PRESENTED BY
The University of Texas School of Law
Texas Court of Criminal Appeals
Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association (TCDLA)
Texas District and County Attorneys Association (TDCAA)*
*TDCAA does not reimburse for this program

Download Brochure (PDF)

Overview

This biennial conference features members of the Court of Criminal Appeals and judges from the intermediate courts around Texas joining prosecutors and defense attorneys for discussions on current issues facing the criminal system.

Program highlights include:

• Significant Decisions of the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, United States Supreme Court Update, plus Court of Appeals and CCA Judicial Panels

• Appellate Tips from the Experts including a follow-on moderated question and answer session

• Daubert: The Scientific Method and Expert Testimony in Criminal Cases, and Innocence as a Gateway to Post-Conviction Writs

• Practical tips and tricks from the experts on eFiling, creating appellate briefs, pattern jury charges, differences in juvenile appeal cases, pre-trial appeals, writs, trial objections and preservation of error, rehearings, and PDRs

• Earn up to 2 hours of ethics

Event Schedule

Program is subject to change.
All times are Central Time Zone.

  • Time
    Credit
    Subject
    Speaker
  • Wednesday Afternoon, May 8, 2013
    Presiding Officer:
    Hon. Cheryl Johnson, Texas Court of Criminal Appeals - Austin, TX
  • 2:45 pm
    Registration Opens
    Your questions are answered at the Thursday afternoon Q&A with the Appellate Experts. Submit your questions in advance to service@utcle.org, or conference registration desk.

  • 3:45 pm
    Welcoming Remarks

  • 4:00 pm
    1.00 hr ethics
    Reel Legal Ethics
    A discussion of the ethical rules that apply to legal dilemmas using clips from various movies.

    Ivan Martinez, 34th Judicial District Attorney's Office - El Paso, TX

  • 5:00 pm
    1.00 hr
    Significant Decisions of the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals
    An analysis of significant decisions in the last year, and what they mean for criminal law practitioners on both sides of the bar.

    E. G. (Gerry) Morris, Law Office of E.G. Morris - Austin, TX

  • 6:00 pm
    Break

  • 6:15 pm
    0.50 hr
    Legal Writing for the Screen Reader
    More and more legal documents are filed electronically and read on a computer. Screen reading changes the way we perceive and process information. Learn ways to craft legal documents to be more useful for screen reading.

    Wayne Schiess, The University of Texas School of Law - Austin, TX

  • 6:45 pm
    0.50 hr
    Electronic Filing Exposed
    Electronic filing (eFiling) is taking the civil side by storm, but has yet to catch on fully on the criminal side. Learn some of the known barriers to criminal eFiling and find out how TexFile, Texas' new eFiling system, resolves some of these issues and is enabling greater adoption.

    Casey Kennedy, Office of Court Administration - Austin, TX

  • 7:15 pm
    Adjourn

  • Time
    Credit
    Subject
    Speaker
  • Thursday Morning, May 9, 2013
    Presiding Officer:
    Hon. Cheryl Johnson, Texas Court of Criminal Appeals - Austin, TX
  • 8:00 am
    Conference Room Opens
    Includes continental breakfast.

    Submit your questions for Q&A with the Appellate Experts to service@utcle.org, or at the conference registration desk.

  • 9:00 am
    1.00 hr
    Daubert: The Scientific Method and Expert Testimony in Criminal Cases

    Samuel E. Bassett, Minton, Burton, Bassett & Collins - Austin, TX

  • 10:00 am
    0.50 hr
    Innocence as a Gateway to Post-Conviction Writs

    Marjorie I. Bachman, Law Office of E.G. Morris - Austin, TX

  • 10:30 am
    Break

  • 10:45 am
    1.25 hrs
    Appellate Tips from the Experts
    A view from the bench and both sides of the criminal bar with practical tips on how appellate advocates and appellate courts can make their briefs and opinions interesting, easier to understand, and less likely to inflame the opposing side or losing party.

    David L. Botsford, Botsford & Roark - Austin, TX
    Edward L. Wilkinson, Tarrant County District Attorney's Office - Fort Worth, TX
    Hon. Cathy Cochran, Texas Court of Criminal Appeals - Austin, TX

  • 12:00 pm
    Networking Lunch
    Included in conference registration.

  • Thursday Afternoon, May 9, 2013
    Presiding Officer:
    Hon. Barbara P. Hervey, Texas Court of Criminal Appeals - Austin, TX
  • 1:15 pm
    0.50 hr
    Q&A with the Appellate Experts
    Your questions are answered at this moderated Q&A.

    Please submit your questions in advance to service@utcle.org or at the conference registration.

    Panelists:
    David L. Botsford, Botsford & Roark - Austin, TX
    Edward L. Wilkinson, Tarrant County District Attorney's Office - Fort Worth, TX
    Hon. Cathy Cochran, Texas Court of Criminal Appeals - Austin, TX

  • 1:45 pm
    0.50 hr
    Pattern Jury Charges
    A discussion of the new—and hopefully improved—approach to jury charges reflected in the "model" charges produced by the State Bar's Committee on Pattern Jury Charges-Criminal.

    George Dix, The University of Texas School of Law - Austin, TX

  • 2:15 pm
    0.50 hr
    Juvenile Appeals
    Juvenile law is a mix of Criminal, Civil and Family Code rules. Explore the important differences in juvenile appeal cases that result from the amalgamation that is juvenile law.

    Andrea Westerfeld, Collin County Criminal District Attorney's Office - McKinney, TX

  • 2:45 pm
    Break

  • 3:00 pm
    0.50 hr
    Pre-Trial Appeals: A Limited Bag of Tools
    Coverage of the limited scenarios in which defendants may appeal pre-trial, including constitutional writs regarding bond, jeopardy, limitations and statutory challenges. Also addressed are matters that the state may appeal pre-trial.

    Josh Barrett Schaffer, The Schaffer Firm - Houston, TX

  • 3:30 pm
    0.50 hr
    0.25 hr ethics
    Court of Appeals Judicial Panel
    A panel of Courts of Appeals judges discuss what they do, the Courts' dockets, and better ways for practitioners to represent parties before the Court.

    Moderator:
    Hon. Kerry P. FitzGerald, Fifth Court of Appeals - Dallas, TX
    Panelists:
    Hon. Thomas W. Gray, Tenth Court of Appeals - Waco, TX
    Hon. John F. Onion Jr., Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, Ret. - Austin, TX
    Materials By:
    Hon. Dori Contreras Garza, Thirteenth Court of Appeals - Edinburg, TX

  • 4:00 pm
    0.50 hr
    0.25 hr ethics
    A Guide to Article 11.07 Writs of Habeas Corpus and Other State Writs
    General overview of the law and procedures regarding Texas state writs including issues of actual innocence and ineffective assistance of counsel.

    Michael F. Stauffacher, Texas Court of Criminal Appeals - Austin, TX

  • 4:30 pm
    0.75 hr
    0.25 hr ethics
    Trial Objections and Preservation of Error
    This session encompasses trial counsel's ethical duty to preserve potential reversible error for appellate review and covers myriad areas where the need to preserve potential reversible error is paramount.

    Brian W. Wice, Attorney at Law - Houston, TX

  • 5:15 pm
    Adjourn

  • Time
    Credit
    Subject
    Speaker
  • Friday Morning, May 10, 2013
    Presiding Officer:
    Hon. Barbara P. Hervey, Texas Court of Criminal Appeals - Austin, TX
  • 8:00 am
    Conference Room Opens
    Includes continental breakfast.

  • 8:30 am
    0.50 hr
    Rehearings in the Appellate Courts
    The when and how of pursuing rehearings under Texas Rules of Appellate Procedures 49 and 79.

    John A. Stride, Texas District & County Attorneys Association - Austin, TX

  • 9:00 am
    0.50 hr
    0.25 hr ethics
    Court of Criminal Appeals Judicial Panel
    A candid discussion of what's new at the Court, the state of the docket, and ways practitioners can improve their chances of obtaining favorable relief for their clients.

    Moderator:
    Hon. Barbara P. Hervey, Texas Court of Criminal Appeals - Austin, TX
    Panelists:
    Hon. Elsa R. Alcala, Texas Court of Criminal Appeals - Austin, TX
    Panelists:
    Hon. Michael Keasler, Texas Court of Criminal Appeals - Austin, TX
    Panelists:
    Hon. Paul Womack, Texas Court of Criminal Appeals - Austin, TX

  • 9:30 am
    Break

  • 9:45 am
    0.50 hr
    Petitions for Discretionary Review (PDR) Basics: Form, Substance and Trends
    A review of recent rule amendments, recommendations for constructing a successful PDR, and a look at current PDR trends.

    Stacey Meredith Goldstein, Office of State Prosecuting Attorney - Austin, TX

  • 10:15 am
    1.00 hr
    United States Supreme Court Update
    An update on relevant criminal procedure and criminal law cases decided by the United States Supreme Court in the 2012 Term, a review of decisions yet to be handed down, and a preview of cases in the pipeline for the 2013 Term.

