Self-Paced Modules

Courts are stressful places to work. This module will help judges, court staff, and constables commit to their mental health with a five-day challenge. The student will be able to:

1. Describe different facets of mental health;
2. Practice simple exercises to positively affect mental health; and
3. Reframe negative thoughts.

Click here to begin the 5-Day Challenge to Improve Your Mental Health 

Judicial Education Credit Hours
This module counts for 1.5 total hours, including 1.5 civil hours. 

You can find three modules (Level 1 Civil, Level 1 Criminal, and Master Clerk) on our Clerk certification webpage. 

Each module is worth 2 hours of credit. Clerks and judges can complete them for credit, whether or not you plan on taking the exam. 

This class will cover issues involved with the service of citation and return of service, including determining whether valid service occurred. 

Click here to begin the Citation and Initial Service Module

Judicial Education Credit Hours
This module counts for 2 total hours, including 2 civil hours. 

This module will explain the process for taking the CPPE and obtaining Civil Process Proficiency Certification (CPPC) from TCOLE. It will generally cover all types of civil process tested on the exam and provide information about where the related law can be found. It will also include a practice exam. After completing the course, you should be able to: 

• Recognize the different types of service of process in Texas;
• Identify and apply the rules regarding service of process; and
• Utilize technology to access important information and resources. 

Click here to begin the Civil Process Proficiency Exam (CPPE) Study Guide Module

Judicial Education Credit Hours
This module counts for 3 total hours, including 3 civil hours. 

This course will cover what must be included when creating judgments in civil cases in justice courts, including agreed judgments, default judgments, judgments for personal property, and judgments in eviction and repair & remedy cases.

Click here to begin the Creating Civil Judgments self-paced module.

Judicial Education Credit Hours
This module counts for 1 total hour, including 1 civil hour. 

This course provides a step-by-step explanation of a debt claim case, including special requirements for the petition, how and when to grant a default judgment, mediation, trial, judgment and calculation of post-judgment interest.

Click here to begin the Debt Claim Cases self-paced module.

Judicial Education Credit Hours
This module counts for 1.5 total hours, including 1.5 civil hours. 

Thousands of criminal cases in Texas should be resolved using deferred disposition and DSC dismissals each year. This module will explain the procedures for considering and properly adjudicating cases with deferred disposition and DSC dismissals. 

Click here to begin the Deferred Disposition & DSC Dismissals self-paced module.

Judicial Education Credit Hours
This module counts for 1.5 total hours, including 0 civil hours.

This course covers the rules and procedures for hearings involving the revocation or suspension of a driver’s licenses, including the procedures for the license suspension for an uninsured motorist.

Click here to begin the Driver's License Revocation Hearings self-paced module.

Judicial Education Credit Hours
This module counts for 1 total hour, including 1 civil hour. 

The defendant has a criminal judgment. Now what? This course will discuss how to handle a criminal judgment until it has been satisfied, including reconsideration of fines and costs, alternative methods of payment, and different collection tools.

Click here to begin the Enforcing Criminal Judgments module.

Judicial Education Credit Hours
This module counts for 2 total hours, including 0 civil hours. 

The trickiest part of an eviction case often comes after a judgment is already rendered! This module will take you step by step through the eviction appeals process. 

Click here to begin the Eviction Appeals self-paced module.

Judicial Education Credit Hours
This module counts for 1.5 total hours, including 1.5 civil hours. 

This course will explain the basics of exempt property and the procedure for exempt property hearings in justice courts.

Click here to begin the Exempt Property self-paced module.

Judicial Education Credit Hours
This module counts for 2 total hours, including 2 civil hours. 

This module will cover proceedings dealing with fugitives from justice and extradition issues. This course satisfies the requirement of Art. 51.13, Sec. 10, of the Code of Criminal Procedure for non-attorney justices of the peace to hold waiver of extradition hearings.  

Click here to access the Extradition Hearings self-paced module. 

Judicial Education Credit Hours
This module counts for 1 total hour, including 0 civil hours. 

This course will prepare justice court judges and clerks to report disposition data for Class C offenses, with an emphasis on family violence cases. As of September 1, 2019, justice courts are required to report all Class C family violence case dispositions to the Texas Department of Public Safety pursuant to Code of Criminal Procedure Art. 66.252.  

Click here to access the Family Violence and Other Criminal History Reporting self-paced module. 

Judicial Education Credit Hours
This module counts for 2 total hours, including 0 civil hours. 

This course will explore writs of garnishment, including the basic procedures for issuing a writ and processing a garnishment case, the judgment debtor's rights, and special circumstances that could arise.

Click here to begin the Garnishment self-paced module. 

Judicial Education Credit Hours
This module counts for 2 total hours, including 2 civil hours. 

This course covers the rules and procedures for hearings involving handgun licenses, including the denial, the suspension, and the revocation of a license.

Click here to begin the Handgun License Hearings self-paced module.

Judicial Education Credit Hours
This module counts for 1 total hour, including 1 civil hour. 

This module will help justices of the peace gain a base knowledge for interpreting toxicology results and discussing them with medical examiners and toxicologists during inquest investigations.

Click here to access the Interpreting Toxicology Reports module

Judicial Education Credit Hours
This module counts for 1.5 total hour, including 1.5 civil hours. 

This course will cover why, when, and how to appoint interpreters in justice court proceedings. It will also provide numerous resources to assist courts in communicating with parties, working with interpreters, and complying with all requirements.

Click here to access the Interpreters module

Judicial Education Credit Hours
This module counts for 2 total hour, including 2 civil hours. 

