursday, and for various reasons – efile could be down, computer system crashed, etc. – and the court doesn’t get to it until the following Monday, what would be the guiding state in regards to payment into the court registry, the day the party filed it, or the day the court entered it into the case?

Either day would be timely in regards to the appeal, but I want to make sure that when we send the information back to the filer about their registry payment that they have the appropriate time to pay into the registry and not cut them short, but I also want to make sure that we are within the proper time parameters according to the law. Please advise.

Answer: Generally, a document is considered filed when it is submitted through the efile system. In a case like this, when that happens could depend on when the efile system registers it submitted – this would usually be when the filer hit the submit button. If the system was down, it would likely not accept the filing. If there is another issue like the courts computers being down, there is no specific rule or statute allowing the extension of the deadline to pay rent into the registry, other than the general Rule 500.5(c) that allows the court to extend any time period under the Rules except those relating to new trial and appeal for good cause. We believe that the court could consider the issues that you describe to be good cause to extend this deadline.

The notice for the defendant to pay rent into the registry is required to give the defendant 5 days from the filing of the appeal bond or statement of inability to pay. This means, in this case they would have 5 days from whenever the statement of inability to pay court costs was submitted through efile. In these cases, it is important that the clerk accept these cases and send this notice as soon as possible.

It may be worth contacting the efile provider to see if there is a possibility of an automatic notice going out upon submission of an appeal in a non-payment of rent eviction case. Note, this might be even more helpful, if it is possible, when the new eviction laws go into effect in January 2026. The requirement of payment of rent into the registry will be extended to all types of eviction cases, not just non-payment. See Legislative Update Materials at https://www.tjctc.org/legislative.html.

October 3, 2025October 3, 2025

TJCTC Updates 10.3.2025

Happy Friday

We are heading full steam into a new academic year, and lots of information is coming your way. In this edition of Updates you will find information about registering for programs, updated resources, a Legal Question of the Week, and more.

Our last Update included a very special section related to Special Session Bills that were signed into law on 9/17. If you missed it, you can read it here: https://docket.wp.txstate.edu/2025/09/24/tjctc-updates-9-24-2025/

Office of Court Administration Updates

It will be no surprise that the Office of Court Administration (OCA) was charged with making many updates to the processes and systems that they are responsible for this legislative session. Some new things to check out are: SB 9 Updates that relate to magistration and the PSRS, Clerk Resources (including Court Costs, Fines, and Fees Charts & information about the Protective Order Database), and Standardized Protective Order Forms.

Click the buttons below to review some of these updates on the OCA website.

Clerk Resources

SB 9 Updates from OCA

Standardize d Protective Order Forms

Deskbooks, Forms, and Other Materials Updates

We have received lots of questions about updates to our materials, and rest easy, we are working on it! Several updated forms went live on September 1, and we will continue to roll out updated materials as they are completed.

Note, changes for laws going to effect in January will be implemented and posted in November and December. This includes changes to eviction forms and the Evictions Deskbook.

Remember, you can see when a form, chart, checklist or deskbook was updated on the page where you download it.

Visit the TJCTC Website.

FY2026 Registration

Did you know that registration has already started for (some) FY26 Academic Year Conferences and Workshops??

Registration will open at 8:00 am (Please don’t wake up at midnight…you will be disappointed!) on the following dates:

Justices of the Peace – Open Now!!! Some programs are already full.

Court Personnel – early October 7, 2025 & regular October 14, 2025

Constables & Deputies – October 21, 2025

Click the buttons below to see the agendas, dates, and locations of programs.

Justice of the Peace

Court Personnel

Constables & Deputies

Highlight on Evictions & Landlord/Tenant Issues

All conferences this year will feature sessions about evictions and landlord/tenant issues and will be updated with all of the new legislative changes.

There will also be special programming exclusively on these topics. One example is the workshop for justices of the peace:

Justice of the Peace Virtual Evictions Workshop – November 12 – 14, 2025 via Zoom

State Bar Justice Court Section Webinar

Justice Court Section Legislative Update Part 1: SB 38

Friday, October 17, 2025, Noon – 1:00 pm CDT

1 Hour MCLE Credit

This webinar is the first part of a three-part legislative update series. It will cover a portion of the changes made to Evictions law by SB 38, with the remaining changes to be covered in Part 2

Presenter: Rebecca Glisan, TJCTC Director of Curriculum & Staff Attorney

Note, this webinar is sponsored by the Texas State Bar Justice Court Section and is not an official TJCTC webinar.