    Jennifer E. Laurin, The University of Texas School of Law - Austin, TX

  • 11:15 am
    Adjourn

Download Schedule

Conference Faculty

Hon. Elsa R. Alcala

Texas Court of Criminal Appeals
Austin, TX

Marjorie I. Bachman

Law Office of E.G. Morris
Austin, TX

Samuel E. Bassett

Minton, Burton, Bassett & Collins
Austin, TX

David L. Botsford

Botsford & Roark
Austin, TX

Hon. Cathy Cochran

Texas Court of Criminal Appeals
Austin, TX

George Dix

The University of Texas School of Law
Austin, TX

Hon. Kerry P. FitzGerald

Fifth Court of Appeals
Dallas, TX

Hon. Dori Contreras Garza

Thirteenth Court of Appeals
Edinburg, TX

Stacey Meredith Goldstein

Office of State Prosecuting Attorney
Austin, TX

Hon. Thomas W. Gray

Tenth Court of Appeals
Waco, TX

Hon. Barbara P. Hervey

Texas Court of Criminal Appeals
Austin, TX

Hon. Michael Keasler

Texas Court of Criminal Appeals
Austin, TX

Casey Kennedy

Office of Court Administration
Austin, TX

Jennifer E. Laurin

The University of Texas School of Law
Austin, TX

Ivan Martinez

34th Judicial District Attorney's Office
El Paso, TX

E. G. (Gerry) Morris

Law Office of E.G. Morris
Austin, TX

Hon. John F. Onion Jr.

Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, Ret.
Austin, TX

Josh Barrett Schaffer

The Schaffer Firm
Houston, TX

Wayne Schiess

The University of Texas School of Law
Austin, TX

Michael F. Stauffacher

Texas Court of Criminal Appeals
Austin, TX

John A. Stride

Texas District & County Attorneys Association
Austin, TX

Andrea Westerfeld

Collin County Criminal District Attorney's Office
McKinney, TX

Brian W. Wice

Attorney at Law
Houston, TX

Edward L. Wilkinson

Tarrant County District Attorney's Office
Fort Worth, TX

Hon. Paul Womack

Texas Court of Criminal Appeals
Austin, TX

Planning Committee

Hon. Barbara P. Hervey—Co-Chair

Texas Court of Criminal Appeals
Austin, TX

Hon. Cheryl Johnson—Co-Chair

Texas Court of Criminal Appeals
Austin, TX

William P. Allison

The University of Texas School of Law
Austin, TX

Hon. Cathy Cochran

Texas Court of Criminal Appeals
Austin, TX

Hon. Kerry P. FitzGerald

Fifth Court of Appeals
Dallas, TX

Jeffrey S. Garon

Brazos County District Attorney's Office
Bryan, TX

M. Clara Hernandez

El Paso County Public Defender
El Paso, TX

Hon. Michael Keasler

Texas Court of Criminal Appeals
Austin, TX

Hollis L. Levy

The University of Texas School of Law
Austin, TX

John A. Stride

Texas District & County Attorneys Association
Austin, TX

Credit Info

MCLE Credit
A Texas MCLE Reporting Form will be included in your course materials. Please complete and return to the registration desk and UT Law CLE will report credit on your behalf to the State Bar of Texas, or you can self-report your credit directly to the State Bar of Texas at texasbar.com. A Certificate of Attendance will be provided at the conference to keep for your records.  
At the conference, you will need to sign in on the Record of Attendance form at the registration desk. Self-report your CLE credit directly to the State Bar of California at calbar.ca.gov. You will receive a Certificate of Attendance at the conference to keep for your records. UT Law CLE will maintain Attendance Records for four years.  
At the conference, you will need to sign in on the Record of Attendance form at the registration desk. You will receive a Certificate of Attendance at the conference to keep for your records. UT Law CLE will report credit on your behalf to the Oklahoma Bar Association within 30 days after the conference.
Note on Self-Reporting Your Credits in Another State
If you wish to satisfy MCLE or other professional education requirements in another state for a program offered by the University of Texas School of Law, please check with the state bar or other licensing authority in that state before taking the program to ensure it will qualify for self-reporting your credits.
Other Credit
The University of Texas School of Law (Provider #250) live conferences are presumptively approved by The Texas State Board of Public Accountancy for Texas Accounting CPE credit based on a 50-minute credit hour. Approved for general CPE credit only.

At the conference, you will need to sign in on the Accounting CPE Record of Attendance form at the registration desk. You will receive a Texas Accounting Certificate of Completion at the conference for your records. Self-report your CPE credit directly to TSBPA. UT Law CLE will maintain Attendance Records for four years.  

Contact Laura Tolin, ltolin@law.utexas.edu, if you have additional questions.

Key Dates

Austin – May 8-10, 2013 – Sheraton Austin Hotel at the Capitol
Conference Concluded
Buy
Austin
Last day for Standard Registration early registration: May 1, 2013

Add $50 for registrations received after this time

Last day for Group 10% (5-9) (5 registrants minimum) early registration: May 1, 2013

Add $50 for registrations received after this time

Last day for Group 20% (10+) (10 registrants minimum) early registration: May 1, 2013

Add $50 for registrations received after this time

Last day for cancellation (full refund): May 3, 2013

$50 processing fee applied after this date

Last day for cancellation: May 6, 2013

Venue

speaker

Sheraton Austin Hotel at the Capitol

701 E. 11th Street
Austin, TX
512.478.1111 (reservations)

Accommodations

$169.00 good through Apr 15, 2013

Reserve your room online.

Government rate: $108 good through April 15, 2013
The government rate is now sold out.

Parking Information

$10 daily self-parking; $10 overnight self-parking

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