Starting January 1, 2025, all Justice Courts will be required to have--and make publicly available--a plan for how juvenile diversions will work in their court.  This course will help you understand diversions, the value of diversions, and the information you need to develop a juvenile diversion plan for your court, county, or region.  

Click here to begin the Juvenile Criminal Diversion module.

Judicial Education Credit Hours
This module counts for 2 total hours, including 0 civil hours. 

This module is undergoing an update! Coming soon at the end of summer. 

This course will cover where to look and what to do when you need to research a legal question. It will also provide the opportunity to practice your research skills and find the answers to actual legal questions.

Judicial Education Credit Hours
This webinar counts for 2 total hours, including 2 civil hours. 

This module will give a general overview of the duties of a magistrate, and provides detailed information regarding useful resources, probable cause, magistrating at the jail, setting bail, and issuing warrants. It can be taken as a part of the judicial education requirements and to fulfill the magistration refresher course. 

This course is worth 6 education hours, including 0 civil hours.

Begin the TJCTC Magistration Duties Overview module now.

Credit: If you are taking this module to fulfill the 2-hour magistration refresher requirement, please fill out the regular self-paced module certification form. However, if you are a newly appointed judge and need to complete the 8-hour requirement, please visit our bail education page for more information. 

Every “state fiscal biennium”, meaning every two year period beginning on September 1 of odd-numbered years (such as Sept. 1, 2025-Aug. 31, 2027), all justices of the peace must obtain at least 2 hours of training on their magistrate duties. TJCTC has created this module to serve as an easily accessible one-stop shop for judges to get this information.

This course is worth 2 education hours, including 0 civil hours.

Begin the 2-Hour Magistration Refresher module now.

Please fill out the regular self-paced module certification form.

This module is undergoing an update! Coming soon at the end of summer. 

Picture this: You've just been elected or appointed. Congratulations and welcome! But where do you start? This resource page is for new judges who have just taken the bench. 

The best place to start is with TJCTC's New Judge Toolkit module which will introduce you to our organization and walk you through all of our resources. 

Judicial Education Credit Hours
This module counts for 2 total hours, including 2 civil hours. 

Constables have two main duties, service of civil process and serving as bailiff in justice courts. This course will focus on a constable’s required duties, communication with other county officials, and how to find help with any issues that arise.

Click here to begin the New to the Constable's Office Part I: Constable Duties. 

Course Credit Hours
This module does not count for TCOLE hours, but does count for TJCTC hours. This module counts for 1 total hour, including 1 civil hour. 

The responsibilities and duties of a constable serving civil process differ greatly from their law enforcement responsibilities and duties. This course will teach constables what civil process is, explain the differences between civil and criminal duties, and explain what information is common to all civil process that they serve.

Click here to begin the New to the Constable's Office Part II: Introduction to Civil Process

Course Credit Hours
This module does not count for TCOLE hours, but does count for TJCTC hours. This module counts for 1.5 total hours, including 1.5 civil hours. 

This course will cover when to grant an occupational driver's license (ODL), what the order granting an ODL should contain, and what to do if you need to change or revoke an ODL.

Click here to begin the ODL module.

Judicial Education Credit Hours
This module counts for 1.5 total hours, including 1.5 civil hours. 

In this course, you will learn about the court's options when a criminal defendant doesn't appear.

Click here to begin the Options When a Defendant Doesn't Show Up self-paced module.

Judicial Education Credit Hours
This module counts for 1.5 total hours, including 0 civil hours. 

This module is undergoing an update! Coming soon at the end of summer. 

Everything you wanted to know about being a Justice of the Peace (but were afraid to ask)! This course will provide basic information about the justice system and being a justice of the peace, and will show you how to access important resources.

Judicial Education Credit Hours
This module counts for 1.5 total hours, including 1.5 civil hours. 

This module features an overview of residential eviction procedure, not including appeals.

Begin the Residential Evictions: Step by Step module.

Judicial Education Credit Hours
This course is worth 2 education hours, including 2 civil hours.

This course will introduce you to some basic Spanish legal terminology and provide you with Spanish language resources.

Click here to begin the Spanish Legal Terminology and Resources Module.

Judicial Education Credit Hours
This module counts for 1 total hour, including 1 civil hour. 

Justice courts have jurisdiction to hear cases in which a person claims that a vehicle was illegally towed or booted or that the charges they had to pay were improper. This course will explain when a vehicle is subject to being towed or booted, how an owner or operator may request a hearing, what the court must do once a hearing has been requested, the issues the court must decide, possible outcomes of the hearing and appeal and enforcement of the court's order.

Click here to begin the Tow Hearing self-paced module.

Judicial Education Credit Hours
This module counts for 1 total hour, including 1 civil hour. 

This module will cover truant conduct cases from filing of the referral through enforcement of remedial orders. 

Take the Truant Conduct self-paced module.

Judicial Education Credit Hours
This module counts for 2 total hours, including 2 civil hours. 

This course will provide resources and information for justices of the peace to utilize when dealing with unidentified bodies during an inquest. This module can be taken in order or used as a refresher for particular issues discussed.

Click here to begin the Unidentified Bodies Toolkit. 

Judicial Education Credit Hours
This module counts for 2 total hours, including 2 civil hours. 

Post-pandemic, courts have found that virtual hearings have proved to be a useful tool for providing access to courts and efficient court dockets. This course will explore how we got here, give judges, clerks, and constables an overview of how to proceed with online hearings, and provide valuable resources. 

Click here to begin the Virtual Hearings Module.

Judicial Education Credit Hours
This module counts for 2 total hours, including 2 civil hours.