Register now!

Legal Question of the Week

Question: A vehicle accident happened in our County both the Plaintiff and Defendant reside in a different county. Will the small claim be filed in our county?

Answer: Venue for a small claim/civil case is chosen initially by the plaintiff. There can be many proper venues for a case. Please review pages 40-41 of the Civil Deskbook to see all the proper venues in a small claim/civil case.

It looks like either of these locations could be a potential proper venue.

September 4, 2025

TJCTC Updates 9.4.2025

New Laws Taking Effect

You may have noticed a new slide on our front page reminding constables that SB 1333 took effect this week, but don’t forget, that’s not the only new law already in effect!

For a full list of bills that have taken effect already, please see the TJCTC Legislative Page and review the materials available to you there. This Update is all about important changes from the legislature, including hot topics still being discussed in the special session, benefits now available to judges and court staff, and Rules updates as a result of the new laws.

Why don’t new court fees and costs go into effect until January 1, 2026?

Government Code Sec. 51.607 requires new or amended court costs and fees (not fines) to go into effect January 1, following the legislative session, even if the bill creating or amending them goes into effect prior to that date.

This is also the statute requiring OCA to create costs and fees charts. (To be updated soon on their website – https://www.txcourts.gov/publications-training/publications/filing-fees-courts-costs/)

What is an example of this from this legislative session?

HB 2282 – Warrant Fee

A warrant fee assessed as costs (when applicable) to a convicted defendant will now be $75 instead of $50.

If the fee is assessed before 1/1/26, the fee is $50. If it is assessed on or after 1/1/26 AND the offense date is on or after 9/1/25, the fee is $75.See the updated CCP Art. 102.011(a) & Gov’t. Code Sec. 51.607.

New Supreme Court Rule

Texas Rule of Judicial Administration 12.5

Effective September 1, 2025, The Texas Supreme Court amended Rule of Judicial Administration 12.5 to give effect to HB 5129.

What changed?

The amendments added more personal/family information into the Rule that will be exempt from disclosure when Judicial Records are requested (note, this is different from the rules regarding disclosure of Case Records).

Want to see the changes for yourself? Here is the advisory – https://www.txcourts.gov/media/1461161/259062.pdf

To review the difference between Judicial Records and Case Records, please see Chapter 2 of the Recordkeeping and Reporting Deskbook on the TJCTC Deskbook Page. Note, while this change is already in effect, the Supreme Court may make additional amendments as a result of public comment. As usual, we will keep you updated if any changes occur.

Legal Question of the Month

What is a Squatter??

Squatters have been a hot topic over the last few years, and a new bill, SB 1333, was even called the “Squatter Bill” by the media and others.

So, what is the legal definition of a squatter?

A squatter is a person who commits a forcible entry and detainer (FED) by entering the real property of another without legal authority or by force and refuses to surrender possession on demand. Property Code Sec. 24.001.

It does not count as a FED if the person enters with the consent of:

– A person in actual possession of the property;

– A tenant at will or by sufferance; or

– A person who acquired possession by forcible entry (a squatter).

So, if a person has consent when they enter, they aren’t a squatter!

This definition is very important for some of the new updates to evictions and landlord/tenant law that we saw out of this legislative session. Many of these updates don’t go into effect until January and will be discussed in detail at legislative updates and upcoming conferences and workshops. However, we have had several questions about SB 1333 that we answered in an email to constables and deputies earlier this week. You can read it on The Docket – https://docket.wp.txstate.edu/2025/08/29/civil-process-updates-8-29-2025-important/.

Mass Fatalities & Disaster Relief

After the devastating floods this summer, inquests and mass fatality trainings have been not only a hot topic at the legislature, but also a topic of concern among justices of the peace. No one wants to be caught off guard going into such a hard situation.

Some good news is that we have several trainings available to help justices of the peace get prepared and know who to call when disaster strikes.

There are two recordings for credit that are related to this topic on the Recordings for Credit Page – Have you heard of TMORT? and Resources for Mass Fatalities.

There is also a great self-paced module with helpful information called Unidentified Bodies on the Self-Paced Module Page.

As always, if any new laws from the special session pass and require additional training, we will keep judges in the loop. In the meantime, we will have multiple inquest classes at our regular conferences for judges to brush up on their skills in addition to our library of online resources.

Have something great to share? Email Amber Myers at a_m1814@txstate.edu.

