Texas Municipal Courts
Education Center

The Recorder

The Recorder is the periodic journal published by the Texas Municipal Courts Education Center as a critical news and information source for municipal courts in Texas. A link to each issue is emailed out to every constituent member of TMCEC. Subscriptions for a paper version are available for $35.00, checks made payable to the Texas Municipal Courts Education Center. Download an order form here. There are usually four issues each year. The subscription rate for non-municipal groups or individuals is $50. Since FY 13, members of the Texas Municipal Courts Association have received upon request a paper version by U.S. Mail as a member benefit at no additional charge than the annual membership dues. For more information, go to www.txmca.com.

Archived copies of The Recorder are available online for download, and may be searched for along with the rest of the TMCEC website using the search engine at the top right corner of your screen.

Click on the date of each issue to download the entire issue as a PDF.

Click here to be directed to an index (by topic) of past Recorder articles.

December 2020	- AY21 Winter Schedule - Case Law and Attorney General Update - Traffic Safety Awards - Clerks' Corner - TMCEC Online Store
August 2020	- Attorney General Opinion: Courts Are Authorized to Require Face Coverings - Class C Misdemeanors, Competency, and Continuity of Care - Mental Health During COVID and Beyond - A Summer of DRSR Workshops: Virtually Amazing
June 2020	- Bail & Bond Exposition and Showcase - Class C Family Violence - Continuing Education Hours Reminder - COVID-19: Court Guidance from OCA - Full Court Press Returns! - Mental Health Resources for Your Court
April 2020	- 2020 Spring Webinar Series - Alternative to Live TMCEC Judicial Education - IDEA Requirements - Guidelines for 800-Line Calls - OCA Time Payment Fee Letter - The Consolidation of Court Costs and Reimagining of Fines in Texas: Five Important Considerations
December 2019	- Case Law Update - Faculty Appreciation - Low-Volume Seminar - Regional Roundtable
August 2019	- 2019 Legislative Update - 2019 Academic Schedule
June 2019	- High in Plain Sight - Five Steps to Help Mitigate Implicit Bias on the Bench - With a Little Help From My Friends? Legal Representation in Municipal Court - Measuring the Risk of Risk Assessments: Risk Assessment Instruments are Tools in the Decision Making Process, Not a Substitute for Judicial Discretion - Viewpoint: Risk Assessment Instruments: A Judge's Perspective
March 2019	- Audio Recordings from Judges & Clerks Programs - Fines & Fees Exposition & Showcase - New Tools to Promote Traffic Safety - Viewpoint: Alternative Punishments - The Rapid Emergence of E-Scooters - Municipal Courts: A Primer on What They Do and a Look at the National Conversation Regarding Indigent Defendants
December 2018	- Case Law and Attorney General Opinion Update: Part II - Court Security 10999 Online Course - Court Process Clinic - MTSI Award - NCSC Award - The Brief
November 2018	- Case Law and Attorney General Opinion Update: Part I - Court Security 10999 Online Course
July 2018 Vol. 27 No. 4	- Chart: Guide to Pre-Trial Release - Court Security Training - Drivers License Reinstatement: A Complicated Journey - Essential Components of Judicial Practice: What Every Judge Needs to Know About Trauma - CDOT Survey Finds Lots of People are Driving While Stoned - Making it Personal: The Misunderstanding, Utility, and Limits of Personal Bonds in Texas - Mental Health Summit - Municipal Court Week - National Night Out - TMCA Annual Meeting
May 2018 Vol. 27 No. 3	- Court Security Update: Time to Act: Court Security Committees - One Decade Down: Possible Explanations for the Decrease of Traffic Citations in Texas - Reactive Policing: The Chief Culprit for the Recent Drop in Stops, Citations, and Class C Misdemeanors - Texas Municipal Courts Experiencing Success by Utilizing Walk-in Dockets
February 2018 Vol. 27 No. 2	- Court Security Update - Ethics Update - Homeless Courts: Access to Justice for Indigent Defendants - Judicial Security Division - Mindfulness in My Courtroom - Personal Security Test - Privacy Protections for Judges - Rethinking Traffic Safety Through Vision Zero
