I want to thank Gary Trichter, our 41st President, for his steadfast leadership over the past year. Gary spent the last year in service to the TCDLA membership. His contributions will continue to impact TCLDA into the future. He leaves TCDLA a better association. He was fond of saying that at the end of his term he would, like the old cowboy, just ride into the sunset. Well, he may just do that, but he will continue to contribute as the cowboy past president.
Please join me in giving Gary a big TCDLA thank you.
Lydia Clay-Jackson was sworn in as our 42nd President on June 9, 2012. Please join me in congratulating Lydia as she takes the reins from Gary to lead TCDLA and our almost 3,200 members.
Special thanks to our course directors, Jeanette Kinard, Jack Stoffregen, and Jimmy Gonzalez, for the Public Defender Training held in San Antonio in June. Thanks to the efforts of all of the Chief Public Defenders in the State we had 72 participants.
Immediately following the Public Defender Training, Gary Trichter led a discussion with the Chief Public Defenders and/or their designee and members of the TCLDA board and Executive Committee on indigent defense issues and how TCDLA members can work together to accomplish providing the best defense for clients who are indigent. Lydia Clay-Jackson has indicated we will have follow-up meetings to continue this discussion.
Special thanks to our course directors and associate course directors for this year’s 25th Annual Rusty Duncan Advanced Criminal Law Course in San Antonio: Troy McKinney, Doug Murphy, Stephanie Stevens, Sharon Curtis, Sarah Roland, and Marjorie Bachman. These TCDLA members had been planning, preparing, and working on this year’s Rusty Duncan for the last year. Thanks to their efforts we had a very successful event. We had a total of 826 participants and 32 exhibitors.
Special thanks to Christine and Gerry Goldstein for hosting the Annual Pachanga at their home. Each year they open their home to 500+ lawyers.
Special thanks to Melissa Schank, Assistant Executive Director, who has worked tirelessly on all of the events of Rusty Duncan. Thanks to her efforts we had an exceptional week. Special thanks to all of your TCDLA staff, who worked many hours before, during, and after the events of Rusty Duncan.
Mr. Roland Dahlin II and Mr. Charles McDonald were inducted into the TCDLA Hall of Fame. Mr. Dahlin was former Public Defender for the Eastern District in Houston. Mr. McDonald was past president of TCDLA and past chair of Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Educational Institute. He was responsible for buying the first TCDLA Home Office in Austin in 1981.
The following awards were presented during the Rusty Duncan event and/or the Annual TCDLA Membership Meeting:
Percy Foreman Lawyer of the Year
Troy McKinney (Houston)
Charles Butts Pro Bono Lawyer of the Year
Windi Akins Pastorini (Houston)
Spirit of Justice
John Raley (Houston)
Nina Morrison (New York)
Cynthia Orr (San Antonio)
Gerry Goldstein (San Antonio)
Minuteman Strike Force Awards
Michael Heiskell (Fort Worth)
Rob Fickman (Houston)
JoAnne Musick (Houston)
Gerry Goldstein (San Antonio)
Cynthia Orr (San Antonio)
Buck Files (Tyler)
Stanley Schneider (Houston)
Bobby Mims (Tyler)
David Moore (Longview)
Honorary Members
John Raley
Shirley Butts
President’s Award
See list of recipients below
Rusty Hardin was unable to speak at Rusty Duncan. In his place, Gary Trichter invited Ret. Col. William Cole, one of five remaining crew of the Doolittle raid on Tokyo in April 1942. Col. Cole was General Doolittle’s co-pilot. Gary recognized all of the veterans in the Ballroom. A video clip from a panel discussion with four of the remaining Raiders recently done at the World War II Museum in New Orleans was shown. A Q&A session then followed.
Former Heavyweight Champion of the World George Foreman presented to the grateful audience on the need for a cause in order to win.
On June 1, 2012, the TCDLA board approved the purchase of the current Home Office, located at 6808 Hill Meadow Drive in Austin, Texas, from the Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Educational Institute. TCDLA held the official closing of the sale onstage at Rusty Duncan. We also had a mortgage burning ceremony at the Goldstein Pachanga event.
A DVD of this year’s Rusty Duncan can be purchase on the TCLDA website. All tracks have been recorded.
TCDLA thanks TCDLEI for this opportunity. TCDLEI has always supported TCDLA. This year TCDLEI provided grant funds to provide 35 scholarships to Rusty Duncan.
Please make plans to join us at next year’s 26th Annual Rusty Duncan Advanced Criminal Law Course, to be held June 13–15, 2013, in San Antonio. The Hyatt Regency will be the host hotel with a new block of rooms at the Hyatt Grand. The focus will be preparing lawyers for the legal specialization examination.
The TCLDA Legislative Committee met in San Antonio to begin planning for the upcoming 83rd Texas Legislative Session. This coming session will provide a unique opportunity for legislation concerning the rights of the accused in Texas. Our TCDLA Legislative listserve will up and running shortly.
The TCLDA Annual Membership Meeting was held on June 9, 2012, immediately following the Rusty Duncan event in San Antonio. The following motions were discussed and/or voted on:
MOTION: Minutes
Approve minutes from March 10, 2012, TCDLA Board Meeting in New Orleans. Motion made by Gary Trichter, seconded by Sam Bassett. Motion carries.
Gary Trichter tabled the discussion on proposed changes to the TCDLA bylaws until the next board meeting.
MOTION: Defense Initiated Victims Outreach (DIVO) Resolution
Resolution to support with Capital Murder cases. Motion made by Sam Bassett, seconded by Lydia Clay-Jackson. Motion carries.
MOTION to approve the 2012–2013 officers, plus new and reappointed Board Members.
Motion made by Emmett Harris, seconded by Sam Bassett. Motion carries.
Please join us in thanking the following outgoing TCDLA board members, who have served membership by serving on the TCLDA board of directors:
Robert Barrera (San Antonio)
Keith Hampton (Austin)
Craig Henry (Texarkana)
Doug Murphy (Houston)
Kelly Pace (Tyler)
George Scharmen (San Antonio)
Fred Stangl (Lubbock)
Warren Wolf (San Antonio)
Please make plans to join us for the following summer CLE:
August 1–2 CDLP, Innocence Work for Real Lawyers: How to Get Innocent Clients Out of Prison, Austin
August 10 CDLP, A Primer for Court Appointments, Austin
August 16–17 TCDLA, 10th Annual Top Gun DWI Seminar, Austin
August 31 CDLP co-sponsored with San Antonio Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, San Antonio
Good verdicts to all.
