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Texas Justice Court Training Center

Judicial Education Requirements

Judicial Education Requirements for 2026

The academic year runs from September 1, 2025 through August 31, 2026. 

For questions about the training cycle ending on August 31, 2025, please email Jessica at jessforeman@txstate.edu as soon as possible. 

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  • The Texas Justice Court Training Center does not create the rules for judicial education. Our role is to serve as the record keeper and provide the required education.

    The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals establishes the rules.

    • Authority: These rules are promulgated under Sections 39.002 and 56.006 of the Texas Government Code.
    • In addition, specific government statutes outline certain requirements.

    To read the full judicial education requirements, see the Rules of Judicial Education, Rule 3 – Justice of the Peace.

    Questions? Contact Jessica at jessforeman@txstate.edu.

  • New Justices of the Peace are required to complete 80 hours of training in their first year. To help you keep track, we’ve created a page that outlines all of your requirements. Visit our New Judge Page for details.

  • For non-attorney judges who have already completed their first year of new judge training:

    You must complete 20 hours of judicial education each academic year. These hours must include:

    • 10 hours in-person
    • 10 hours on a civil topic
    • 10 hours from TJCTC

    Some of these requirements can overlap (for example, an in-person civil course from TJCTC can count toward multiple categories).

    You may also submit hours from another approved training entity.

    Questions about outside education? Email Jessica at jessforeman@txstate.edu.

  • For attorney judges who have already completed their first year of new judge training:

    You must complete 20 hours of judicial education each academic year. These hours must include:

    • 10 hours in-person
    • 10 hours on a civil topic

    (Some of these requirements can overlap—for example, an in-person civil course can count toward both categories.)

    You may also submit hours from another approved training entity.

    Questions about outside education? Email Jessica at jessforeman@txstate.edu.

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Important Reminders

Medical Waivers: If you or a family member experiences a medical emergency that prevents you from attending training, you may submit a medical waiver request to Jessica at jessforeman@txstate.edu.

Deadlines: Please plan to complete your hours early. All hours must be finished by August 31st and reported no later than September 7th.

Transcripts: You can view all submitted and completed hours on your TJCTC transcript. For step-by-step instructions, see our Transcript Access Guide.