December 2017 Vol. 27 No. 1	- Case Law and Attorney General Opinion Update - Municipal Courts Around the State Committed to Community Engagement - Municipal Court Week - National Night Out
Legislative Update 2017 Vol. 26 No. 5	- 2017 Legislative Update - 2018 Academic Schedule - Charts
April 2017 Vol. 26 No. 4	- Court Communication Is Not Just Key; It Is Constitutional - Procedural Fairness: Balancing Justice, Perception, and Compassion - Providing for the Fair Administration of Justice Through Education - Procedural Justice: Practical Tips for Courts
February 2017 Vol. 26 No. 3	- Community Service: Suggested Practices and Potential Problem Areas - Ethics Update: Examples of Improper Judicial Conduct - Impaired Driving: Case Law Review 2017 - Service Animals and The Courts
December 2016 Vol. 26 No. 2	- Case Law Update - Mental Health Initiative in Fort Worth - National Night Out and Municipal Court Week - Updated TMCEC Forms
October 2016 *Special Edition Vol. 26 No. 1	- An Incomplete Picture: State Data and Indigence - Comparing Courts: Texas is Not Ferguson, Missouri - "Debtors' Prisons" and "Ticket Debt": The Misleading Rhetoric Revolving Around Criminal Penalties in Texas - Defining Indigence - Distinguishing "Fines" from "Court Costs" - In Light of Tate: What "Alternative Means" Means - In the Shadow of Bearden, Guidance from Case Law. the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure, and the Case for "Show-Cause" Hearings Prior to Issuing a Capias Pro Fine - Judges Who Do Not Comply with Safeguard in Texas Laws Protecting Indigent Defendants Are Committing Judicial Misconduct - Making Meaningful Use of the Fine Range - Misunderstanding "Fine Only" Misdemeanors - "Safe Harbor" Policies: Why Arrest Is Not Always the Best - Setting the Record Straight: Class C Misdemeanors, the Right to Counsel, and Commitment to Jail
August 2016 Vol. 25 No. 4	- FY17 Academic Schedule and Registration - New Court Appointment Procedures and Reporting Requirements: How Do They Apply to Municipal Courts? - Court Appointment Procedures and Reporting Pre-trial and Bail Practices Public Safety Assessment - The Four Elements of Procedural Fairness - Broadening Bearden: Pre-Trial Justice and Why Bail Practices May Be in Store for Major Changes - Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Distinguishes Drugged Driving Case from McNeely
April 2016 Vol. 25 No. 3	- DOJ: Department Announces Resources to Assist State & Local Reform of Fine & Fee Practices - Insurance Support Organizations: Are Deferred Traffic Cases Coming Back to Haunt Defendants? - Judicial and Courthouse Security Survey Results Overview - Shared Solutions: Fines, Costs & Fees - Standing in the Corner: The Shifting Role of Magistrates in the Age of E-Warrants - The Evolution of Marriage & the Important Role of Judges & Other Public Officials in Civil Marriage Ceremonies
January 2016 Vol. 25 No. 2	- 2016 Great Texas Warrant Roundup - Drug Trend Alert: Marijuana Wax, Oil, or Concentrates - Examples of Improper Judicial Conduct - Everything Has Not Changed: What Municipal Courts Need to Know About Guns and New Legislation - Judicial Donation Trust Funds: A Statutory Violation of the Canons of Judicial Conduct - Lessons from Ferguson: What Every Municipal Court Needs to Know - Motion For Rehearing in Villarreal Improvidently Granted
November 2015 Vol. 25 No. 1	- 2015 Judge and Clerk of the Year - Case Law Update - Municipal Court Week - National Night Out
August 2015 Vol. 24 No. 5	- 2015 Legislative Update - 2016 Academic Schedule - Charts - Legislative Update in Bill Order
July 2015 Vol. 24, No. 4	- Bills with Early Effective Dates - Changes to OCA Monthly Reports - Impaired Driving Legislative Update - The 2015 Truancy Reform Bill - HB 2398 - TMCEC Traffic Safety Grants Help Make Texas Roads Safer - Truancy Court Procedures Flow Chart and Accompanying Commentary
May 2015 Vol. 24, No. 3	- Accessing Your Community's Youth Through DRSR - Are You an Aggressive Driver? Take the Test - Bail: Fixing, Taking, and the Limits on Law Enforcement Involvement - Five Latin Words that Shouldn't Faze You - Vehicle Registration and Inspection: One Sticker to Confuse Them All?
February 2015 Vol. 24, No. 2	- Blinded by the Light: The Enforcement of Outdoor Municipal Lighting Ordinances in Texas - Examples of Improper Judicial Conduct - New Municipal Judges Continue to be Supported by TMCEC Mentor Program - The Fair Defense Act and the Role of the Magistrate - Texas Magistrates Should Anticipate More Requests for "Blood Warrants" in Light of Court of Criminal Appeals Decision in Villarreal - Transportation Network Companies: Litigation, Livelihood, and Local Regulations
November 2014 Vol. 24, No. 1	- Burleson Municipal Court's "Teen S.W.A.G. Affair" - Case Law and Attorney General Opinion Update TMCEC Academic Year 2015 - Clerk Certification Update - Licensed Court Interpreters: A Guide to Recent Changes in the Law - Municipal Judges Required to Complete Child Welfare and IDEA Training in 2014-2015 Academic Year - Marijuana's Hazy Contribution to Highway Deaths - TMCA Awards
August 2014 Vol. 23, No. 4	- Finding Balance: Crime Control and Due Process in Texas Public Schools and in Misdemeanor Courts - Five is the Loneliest Number in Texas Municipal Court Juries - How Graduated Drivers License Programs are Making Our Roads Safer - Introducing Full Court Press - Judge Goldstein Honored by SBOT MJ Section - OCA Webinar on Monthly Reports - Summer Webinar Series 2014 - Teen Courts Offer Alternative for Minor Defendants - Texas Court Remote Interpreters Service
April 2014 Vol. 23, No. 3	- 2014 MTSI Awards - Distracted Driving- Driving with Pets - DRSR Lending Library - More Shades of Grey - Practical Suggestions for Visiting Speakers - Self-Represented Defendants: The Boundaries of Judicial Assistance - The Texas Privacy Act: Tall Enough Fences to Keep Out Nosy Drones?
January 2014 Vol. 23, No. 2	- Designer Drugs - E-cigarettes - Judicial Conduct - Making Sense of GA-1035 - Municipal Court Week - National Night Out - The Michael Morton Act
November 2013 Vol. 23, No. 1	- 2013 Judge and Clerk of the Year - 2014 Municipal Traffic Safety Initiatives Award - 2014 One-Day Clinic Series - Case Law Update
September 2013 Vol. 22, No. 5	- Guest Speakers in the Classroom - Talking with Kids
August 2013 Vol. 22, No. 4	- 2013 Legislative Update
May 2013 Vol. 22, No. 3	- 2013 Municipal Traffic Safety Initiatives Award Winners - Emphasizing the Consequences of Drinking and Driving in Your Community with Shattered Dreams - OmniBase Services of Texas: No Show. No Pay. No Problem? - Reaching Out to Your Community with Driving on the Right Side of the Road - Shades of Grey: Sometimes the Letter of the Law Exists Somewhere Between Black and White - The Clerks are Marching On: Professional Development for Court Personnel - When the Acts of a Judge May Be Void: A Look at the Constitutional Oath Requirement in Light of Section 29.005 of the Texas Government Code
March 2013 Vol. 22, No. 2	- Celebrating Texas Municipal Courts with a Week of Festivities - Costs Payable? Johnson v. State and its Implications on Local Trial Courts of Limited Jurisdiction in Texas - Court-Ordered Waiver of Surcharges for Indigent Defendants - Ethics Update - Program Progress: The Municipal Court Clerks Certification Program - Should Cities Embrace or Scoff at the Texas Scofflaw Program? - Traffic Safety: News You Can Use "Danger Without Intentions:" A Central Texas Program Making a Difference With Teen Drivers - Five Frequently Asked Questions Concerning Judicial Education Changes
December 2012 Vol. 22, No. 1	- 2013 Municipal Traffic Safety Initiatives Awards - Case Law & Attorney General Opinion Update, Academic Year 2013 - Changes at TMCEC - Lifesavers Conference: National Conference on Highway Safety Priorities - Texas RioGrande Legal Aid: Free Legal Services in the Courtroom and the Classroom
August 2012 Vol. 21, No. 4	- A Prosecutor's Perspective: Contending with Obstruction Advocacy - An Update on the Criminal and Civil Sides of Animal Cruelty - New Judicial Education Requirements - “Passing the Paddle” Part II: The Emergence of Local Trial Courts in the Texas Juvenile Justice System and the Challenges of the Judiciary Moving Forward - Social Media:The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly - Statute of Limitations
June 2012 Vol. 21, No. 3	- A Statutory Look at Driver’s License Suspensions for Certain Drug Offenses - Civil Jurisdiction in Municipal Court: Evolving or Mutating? - “Passing the Paddle” Part I: The Emergence of Local Trial Courts in the Texas Juvenile Justice System and the Criminalization of Misconduct by Children - Q&A: Substandard Building Abatement After City of Dallas v. Stewart - Rounding the Corners: Criminal Application of the Four-Corners Rule
March 2012 Vol. 21, No. 2	- Edited Form: Bail Conditions Where Child is Alleged Victim - Examples of Improper Judicial Conduct - Excerpts from the Annual Report for the Texas Judiciary (2011) - Information Sharing on Juvenile Justice Data - Juvenile Case Managers in Texas: The First Decade
December 2011 Vol. 21, No. 1	- Case Law & Attorney General Opinion Update, Academic Year 2012 - Changes in Licensed Court Interpreter Law - Making a Difference: Irving Municipal Court - More Laws Passed by the 82nd Legislature - The State of License Plate Laws in Texas
Legislative Update 2011 Vol. 20, No. 5	- Legislative Update 2011 with full-text bill summaries
July 2011 Vol. 20, No. 4	- A Preview of Legislation from the 82nd Session - Aging Baby Boomers and At-Risk Driving - Civil Court Enforcement of Property Ordinance Cases "Why Isn't My City Doing This?" - Making A Difference: Judge Gary L. Ellsworth - Motorcycle Safety - Municipal Court Use of Quick Response (QR) Codes - Texas Laws Regarding Senior Drivers - Texting While Driving-Mobile Devices---the law in Texas R_U_n_idiot? - TMCA Judge & Clerk of the Year
May 2011 Vol. 20, No. 3	- Amnesty Programs, Warrant Roundups, and the Great Texas Warrant Roundup - Chasing Our Tails: Problems in the Laws Regarding Dangerous Dogs - FAQ on OCA Reporting - Internet Research and Communication by Jurors - Suggested Jury Instructions On the Use of Electronic Technology to Conduct Research On or Communicate About a Case - MTSI Award Winners
January 2011 Vol. 20, No. 2	- Ethics Opinion 599 - Examples of Judicial Misconduct - Excerpts from the Annual Judicial Report on the Texas Judicial System (2010) - Guidelines for 800-Line Calls - K2: What's the Buzz About? - Give the Dog a Bone: The Criminal and Civil Side of Animal Cruelty
December 2010 Vol. 20, No. 1	- Case Law & Attorney General Opinion Update, Academic Year 2011 - Clerk Certification Update
September 2010 Vol. 19, No. 5	- Celebrate Municipal Courts Week November 1 - November 5, 2010 - Danger Behind the Wheel: The Facts About Distracted Driving - Judges in the Classroom
August 2010 Vol. 19, No. 4	- Driving on the Right Side of the Road Information Sheet: Cell Phones and Texting - Jail House Pleas: Is Rothgery a Tap on the Shoulder or a "Fly in the Ointment" of Local Trial Court Expediency - Order in the Court: Finding Contempt in Municipal Court - Teen Driving: Texas Teen Drivers Show Decline in Cell Phone Use - What Municipal Courts Should Know About the IDEA
July 2010 Vol. 19, No. 3	- Class C Misdemeanors and the Statute of Limitations: Case Closed? - Controlling the Taint of Criminality: Children and Orders of Nondisclosure - Inmate Trust Collection - Removal of Judges from Texas Cases: Distinguishing Disqualification and Recusal - To Enhance or Not to Enhance? DWLI Revisited - Underage Drinking in Texas
March 2010 Vol. 19, No. 2	- A Retrospective Recap of the 81st Regular Legislature - Change in OCA Reporting Form - Continuing the Case Law Concentration - Examples of Improper Judicial Conduct - Excerpts from the Annual Judicial Report on the Texas Judicial System (2009) - Moving Violations and Rules of the Road Offenses: New Legislation Requires Courts to Scrutinize the Classification of Offenses - Unrestrained Children and Unlawful Parking: Using the Code Construction Act to Decode the Confusion - When is a Court Order Needed to Destroy Evidence?
December 2009 Vol. 19, No. 1	- Case Law and Attorney General Opinion Update, Academic Year 2010 - Rollover Convincer
August 2009 Vol. 18, No. 5	- Are We Driven to Distraction? - Judges in the Classroom - Kids in Court - What Do People Care About and How is This Related to Municipal Court?
Legislative Update 2009 Vol. 18, No. 4	- Legislative Update 2009 with full-text bill summaries
May 2009 Vol. 18, No. 4	- All These Exes Live in Texas - Behind a Plate Glass Wall: The Importance of Protective Glass at the Clerk's Window - Examples of Improper Judicial Conduct - Judges in the Classroom - Online Alcohol Awareness Classes - Retrospection and New Observations on the Motor Carrier Safety Improvement Act: Can the "Show Me" State Provide Texas Courts with Insight on Masking? - The Use of Automatic License Plate Recognition Cameras in Municipal Court Warrant Service - Why Texas Needs a Booster Seat Law
January 2009 Vol. 18, No. 3	- Learning to Talk to the "Blank Wall": Discussing Drinking and Driving with Teens - Profile of Texas Judges - Proof of Lawful Status Now Required for Texas Drivers Licenses or Identification Cards - The ABC's of Municipal Case Law - The Oversimplification of the Assistance of Counsel in the Adjudication of Class C Misdemeanors in Texas
November 2008 Vol. 18, No. 2	- Case Law & Attorney General Opinion Update, Academic Year 2009 - Policy Issues on Status Offenses - TMCA Announces Outstanding Judge and Clerk of the Year - To Mark or Not to Mark, Is Your Patrol Vehicle Legal?
