Education Events
Justice of the Peace Education Events
The academic year for Judges begins on September 1st and ends on August 31st. We are happy to offer several different types of education events for the 2020 academic year including:
- Judicial Education Requirements
- 20 & 16-hour seminars
- Texas State Lecture Series
- Workshops
- Webinars
- How to Register
Judicial Education Requirements
All 1st Year Judges
Newly elected or appointed judges are required to attend 80 hours of education from TJCTC. Click here for more information.
2nd Year Non-Attorney Judges
2nd year judges who are not attorneys must attend 20 hours of training from TJCTC.
3rd Year Non-Attorney Judges
3rd year judges who are not attorneys must complete 20 hours of judicial education. At least 10 hours of the 20 must be education on civil law topics obtained through TJCTC. The remaining 10 hours may be completed through TJCTC or another approved entity. Up to 4 hours of the 20 may be completed through TJCTC webinars.
Attorney Judges
Attorney judges still must complete 20 hours of judicial education, and 10 of those hours must be on civil law topics. These hours may be obtained through TJCTC, another approved entity, or State Bar CLE courses on topics relevant to justice courts. If you aren't sure if your course is relevant to justice court, please verify through TJCTC before attending.
To review the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Rules of Judicial Education, click here.
20 & 16-Hour Seminars
20-Hour seminars are TJCTC's main education events. Lasting two and a half days, these seminars allow Judges to get all of their required education in one go. Judges can also choose the 16-hour option and only attend the first two days of the seminar.
What courses are taught?
Over 28 courses are offered during the seminar. Throughout the year, the JPCA Education Committee & staff meet to develop the following year's curriculum. We choose courses based on need and attendees' suggestions.
- Click here to see a complete list of courses, course descriptions, and civil hours.
- Have an idea for a future course? Email Jessica at jessforeman@txstate.edu.
When can I register?
Justice of the Peace registration opens October 1st. Register early to secure your spot!
Where are seminars located at?
We hold several 20-hour seminars around the state. Below are the seminars that have yet to be held for the 2019 academic year.
| Location | Date | Hotel Room Cost Payable to TJCTC |
Hotel Information |
| (409) 744-1500 |
December 1 - 4, 2019 | $55 per night |
Check-in: 4:00 p.m. Check-out: 11:00 a.m. |
| (210) 227-3241 |
January 12 - 15, 2020 | $55 per night Total cost for 3 room nights payable to TJCTC: $165 Double occupancy participants do not pay any room cost. |
Check-in: 3:00 p.m. Check-out: 12:00 p.m. |
| (512) 454-3737 |
February 16 - 19, 2020 | $55 per night Total cost for 3 room nights payable to TJCTC: $165 Double occupancy participants do not pay any room cost. |
Check-in: 3:00 p.m. Check-out: 12:00 p.m. |
| Hilton Dallas/Rockwall Lakefront (214) 771-3700 |
April 14 - 17, 2020 | This event has been canceled due to coronavirus. If you have already submitted payment, you will receive a full refund. Check back here soon for more updates. | |
| (806) 776-7000 |
May 26 - 29, 2020 | $55 per night Total cost for 3 room nights payable to TJCTC: $165 Double occupancy participants do not pay any room cost. |
Check-in: 4:00 p.m. Check-out: 11:00 a.m. |
How much does a 20-hour Seminar cost?
The registration fee is $150, payable by check, money order, or purchase order, to Texas State University. Please send it to TJCTC at 1701 Directors Blvd. Suite 530, Austin, TX 78744.
In order to keep our seminars at capacity and give everyone enough time to request funds, we are requesting the registration fee one month prior to the event start date. Once you are registered for an event, an invoice with due dates will be available for you to download and print within your TJCTC profile.
You are on your own for all your travel expenses and if you opt for a single room, you will need to pay one half of the room rate per night. TJCTC will provide a catered breakfast and lunch on the first two class days and a full breakfast buffet on the last day.
What if I’m unable to attend an event?
Cancellations must be done through your TJCTC profile and received two weeks prior to the event start date in order to receive a full refund. If you must cancel your registration within two weeks to the event, email your cancellation to our Registrar, Laura Villarreal, at lv13@txstate.edu. No refunds or credits will be given for no shows, late arrivals or early departures.
What else should I know?
- Once you register and send payment, you will receive a confirmation email with specific information about hotel check-in times and procedures.
- TJCTC will make hotel reservations for you in order to get a discounted rate. Do not contact the hotel about reservations.
- If you would like to stay an additional day, please contact Travon Earl at tm1@txstate.edu. Additional nights will be based upon availability and at the best available rate. You will be on your own for all charges.
- Handouts are not provided. They will be available on your TJCTC profile two weeks before the seminar for printing. If you anticipate changing into another class onsite, please consider printing those handouts as well. Wifi is not provided in the meeting rooms.
- Certificates of Attendance can be downloaded and printed from your TJCTC Profile under the Certificates link two weeks after the event has concluded.
- For any additional questions, call us at 512-347-9927.
