Summer 2002 Inside This Issue ! 2002–2003 Leadership Nominations ! Welcome to Jury Duty ! Reflections While in the Zone
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The Official Publication of the Texas Center for the Judiciary Volume 29, Number 2 Summer 2002 Inside this Issue ! 2002–2003 Leadership Nominations ! Welcome to Jury Duty ! Reflections While in the Zone Plus Departments ! Making News ! Judge Mentality ! In Memoriam Recognize this judge? For answer, see PAGE 9. table of contents In Chambers Volume 29, Number 2 features Summer 2002 2002–2003 Leadership Nominations . 13 Editorial Board Chief Justice Marilyn Aboussie Resolutions & Bylaw Amendments . 13 3rd Court of Appeals, Austin Judge Manuel Banales Opinion About Opinion Writing . 15 105th District Court, Corpus Christi Welcome to Jury Duty . 06 Chief Justice Scott Brister 14th Court of Appeals, Houston First Texas College a Success . 16 Senior District Judge Sam W. Callan Dublin Castle Draws Women Judges to Ireland . 17 El Paso Justice Molly Francis Family Violence Training Requirements . 18 5th Court of Appeals, Dallas Name That Judge . 19 Texas Center for Judicial Campaign Speeches . 11 the Judiciary Staff Mari Kay Bickett Reflections While in the Zone . 12 Executive Director [email protected] Texas’ Newest Administrators of Justice . 13 Tana J. Petrich Associate Director departments [email protected] Betty Ann Hernandez Making News . 04 Administrative Assistant [email protected] Judge Mentality Shirley Irvin How do past experiences influence a judge’s ability to rule fairly? . 10 Assistant to the Director [email protected] In the Library . 12 Lacy Jemmott In Memoriam . 14 Registrar [email protected] Contributions and Memorials . 15 Carolyn Cheu Mitchel Program Attorney Looking Ahead . 16 [email protected] Cover photography courtesy of the San Antonio Convention & Visitors Bureau, Steve Moore. Morgan Morrison Publications Coordinator [email protected] In Chambers is the official publication of the Texas Center for the Judiciary. The magazine is funded by a grant from the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals. Denise Seal The staff of In Chambers strives to provide current information about national and local Financial Officer [email protected] judicial educational issues and course opportunities for Texas judges. Readers are encouraged to write letters to the editor and submit questions, comments, or Andrea Walker story ideas for In Chambers. Contact Morgan Morrison, Publications Coordinator, by calling Conference Coordinator 800-252-9232, faxing 512-469-7664, or e-mailing [email protected]. [email protected] The Texas Center for the Judiciary is located at the Texas Law Center, 1414 Colorado, Suite 502, Austin, TX 78701-1627. 2 Summer 2002 In Chambers 2002–2003 Leadership Nominations n June 6, the 2001–02 Nominations Committee, Secretary-Treasurer: Hon. Paula Lanehart # chaired by Judge Lamar McCorkle, slated the Judge, County Court at Law 3, Lubbock following judges for nomination for the 2002–03 O Place 1: Hon. Cathy Cochran Judicial Section Board of Directors and the Texas Center for Judge, Court of Criminal Appeals,Austin the Judiciary Board of Directors: Place 3: Hon.Wilford Flowers Judicial Section Board of Directors Judge, 147th District Court,Austin Chair: Hon. Stephen B. Ables Presiding Judge, 6th Administrative Region Place 8: Hon. Joe Bridges Judge, 216th District Court, Kerrville Judge, County Criminal Court at Law #4, Denton Chair Elect: Hon. Molly M. Francis Place 9: Hon. John T. Forbis Justice, 5th Court of Appeals, Dallas Senior District Judge, Childress Secretary-Treasurer:Appointed by the Chair If you are interested in serving on any committees during the 2002–03 term, please contact Hon. Stephen B. Ables at 830- Place 2: Hon. Brian Quinn 792-2290 or Mari Kay Bickett at [email protected]. " Justice, 7th Court of Appeals,Amarillo Place 3: Hon. Lora J. Livingston st Judge, 261 District Court,Austin Judicial Section Committees Texas Center Committees Place 4: Hon. Diane DeVasto Legislative (Appellate,Trial) Bylaws Judge, 241st District Court,Tyler Bylaws Curriculum Texas Center for the Judiciary Board of Directors Ethics Long Range Planning Chair: Hon. Stephen B. Ables Juvenile Justice Nominating Presiding Judge, 6th Administrative Region Nominating PEER (Bench Book) Judge, 216th District Court, Kerrville Resolutions Chair Elect: Hon. Molly M. Francis Site Selection Justice, 5th Court of Appeals, Dallas Resolutions & Bylaw Amendments he Judicial Section Resolutions Committee will meet on Hughes, Resolutions Committee Chair, County Criminal August 24, 2002, in conjunction with the Judicial Court at Law #15, 1201 Franklin, 7th Floor, Houston, TX T Section Annual Conference. 