September 2008 (electronic only) Vol. 18, No. 1	- Driving on the Right Side of the Road - Rules of the Road - The Code of Judicial Conduct: License or Limitation? - Traffic Safety Awards
August 2008 Vol. 17, No. 4	- Collection Improvement Program Update - Court Management: Performance Indicators on a Shoestring - DWI Blood Warrants - Making Sense of Rothgery: What the Most Recent Decision of the U.S. Supreme Court Regarding the Sixth Amendment Means to Magistrates in Texas - Reconsidering Allen: DWLIs New Impact on Municipal Courts
June 2008 Vol. 17, No. 3	- Denying Bail in Family Violence Offenders: Texas Prosecutors Have a Tremendous New Tool to Protect Victims of Family Violence. Wading Through the Steps Will Be Well Worth It. - Distracted Driving - Driving on the Right Side of the Road - Mysterious Hearing Powers: The Municipal Judge as Presiding Officer at Driver's License Suspension Hearings - Sorting Out the Anomaly: Non-Appearance Crimes in Light of Azeez v. State
May 2008 Vol. 17, No. 2	- Armed But Not Dangerous: Obtaining a Concealed Handgun License - By Hook or Crook: I Maintain that Everything is Fine - City Officials, Here are Six Ways to Drive Your Municipal Judge Crazy - Costs of a DWI Arrest - Driving on the Right Side of the Road - Examples of Improper Judicial Conduct - Impaired Driving Laws in Texas - OCA Annual Report - Practical Suggestions for Visiting Classrooms - The Interpretation Hub: A Solution for Larger Courts - The Role of the Municipal Court in City Government - Traffic Safety Awards
December 2007 Vol. 17, No. 1	- 2008 Texas State Warrant Roundup - Case Law And Attorney General Opinion Update, Academic Year 2008 - The Important Role of Municipal Judges in Child Passenger Safety - TMCA Names 2007 Judge and Clerk of the Year - Traffic Safety Can Go Far Beyond the Traffic Stop - Traffic Safety Initiatives: Traffic Safety Award - Capias Pro Fine: Order of Commitment Form - Rules of Judicial Education and the Waiver Process
Summer 2007 Vol. 16, No. 5	- Celebrate Municipal Court Week: November 5-9, 2007 - Collections Corner: OmniBase and Failure to Appear - Coming to Terms With the 80th Legislature - Domestic Violence: Firearm Admonishments in Misdemeanor Convictions - Driving Across the Border: Mexico DLs and Financial Responsibility Issued in Mexico - General Counsel's Column: Coming to Terms with the 80th Session - Hate Crime Conundrum: Are They Going Unprosecuted? - No More Best Practices - Omnibase and Failure to Appear
Legislative Update 2007 Vol. 16, No. 4	- Legislative Update 2007 with full-text bill summaries
May 2007 Vol. 16, No. 3	- 75 Percent of Young Texans Affected by Dating Violence - Born to be a Collector - Child Support Magistration: Do Municipal Court Judges Have Authority to Magistrate Child Support Offenders? - Citations, Part II - Clerks' Corner: Who Can Accept Payments from Defendants? - General Counsel's Column: The Death of Local Courts Costs: Are the Juvenile Case Manager, Court Security, and Technology Funds in Peril? - Legal Basis For Legislative Continuances
March 2007 Vol. 16, No. 2	- Assessing Threats in Our Courts - Bail Bonds for All, Reprise - Citations - Part I - Clerks' Corner: The Winds of Change - Code of Ethics and Professional Responsibility for Court Interpreters - Costs and Benefits of Improving Traffic Safety in Your Community - Court Structure - Defense and Dismissal Charts - Examples of Improper Judicial Conduct - From the General Counsel - Public Safety Training and Red Light Camera Enforcement - The Efficient Disposition of DWI Cases: Best Practices
December 2006 Vo. 16, No. 1	- 2006 TMCA Judge and Clerk of the Year Announced - Case Law Update - How to Read a Legal Citation - MCLE Fees - Program Evaluations 2006 - ReportMyTeen.com - Starting a Marshal's Office - State Bar Provides Criticism "Hotline" - Statewide Warrant Roundup Planned for March 2007 - Traffic Safety Tips 2006 - Truck Crash Facts & Survivors Guide
Summer 2006 Vol. 15, No. 5	- "Buckle Up in Your Truck": Fact Sheet and Talking Points - DPS Reporting Forms - Driver Responsibility Program - Faculty Appreciation - Moving Violation Titles - Texas DPS Driver Responsibility FAQs - Walking the Line Between Legal Advice and Legal Information: A Clerk's Dilemma - What Are Crimes of Moral Turpitude?
