Collin County Bench Bar Conference. The conference was a huge success this year. The consensus was that everyone would like the conference to be at the same location next year. Thank you to Jonathan Bates and Julie Crawford for all of their hard work. Let each of them how much you appreciated their efforts!

Pro Bono Attorneys of the Year were Michele Foster and Steve Watson. Recognition was also given to Kyle Basinger and Jaqueline Williams. Congratulations and thank you for your pro bono efforts.!

Next year's chairs will be Michelle Bobo Spodnik and Lee Bean. Please contact them if you have any suggestions for next year's conference. The theme will be "CSI: Collin County."

Tax Charts.   Download the new 2009 Tax Charts for child support calculation.

  For Kids Sake Brochures.   Download the new 2009 brochures for the 'For Kids Sake seminars. Para clases en Español llame al 469.752.2277

Alternatives to Litigation. Litigation is an adversarial approach. It is very expensive, increases conflict and many times proves devastating to the children involved. The bad feelings from courtroom litigation can affect you and your children the rest of your lives. On the other hand, mediation or collaborative law can result in a settlement that is less expensive, less traumatic and more creative. The choices you make now can have an enormous immediate and long term effect on you and your children. Choose wisely. Click here for more information.

   New Case Management System. The new civil case management system for the District Courts is up and running for civil and family cases.  You can (sometimes) access civil and family dockets, electronic docket sheets and some rulings.  You will have to access civil and criminal information through separate databases. And yes, we have asked for changes to the new user interface; it is not as easy to use as the old one, and in some instances impossible to use.

●Civil Calendar
●Civil Case Lookup
●Criminal Case Lookup
●Criminal Calendar

   TexasJudge is just as disappointed as you are in the new web interface. Even I cannot access cases that I know are there, and we have heard from many attorneys about the issue. I keep getting the same 'no results' message that you are also getting.

    So here are some tips that I use that may help you circumvent the current deficiencies in the case lookup module.

       1. If you know an approximate date that a case is or was set, use the calendar module instead of the case lookup module, search by judicial officer, then sort the results by date and time, and you will get a calendar list of the cases. Find the case, click, and you will access the electronic file. I know it is a long way around what should be a simple process, but until they fix it, there may be no other way.

       2. When using case numbers, do not use any hyphens or dashes; also try using '2008' if you don't find the case using '08'.

For information on accessing court rulings from 219th Judicial District Court, click here.

Email.   Attorneys, please make sure the District Clerk has your email address on file in the case management system.

Inmate Pleas and Appearances.  All inmate pleas and non-evidentiary appearances will be done via video conferencing. Judges, defense counsel, prosecutors, supervision officers, clerks and bailiffs report that the process is working well.

Smoking. Smoking is not permitted anywhere inside or on the grounds of the new courthouse on Bloomdale Road, except for in one’s personal vehicle. This new smoking policy applies to all employees as well as visitors to the courthouse, and is effective immediately.

Technology Tips. Click here to check out some tips on using the courtroom technology in the district courts.

Secured Access Policy in New Courthouse. New security procedures and access are in place at the new courthouse. Access to the private offices in the new courthouse will be secured with biometric scanning of your palms.  Entrants to the secured area will have to fill out an application and be approved by both Collin County Homeland Security and the Board of District Judges.  You can obtain your applications online or at the security desk. Judge John Roach will be representing the Board of Judges in assisting Homeland Security’s implementation of this process. Attorneys coming to the courthouse for the first time will have the opportunity to receive temporary access by 1) completing an application, and 2) temporarily surrendering their driver's license to the security desk for a temporary access badge. They will exchange the badge for their driver's license when leaving the courthouse.

 Pro Bono News and Opportunities
Legal Aid of Northwest Texas

The following attorneys have recently volunteered and accepted cases through Legal Aid of Northwest Texas. Express your thanks the next time you see them! Contact Jan Kearney if you would like to participate in the Volunteer Attorney Initiative through Legal Aid of Northwest Texas.

E. Steve Watson (2 cases)
Kathy Erickson
Wayne Sorrels (2 cases)
Anne Shuttee
Kathleen Mixson
Melanie Morgan
Sharon Ramage

Recent Decisions
- 5th Court of Appeals
at Dallas
and Supreme Court of Texas
(from Collin County District Courts)
Courtesy of
www.courtstuff.com

May 21, 2009
05-09-00510-CV Motion or Writ Denied
In Re: Backiel, Tammy Lynn
Case Type: MANDAMUS Trial Court:
199TH DISTRICT COURT County: COLLIN
Opinion

May 21, 2009
05-08-00915-CV Affirmed
Byboth, Michael G.
v. Wood Limited Partnership, a Texas Limited Partnership; AMS Staff Leasing, Inc.
Case Type: CONTRACT Trial Court:
296TH DISTRICT COURT County: COLLIN
Opinion

May 21, 2009
05-08-00007-CR Affirmed
Assousa, Mark Andrew
v. The State of Texas
Case Type: OTH FEL Trial Court:
219TH DISTRICT COURT County: COLLIN
Opinion

May 18, 2009
05-08-00144-CR Affirmed
Bracy, Glenn
v. The State of Texas
Case Type: SX ASULT Trial Court:
366TH DISTRICT COURT County: COLLIN
Opinion

May 14, 2009
05-08-00875-CV Reversed and Dismissed
In The Interest Of Baby Boy Hernandez-Guerrero, a child Case Type: TERMINAT Trial Court:
417TH DISTRICT COURT County: COLLIN
Opinion 
 

May 13, 2009
05-08-01478-CV Affirmed
The City of Weston
v. Gaudette, Chad and Jennifer
Case Type: INTERLOC Trial Court:
296TH DISTRICT COURT County: COLLIN
Opinion

May 11, 2009
05-08-00611-CR Affirmed
Ownbey, Branden Lee
v. The State of Texas
Case Type: AGGROBRY Trial Court:
380TH DISTRICT COURT County: COLLIN
Opinion

May 8, 2009
05-07-01236-CR Affirmed
Stinson, Dennis Dwayne
v. The State of Texas
Case Type: OTH FEL Trial Court:
366TH DISTRICT COURT County: COLLIN
Opinion

April 14, 2009
05-08-00423-CR Affirmed
Eisenmenger, Fletcher Berry
v. The State of Texas
Case Type: ODG POSS Trial Court:
199TH DISTRICT COURT County: COLLIN
Opinion

March 27, 2009
05-07-01544-CR Affirmed
Dawes, Ricky Don
v. The State of Texas
Case Type: OTH FEL Trial Court:
199TH DISTRICT COURT County: COLLIN
Opinion

March 25, 2009
05-08-00692-CR Affirmed
Joseph, Terry Christopher AKA Joseph, Terry Christipher v. The State of Texas
Case Type: AGGROBRY Trial Court:
416TH DISTRICT COURT County: COLLIN
Opinion

March 18, 2009
05-07-01638-CR Affirmed
Black, Joseph Patrick
v. The State of Texas
Case Type: SX ASULT Trial Court:
219TH DISTRICT COURT County: COLLIN
Opinion

March 18, 2009
05-08-00840-CR Affirmed
The State of Texas
v. Dobbs, Matthew Ryan
Case Type: THEFT Trial Court:
401ST DISTRICT COURT County: COLLIN
Opinion by: SLL  Published: N Locate Opinion using: