Texas Center for the Judiciary, Judicial Excellence Through Education, Austin, Texas



Texas Bench Book The Texas Bench Book is a practical aid and quick reference for trial court judges in performing their judicial responsibilities. It contains a compilation of information by the Texas Center for the Judiciary's Bench Book Committee and Texas Tech School of Law. Texas trial court judges will find several resource formats, including checklists, sample scripts for hearings and trials, and guidelines. Note that the Texas Bench Book is not designed to dictate judicial procedures, but is meant to assist a trial court judge while on the bench. Capital Cases Bench Book The Capital Cases Bench Book is written by Texas judges for the benefit of Texas judges presiding over a capital trial. Judicial authors, Texas Wesleyan University School of Law, Texas Wesleyan Law Review editors, Texas Court of Criminal Appeals staff counsel, and the Texas Center for the Judiciary staff collaborated to write, proof, make suggestions, and edit the Capital Cases Bench Book. It is reviewed and updated on-line under the supervision of the Texas Center for the Judiciary and through the collaborative efforts of Texas judges and the Texas Wesleyan Law Review editorial staff. Note that the Capital Cases Bench Book is not designed to dictate judicial procedures, but is meant to assist capital case trial court judges. Judges presiding over capital cases should always double check the suggested substantive and procedural law for any changes in the law or unique differences in the specific case over which they are presiding. CPS Bench Book Judges across the state now have access to essential information on child welfare law in a user-friendly, online CPS Bench Book. The Bench Book, which is the first of its kind, allows judges to navigate the bench book like a website. It was authored by seasoned district and associate judges with dozens of years on the bench presiding over CPS cases. The book is designed to benefit new judges and experienced judges alike. When researching with the Bench Book, a judge is able to search chronologically by event (e.g., investigations, removals, adversary, status, permanency, placement, final hearing, appeals, and adoption) and topically (ICPC, ICWA, Medical Care, or Permanency Care Assistance). The information is set out in a simplified format to facilitate real-time use from the bench. Or if further research is needed, all of the case law and statutory references are directly linked to Lexis/Nexis, free of charge. Through the Texas Center for the Judiciary’s website, the CPS Bench Book provides secure access to checklists, practice notes, national and statewide policies, and numerous links to helpful guidelines, forms and other websites. Public Health Law Bench Book The purpose of this bench book is to serve as a guide for judges who evaluate public health control measures, such as quarantine and isolation, particularly in the face of a catastrophic event such as a pandemic flu. The Texas Constitution discusses Texas’ open courts policy, which is based on the importance of everyone having access to justice and to a day in court. The likelihood that this important aspect of our society could be disrupted during a public health emergency, such as a major hurricane or a more long-term emergency such as a pandemic flu, has led to the creation of this bench book and the forms included in its appendix. This book briefly lays out which laws govern during a public health emergency and what role the courts play in ensuring that the balance between public safety and individual rights is not forgotten. The Texas Family Violence Bench Book This bench book provides the Texas judiciary with a single, comprehensive reference for family violence law. In addition to identifying and organizing the relevant primary sources (state and federal statutes annotated with case law), the benchbook also takes advantage of current technology by providing hyperlinks to the online resources discussed in each chapter's comments section. It is a project of the Office of Court Administration and funded with a grant from the Criminal Justice Division of the Office of the Governor in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Violence Against Women's STOP program.

The Texas Bench Book is a practical aid and quick reference for trial court judges in performing their judicial responsibilities. It contains a compilation of information by the Texas Center for the Judiciary's Bench Book Committee and Texas Tech School of Law. Texas trial court judges will find several resource formats, including checklists, sample scripts for hearings and trials, and guidelines. Note that the Texas Bench Book is not designed to dictate judicial procedures, but is meant to assist a trial court judge while on the bench.

Capital Cases Bench Book

The Capital Cases Bench Book is written by Texas judges for the benefit of Texas judges presiding over a capital trial. Judicial authors, Texas Wesleyan University School of Law, Texas Wesleyan Law Review editors, Texas Court of Criminal Appeals staff counsel, and the Texas Center for the Judiciary staff collaborated to write, proof, make suggestions, and edit the Capital Cases Bench Book. It is reviewed and updated on-line under the supervision of the Texas Center for the Judiciary and through the collaborative efforts of Texas judges and the Texas Wesleyan Law Review editorial staff. Note that the Capital Cases Bench Book is not designed to dictate judicial procedures, but is meant to assist capital case trial court judges. Judges presiding over capital cases should always double check the suggested substantive and procedural law for any changes in the law or unique differences in the specific case over which they are presiding.

CPS Bench Book

Judges across the state now have access to essential information on child welfare law in a user-friendly, online CPS Bench Book. The Bench Book, which is the first of its kind, allows judges to navigate the bench book like a website. It was authored by seasoned district and associate judges with dozens of years on the bench presiding over CPS cases. The book is designed to benefit new judges and experienced judges alike. When researching with the Bench Book, a judge is able to search chronologically by event (e.g., investigations, removals, adversary, status, permanency, placement, final hearing, appeals, and adoption) and topically (ICPC, ICWA, Medical Care, or Permanency Care Assistance). The information is set out in a simplified format to facilitate real-time use from the bench. Or if further research is needed, all of the case law and statutory references are directly linked to Lexis/Nexis, free of charge. Through the Texas Center for the Judiciary’s website, the CPS Bench Book provides secure access to checklists, practice notes, national and statewide policies, and numerous links to helpful guidelines, forms and other websites.

Public Health Law Bench Book

The purpose of this bench book is to serve as a guide for judges who evaluate public health control measures, such as quarantine and isolation, particularly in the face of a catastrophic event such as a pandemic flu. The Texas Constitution discusses Texas’ open courts policy, which is based on the importance of everyone having access to justice and to a day in court. The likelihood that this important aspect of our society could be disrupted during a public health emergency, such as a major hurricane or a more long-term emergency such as a pandemic flu, has led to the creation of this bench book and the forms included in its appendix. This book briefly lays out which laws govern during a public health emergency and what role the courts play in ensuring that the balance between public safety and individual rights is not forgotten.

The Texas Family Violence Bench Book

This bench book provides the Texas judiciary with a single, comprehensive reference for family violence law. In addition to identifying and organizing the relevant primary sources (state and federal statutes annotated with case law), the benchbook also takes advantage of current technology by providing hyperlinks to the online resources discussed in each chapter's comments section. It is a project of the Office of Court Administration and funded with a grant from the Criminal Justice Division of the Office of the Governor in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Violence Against Women's STOP program.