August 2006 Vol. 15, No. 4	- About the 80 mph Speed Limit - Clerks' Corner: Use of Credit Cards, Handling Hot Checks - Contemplating Contempt: Municipal Court's General Authority to Impose Criminal Contempt Sanctions - Ethics Opinions 291 and 292 - LCI Rule Revision - The Ethics of CDL Masking - Untangling the Court Technology Web
July 2006 Vol. 15, No. 3	- Certification Incentives around the State - Collection Improvement Program: "The Future of Court Collections" - Electronically Created Records - For City Attorneys: Enforcing Municipal Ordinances in the Extraterritorial Jurisdiction - General Counsel's Column: Dismissals & Instanter Arrests - Magistrate's Duty to Order the Installation of Ignition Interlock Devices - Municipal Court Clerks Certification Program: Improving the Local Administration of Justice - Seven Dollars that Add Up: An Inside Look at the Municipal Court Building Security and Technology Funds - Should Your Municipal Court Become a Court of Record - Traffic Safety Note
May 2006 Vol. 15, No. 2	- A Comparison of Judge Profiles in the Justice and Municipal Courts for 1995 vs. 2005 - Apathy in Our Courts, Death on Our Roads - Bulk Requests: The “Ticket Stop” Example - Caseflow Management in Texas Municipal Courts - Change to Rules of Judicial Education - Click It or Ticket: Fact Sheet and Talking Points - DPS Reporting Forms - Ethics Update: Public Statement No. PS-2006-1 - General Counsel's Column: Read Any Good AG Opinions Recently? - News on Traffic Safety in Texas
December 2005 Vol. 15, No. 1	- Case Law Update & Attorney General Opinion Update - Change in DSC Certificates - New Collection Law: Problem or Opportunity? - Texas Magistrates: Gatekeepers to Indigent Defense - TMCA Recognizes Oustanding Judge & Clerk of 2005
Legislative Update 2005 Vol. 14, No. 6	- Legislative Update 2005 with full text bill summaries
June 2005 Vol. 14, No. 5	- Clerks' Corner: Recurring Court Questions - Contemporary Prosecutorial Ethical Dilemmas - Magistrate Duties - Recent Ethics Opinions - Setting Up a Collection Program - The Fair Defense Act: Whose Job Is It Anyway? Part 2
April/May 2005 Vol. 14, No. 4	- Amarillo Municipal Court: A Look at Collections, Compliance and Impact - Dispelling Confusion: Requests for Records Pertaining to Juveniles - Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol and Driver’s License Suspension - Electronic Filing of Monthly Reports to the Office of Court Administration - Farmers Branch Municipal Court: A Great Place to Work! - Teen Court and the Aftermath - The Fair Defense Act: Whose Job Is It Anyway? Part 1
March 2005 Vol. 14, No. 3	- But I Already Paid My Fine! DPS Points & Surcharges - Clerks' Corner: Driver's License Suspensions - Military Service and Municipal Courts - New Attorneys, State Attorneys, and Out-of-State Attorneys - Regional Databases: Not Just a Warrant List - The Collections Process: Bad Addresses
December 2004 Vol. 14, No. 2	- Federal and State Case Law Update - Clerks’ Role in Judgments and Capias Pro Fines - General Counsel's Column: Designated Funds & Pretrial Distraction - Magistrate’s Authority to Issue Search - Municipal Courts Enhance Their Technological Services - Recent Ethics Opinions - The Collections Process: How to Handle Delinquencies
October 2004 Vol. 14, No. 1	- Appeals from Municipal Court Judgments - Clerks' Corner: FAQs from the 800 Line - Financial Evaluation and the Defendant Interview - General Counsel's Column: Technology and Security Fees, Juvenile Confessions - Tips and Tricks for Personal Computing - TMCA Recognizes Clerk and Judge of the Year
July 2004 Vol. 13, No. 6	- CaseMail - Yet Another Way Email Makes Life Easier - Complaints, Complaints, Complaints: Don’t Let the Language of the Law Confuse You - Establishing the Identity of Foreign Nationals - Magistrates, Jurisdiction and Open Courts - Spanish for Bailiffs - The Clerk’s Role in Preparing Complaints - The Fine Collections System
May 2004 Vol. 13, No. 5	- Appeals – Myths and Facts - Collections Tool: Skip Tracing - General Counsel's Column: Jail Credit and Community Service - Handling Requests for Court Records - Judges: Putting Technology to Work for You - Judgments Post Appeal - Recent Ethics Opinions - Records Request Flowchart - Rule 12 Decisions Summaries - Top 10 Things for Bailiffs to Do During Trial Other than Catching Up on Sleep - Writ of Procedendo: Enforcing Judgments Post-Appeal
March 2004 Vol. 13, No. 4	- Administrative Adjudication of Parking and Stopping Offenses - Collections Tool: The Telephone - Court Budget Planning during Lean Time - Focus on Bail Bond Forfeiture - General Counsel's Column: Article 15.18 Out-of-County Pleas - Interlocal Agreements for Jail Service; Don’t Get Locked into a Bad Contract - Prisoner Transportation - Serving the Community while Avoiding Getting Served
January 2004 Vol. 13, No. 3	- Amnesty 2004 - Attorney General Opinion Update - Caseload Trends in the Municipal Courts 2003 - Examples of Improper Judicial Conduct - Federal and State Case Law Update - General Counsel's Column: Demeanor, Diligence, & Competence - Municipal Court Building Security Fund Revisited - Read and Discuss the Canons
December 2003 Vol. 13, No. 2	- Checklist for Processing Youth Accountability - Courtroom Security – A Matter of Communication - General Counsel's Column: Special Session, Collections, & Youth - Holding Youth Accountable - Language Interpreters in Court - TMCA Names Outstanding Judge & Clerk of the Year - Two Wrongs Didn’t Make It Right - Private Collections
November 2003 Vol. 13, No. 1	- Custodian of the Records - Legislative Issues - Rules of the Road Offense Chart
Legislative Update 2003 Vol. 12, No. 6	- Legislative Update 2003 with full bill text summaries
July 2003 Vol. 12, No. 5	- After the MOEP: What Happens Next? - Domestic and Family Violence: Vicarious Trauma and Judges - Domestic Violence: What May a Clerk Do? - FAQs About MOEPs - Family Violence Policy Good for Workplace - Gender Bias in Court - General Counsel's Column: Constitutional & Statutory Victims’ Rights - Magistrate’s Order for Emergency Protection Issue - Recent CCA Opinion: Lidar or Radar
May 2003 Vol. 12, No. 4	- An Overview of Collections Programs - Broadening the Pool: Representative Jury Pools - Clerks' Corner: Counting Time - Flowchart for Misdemeanor Collection Process - General Counsel's Column: The Role of the Prosecutor - Mediation Referrals and Orders from Municipal Courts - The Future of Court Security - Waiver of Right to Appeal in Local Trial Courts of Limited Jurisdiction - Writing an Effective E-mail Policy
March 2003 Vol. 12, No. 3	- Appeals from Non-Record vs. Record Municipal Courts - Checklist for Appeals from Municipal Courts - E-mail—To Delete or Not To Delete - General Counsel's Column: Vienna Convention, Seat Belt Fines & Fines and Special Expense Fees in Deferred Disposition - How a Court Becomes a Court of Record - Insights into Diversity - Legal Q & A: Removal from Office - Pay or Lay: Tate v. Short Revisited - Steps to Follow When a Foreign National is Arrested or Detained - Suggested Statements to be Made to Foreign Nationals Who Are Arrested or Detained - Warrant Officer/Marshal: Benefits vs. Cost
February 2003 Vol. 12, No. 2	- Advancements in Court Technology - Attorney General Opinions Update - Court Costs Exercise - Designing a Court Security Plan - General Counsel's Column: Crimes Committed in Municipal Courts - Juveniles Now Adults: Unanswered Questions in Trial Courts of Limited Jurisdiction - New Year's Computer Cleaning - Questioned Court Documents: Decreasing the Use of False Identities
December 2002 Vol. 12, No. 1	- Case Law and Attorney General Update - Court Security: Metal/Weapon Detectors - General Counsel's Column: Pretrial Hearings and Conferences, and CDLs - Motions in Limine: A Judge’s Perspective - Sending the Message with Amnesty Programs and Warrant Round-ups - TMCA Recognizes Outstanding Judge & Clerk of the Year - Using Videoconferencing for 15.17 Hearings
Summer 2002 Vol. 11, No. 9	- An Intro to Model Rules for Court Decorum - A Statistical "Snapshot" for Texas Municipal Courts and Decorum-Related Practices - Court Technology Survey Summary - Finding Balance: Court Decorum in Local Trial Courts - General Counsel's Column: Decorum v. Demeanor, Ethics and the Media
August 2002 Vol. 11, No. 8	- 20 Tips on Cross-Cultural Communication - Court Issues Amended Code of Judicial Conduct - Crossing the Culture Gulf - Diversity in the Courts
August 2002 Vol. 11, No. 7	- Deferred Adjudication is not Deferred Disposition - Delineating the Four Rules of Expunction for Kids - General Counsel's Column: Juvenile Confessions, AG Opinion, Can a Prosecutor and Defense Attorney Marry? - Police Interactions with Juveniles and Their Effect on Juvenile Confessions - Shame-based Sentencing: Thinking "Outside of the Box" or "Out of Bounds?"