77002 or fax 713-755-4874. As stipulated in the Judicial Section bylaws, resolutions Proposed bylaw amendments should be submitted in writing must be submitted to the chair of the Resolutions Committee to Hon. Mark D. Atkinson, Judicial Section Chair/Conference no later than 20 days prior to the date set for the annual Leader, County Criminal Court at Law #13, 1201 Franklin, 7th meeting. Therefore, the deadline for submitting resolutions is Floor, Houston, TX 77002 or fax 713-755-8931. " August 4, 2002. Submit resolutions to: Judge Jean Spradling In Chambers Summer 2002 3 making news Honors & Achievements for Texas Judges On April 11, 2002, Child Advocates in Tarrant County. This award hosted the Judge Scott Moore Awards recognizes the unselfish way Dinner. More than 275 guests joined the honoree helped those who Judge Scott Moore along with the Child often have the smallest voice Advocates’ staff and Board of Directors and are at the greatest risk. at the Fort Worth Club to pay tribute to Retired Judge Scott Moore and Child Advocates volunteers as well as Child Advocates Executive several other outstanding community Director Nancy Fisher made child advocates. the presentation of this one-of- The prestigious Judge Scott Moore a-kind award. Award was presented to JUDGE JEAN The Honorable Jean H. Boyd H. BOYD of the 323rd Judicial District. can easily be referred to as the In April 2002, Judge Jean H. Boyd received Child Advocates’ 8th annual Judge Scott Moore Award. This Tarrant County Court hears the “Child’s Judge.” Since 1981, majority of Child Protective Services she has dedicated her cases. The award, which has been professional career to speaking out for by completing the 30 hours of training presented by Child Advocates for the Tarrant County’s children, especially and are embarking on a very important last eight years, honors an individual or those in crisis. Judge Boyd served as the and life-saving task. Judge Boyd is one organization that has demonstrated Associate Judge and Referee for this of Child Advocates’ best community exemplary efforts in advocating on court from February 1987 until her cheerleaders! behalf of abused and neglected children election in January 1995. She has also served as an assistant district attorney The NAACP recognized SENIOR for Tarrant County, representing Child DISTRICT JUDGE L. CLIFFORD Sunrise Protective Services, and, prior to that, DAVIS with its Ming Award. The award served as an assistant city attorney for is given in honor of civil rights attorney Breakfast Fort Worth. She has been a licensed William Robert Ming and is presented 2002 Judicial Section Annual Conference attorney since 1979. annually to an individual who Judge Boyd’s involvement with Child exemplified the spirit of financial and Advocates began in 1983 as one of the personal sacrifice that Ming displayed xperience an inspiring opening founding members of the steering in his legal work for the NAACP. Eto the day with San Antonio’s Oak Hills Church of Christ Minister committee. She was honored by the Judge Davis represented the NAACP Max Lucado. With his warm touch, state affiliation in 1999 by being named in a 1960s federal lawsuit that forced memorable stories, and insightful the Texas CASA Judge of the Year. One the desegregation of Fort Worth public words, Max has stirred the hearts of of her favorite times is when she is schools. Judge Davis served as judge of millions around the world. swearing in a new class of Child the Criminal District Court #2 from Advocates volunteers. Her kind and 1983–1988 and was inducted into the Tuesday, August 27 encouraging words serve as a way of National Bar Association’s Hall of Fame 6:45 a.m. to 8:15 a.m. reassuring the new advocates that they in 1997. " $25 per person have indeed accomplished a milestone 4 Summer 2002 In Chambers Opinion About Opinion Writing By Chief Justice (Retired) Jack Pope By The Supreme Court of Texas, Austin any years ago, a new associate which I have violated. The first is that ! Do not separate the subject or justice on the Court of Civil an appellate judge is not only a lawyer, antecedent with too many MAppeals asked me for advice but also is a writer. If it is important to intervening phrases and clauses; on opinion writing. I was flattered and have law books for the law, it is also ! Avoid legalistic terms. Personally, I pleased to give him important to have strive mightily to avoid such terms my opinion, for English and grammar as “aforesaid,” “said,” “after- whatever it was worth. I like an opinion that books for the writing. mentioned,” “to the contrary Below are some of my disposes of six legal I recommend that notwithstanding.” Examination of remarks to him, points in three pages. you begin to acquire sentences containing such words, including things that I books that will usually shows that the meaning is had learned from my improve your writing. actually clarified by striking them own writing mistakes. I believe that I recommend specifically, such books from the sentence; judges on the bench today will also find as: The Art of Plain Talk by Rudolf ! Personally, I do not like to depend these writing tips useful. Flesch and The Elements of Style by upon mechanical devices, such as First, I like an opinion that disposes William Strunk, re-edited by E.B. italics, to emphasize a point.