August 21, 2025

TJCTC Updates 8.21.2025

Mid-Month Updates

Please read this email fully for an important legislative update as well as some great training opportunities (some of them are FREE)!

Important note, if you downloaded Legislative Update Materials prior to 8/21/2025, please re-download the updated version, available today. We apologize, but some new information was provided this week that lead us to change a few slides.

For judges/clerks, changes were made specifically to sections regarding SB 1667, HB 654, and HB 2282. There were no changes made to the 2025 New Fine-Only Offense Chart. For constables/deputies, there were several minor changes made. There were no changes made to the Caselaw Update.

SB 1667 Expunctions

Note: If you attended the 8/19/25 Legislative Update in Corpus Christi, this update includes updated information from our presentation.

This bill applies to expunction petitions filed after 9/1/2025, and made changes to Code of Criminal Procedure Chapter 55A. (Note, this won’t apply to expunctions made other under code provisions, like alcohol offense expunctions.)

It requires district clerks to compile and maintain on their website a list of agencies/entities and their applicable email addresses, so that expunction petitions and orders can be delivered to the appropriate entities electronically.

New Fee: If an agency/entity cannot receive the order electronically, then the court shall charge a $25 fee effective 1/1/2026.

Old Fee: This bill repealed the “Fees in Expunction Proceedings” section. This means that starting 9/1/2025, the $100 fee for CCP Ch. 55A expunctions can no longer be charged. This also means only the new $25 fee discussed above will be charged (after 1/1/2026). Note, this repeal was an error that the legislature is seeking to reverse in the special session. If the new bill passes, the $100 fee will go back into effect 1/1/2026. TJCTC will keep you updated on this situation.

There are also new provisions regarding inspection and disposition of expunction records and retention of mental health records.

Want more info?

Review TJCTC’s legislative update slides on SB 1667

Read SB 1667

Legal Question of the Month

Release of Judgment in Error

A default judgment was granted against the defendant last year. A few months later, there was a Release of Judgment entered in the case. The plaintiff recently realized that the judgment was NOT supposed to be released, they have now submitted a “Motion to Vacate and set aside satisfaction of judgment”. Is this something that is possible, to set aside the release of judgment?

Answer: At this point, it may be best to have a hearing to ensure that there is nothing weird going on or no other mistakes are made, and give notice to both the judgment creditor and judgment debtor.

At the hearing, if the court finds that the release was entered in error, then the court can enter an order withdrawing or striking the release and noting what happened. This will also give the debtor an opportunity to be heard and know what is going on, as they might have no clue any of this happened.

Upcoming Training Opportunities

8th Annual Judicial Summit on Mental Health

Detailed Agenda Available

The 8th Annual Judicial Summit on Mental Health will be held October 7-8, 2025, at the Royal Sonesta Houston Galleria in Houston, Texas. Capacity for our in-person meeting is limited; we have fewer than 100 in-person spots left. Those who are not able to attend the meeting in person will have the opportunity to live-stream the event from their home or office.

Book your hotel room at the Royal Sonesta Houston Galleria by September 12 to get the Summit room block rate.

Don’t forget, registration is free! Register to attend in-person or online: https://web.cvent.com/event/e401bbc3-30ae-401f-be22-b1b385a958b7/regPage:3a358dcf-21b7-414c-ad7b-06220cc77043

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

Human Trafficking Awareness Initiative from NCSC

NCSC has launched an initiative designed to help courts play an active role in raising awareness of human trafficking. CDL Drivers & Courts: On the Road to End Human Trafficking offers judges a tool to address this issue from the bench—a specialized e-learning course that can be assigned to CDL drivers who appear before the court.

The free, self-paced e-learning course educates commercial drivers on how to identify and report signs of human trafficking, understand reporting procedures, and comply with the No Human Trafficking on Our Roads Act, which imposes a lifetime CDL disqualification for drivers convicted of human trafficking in a commercial motor vehicle. Participants earn a certificate of completion that can be submitted to the court.

Resources for this initiative, including a judicial bench card, are available at https://www.ncsc.org/cdlhtainfo. Note, if you are a judge or clerk who completes this course and would like TJCTC Credit, please email your certificate to Jessica Foreman at jessforeman@txstate.edu.

Disaster Relief Help

Do members of your community still need disaster relief aid?

You can share the following link to resources from Texas Rio Grande Legal Aid with your community.https://www.trla.org/disaster

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)

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