July 2002 Vol. 11, No. 6	- Deferred Disposition: Thinking Outside of the Box vs. Abuse of Discretion - General Counsel's Column Recent Actions by the Commission on Judicial Conduct - Mayors, Magistrates, and Judges; Whose Job Is It? - Moving Toward Paperless Courts - Vehicle Modifications - What Is a Psychosocial Assessment?
May 2002 Vol. 11, No. 5	- 2001 Monitoring The Future Survey Released - Click It or Ticket - General Counsel's Column: Racial Profiling, "Well, Officer ... About that Driver's License," Are You Getting the Most from Your Prosecutor? - Public Perception, Road Rage and the Role of the Court - Racial Profiling and Pretext Stops - Traffic Technology - “Well, Officer ... About That Driver’s License”
March 2002 Vol. 11, No. 4	- Charts: Purpose and Administration of State Court Costs, Funds - Enhancements in Municipal Court - Ethics Update; Ethics Advisory Opinions - General Counsel's Column: In-Court Judicial Misconduct & Victim Impact Panels - Graduated Driver’s License - Hate Crimes: Prosecute in Municipal Court? - Justice Information Systems - Local Court Costs - The Bottom Line on Juvenile Contempt
February 2002 Vol. 11, No. 3	- Attorney General Opinions and Open Records Decisions - Charts: Municipal Court Jurisdiction, Municipal Court Theft, and Related Offenses Jurisdiction - Constitutional Amendment Changes: Destination of "Anti-Bribery" Affidavit - Court of Criminal Appeals: Rules of Judicial Education - Destination of "Anti-bribery” Affidavit - Ethics Advisory Opinions - Indigent Defense Bill - Launching Your Court onto the Web - Sexual Harassment
December 2001 Vol. 11, No. 2	- An Introduction to Court Technology - Collect on Those Warrants - Federal and State Case Law Update - General Counsel's Column: Out-of-County Magistration & Round Ups, "The Officer Took My Driver's License," New Reporting Requirement - Rules & Deadlines for Court Interpreters - Taking the Stand: Testifying on Juvenile Magistration
September 2001 Vol. 11, No. 1	- Community Court Approach to Repeat Offenders - First Clerk Achieves Full Certification - Jail Credit: Attorney General Opinion - Seven Habits of Highly Effective Judges
Legislative Update 2001 Vol. 10, No. 5	- Legislative Update 2001 with full bill text summaries
July 2001 Vol. 10, No. 4	- Legislative Update: Early Edition
May 2001 Vol. 10, No. 3	- Case Law Update - Common Juvenile Disorders - Innovation in Juvenile Procedure - Juvenile Age - Keys to Successful Community Service - Lago Vista Prevails - OCA Annual Report - Texas Teen Courts - Tobacco Community Service
March 2001 Vol. 10, No. 2	- Ethics Advisory Opinions - Improper Judicial Conduct - Magistrations: Remote Video and Bond Conditions - Records Retention Program
August 2000 Vol. 9, No. 5	- Election and Jury Punishment in Municipal Courts - Magistration Under Article 15.17, C.C.P. - Prejudgment Jail Credit - Rule 12 and Access to Court Records
July 2000 Vol. 9, No. 4	- Custody of Juveniles and Taking Statements - Funds for Juvenile Programs - School Violence and Its Impact on the Courts - School Violence Chart for Magistrates - Tobacco Awareness and Community Service - Unauthorized Practice of Law and Pro Se Practice
June 2000 Vol. 9, No. 3	- Case Law Update - Frequently Asked Questions
April 2000 Vol. 9, No. 2	- Attorney General Opinion Updates - Clerks' Certification Program Surveyed - Judicial Records Decision
February 2000 Vol. 9, No. 1	- Advisory Opinions - DPS Honoring Community Service Suspensions - Examples of Improper Judicial Activity During FY 99 - Knowingly Removing Knowingly From Your Complaints

Article Submission
Members of our constituency are encouraged to submit articles on effective municipal court procedures and practices, pertinent issues involving municipal courts, or letters that raise noted concerns experienced by our readership. Please submit articles and letters to:

Texas Municipal Courts Education Center
2210 Hancock Drive
Austin, Texas 78756
Or at tmcec@tmcec.com, Subject: Submission for The Recorder