Special thanks to Carlos Garcia (Austin), Rick Wardroup (Lubbock), Larry Renner (Santa Fe, NM), and E. X. Martin (Dallas), our course directors for the 10th Annual Forensics Seminar held in Dallas in October. This year’s event had forensic specialists presenting on topics such as Crime Scene Processing, Investigation Failures, Qualification of Experts, Autopsy, DNA, and Case Study in Investigative Bias. There was also a crime scene re-creation and forensic analysis done by the Dallas Crime Forensic Department. Thanks to everyone’s efforts we had 100 attendees. In conjunction with the Forensics seminar we had an Innocence Clinic for students to attend with exonorees Billy Smith, Corey Session, Johnny Pichback, and Charles Chapman sharing their experiences. Course directors Jeff Blackburn (Amarillo) and Gary Udashen (Dallas) provided law students from throughout the state an experience to remember. We had 70 attendees.
Special thanks to Edward Nolan (Laredo), TCDLA member and President of the Webb County Bar, for allowing the Criminal Defense Lawyers Project (CDLP) to co-sponsor the Criminal Law CLE: Trends and Updates Seminar held in Laredo in October. Thanks to the Laredo-Webb County Bar Association’s efforts we had 33 attendees.
Special thanks to Michael R. Gibson (El Paso) and the El Paso Criminal Law Group for allowing TCDLA to exhibit at their recent 20th Annual Criminal Law Seminar held in Ruidoso, New Mexico, in November. Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Educational Institute made a contribution of $2,500 for the seminar. TCDLA would like to recognize Federal District Judge David Guaderrama who, 20 years ago when he was the Public Defender in El Paso County, saw a need for quality CLE for criminal defense lawyers and started this annual seminar.
Special thanks to Patrick McCann (Houston), Derick Smith (Stafford), and David Moore (Longview), our course directors for the CDLP Gideon’s Trumpet seminar held in Sugar Land in November. Thanks to their efforts we had 76 attendees.
Special thanks to Jay Norton (San Antonio), TCDLA member and President of the San Antonio Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, for allowing CDLP to co-sponsor the Jim Greenfield Memorial Nuts ’n’ Bolts seminar. Also special thanks to Aissa Garza, Executive Director of SACDLA. Thanks to their efforts we had 117 attendees.
Please make plans to attend the Defending Those Accused of Sexual Assault CLE in Houston December 6–7, 2012. Attendees will receive as part of the seminar materials the NEWLY released Cheat Sheet: Defending Clients Accused of Sexual Assault. TCDLEI is offering scholarships; contact the TCDLA office for more information. Come enjoy the HCCLA Holiday party Thursday, December 7th, the Houston nightlife, and stay over to attend the TCDLA Board of Directors Meeting.
The TCDLA Board of Directors invites you to attend the next quarterly board meeting on Saturday, December 8, at 10:00 am. The seminar and board meeting will both be at the Crowne Plaza Hotel on Smith Street in downtown Houston.
Please join President Lydia Clay-Jackson (Conroe) for the Annual TCDLA Membership Trip and Cruise CLE. The dates for the Trip are February 16–21, 2013. There will be six hours of CLE over the five-day cruise. You do not need a passport. Come share the fun, the summer-like weather, and great company.
November 12, 2012, is the first day bills can be filed by Texas legislators in anticipation of the Texas Legislative Session. TCDLA’s Legislative Committee, chaired by Mark Daniel (Fort Worth), has been preparing for the session. The TCDLA lobby team of Allen Place (Gatesville), David Gonzalez (Austin), and Kristin Etter (Austin) are prepared to ensure that the rights of the accused in Texas are protected. The TCDLA Legislative Committee will meet in Houston on December 7 in Houston.
Please sign up for the TCDLA Legislative Listserve to follow legislative news. Please call the Home Office (512-478-2514) and a staff member will add you to the listserve.
Please contact any members of the Legislative Committee if you have any particular issue you would like TCDLA to address during the upcoming session. Here are the committee members:
Mark Daniel (Fort Worth), Chair
Lydia Clay-Jackson (Conroe)
Bobby Mims (Tyler)
Robert “Bobby” Lerma (Brownsville)
Susan Johnston (Waco)
TCDLA/CDLP will have three days of Capital training from February 4–6, 2013, in San Antonio. February 4–6 will be the second Capital Case Litigation Initiative (CCLI), where criminal defense lawyers and their team will bring their own capital case(s) to the training. Travel expenses will be covered. Get your application in today—space is limited. February 7–8 will be a Capital and Mental Health seminar. Both seminars will be held at the historic Sheraton Gunter Hotel in downtown San Antonio. So please make plans to come and enjoy the San Antonio Riverwalk and attend the outstanding Capital and Mental Health seminars.
The 37th Annual Texas Criminal Trial College (TCTC) will be held March 17–22, 2013, on the Sam Houston State University campus in Huntsville. Lydia Clay-Jackson (Conroe) and Tim Evans (Fort Worth) are Deans of Students and Faculty, respectively. The course is designed for those whose criminal defense trial experience ranges from 0–10 jury trials. Many will be younger lawyers, but some will have recently left prosecution or changed areas of practice. The College is committed to responsible racial and gender balance.
For this coming TCTC, 80 lawyers will be accepted. The application is on the TCDLA website at www.tcdla.com and on page 15 of this issue, or you can call the Home Office and have one faxed to you (512-478-2514). The deadline for the submission of the applications is noon, January 18, 2013.
Good verdicts to all.
