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


Texas Center for the Judiciary programs are funded by a grant from the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals. As such, the Court of Criminal Appeals and the Texas Center for the Judiciary’s reimbursement policies govern reimbursement of travel expenses. Reimbursements for personal expenses and tips are not allowed. Rental cars must be pre-approved to be eligible for reimbursement. [A downloadable copy of this policy can be found here.] Reimbursement Forms: Please use the Texas Center reimbursement forms found in the conference booklet. Please print, sign and date your form. Make a copy of the completed form and receipts for your records and mail the original form with receipts attached to the Texas Center. Receipts: Receipts are required for lodging, taxi, parking, shuttle service and airline tickets. Receipts for meals are not required for reimbursement. Effective September 1, 2007, third-party Internet booking receipts, such as Expedia and Travelocity, are not valid receipts and therefore will not be reimbursed. Internet booking receipts direct from the service provider (e.g. Southwest Airlines, Hilton Hotels) are valid and will be reimbursed. Meals: The Texas Center will reimburse for the actual cost of non-contracted meals not to exceed: $6 for Breakfast $10 for Lunch $20 for Dinner Lodging: The contracted single occupancy rate will be reimbursed by the Texas Center. Additional room nights, guest, and incidentals are not reimbursable. A hotel receipt is required. The Texas Center will reimburse Hotel Occupancy Tax per the following: Hotel Taxes: District Judges are exempt from all Hotel Occupancy Tax; State, City, County etc. Judges must provide the following: Hotel Tax Exemption Identification Card given to them by the Comptroller’s office showing that they are exempt from all hotel tax. State Issued Picture ID You may have to complete a Texas Hotel Occupancy Tax Exemption Certificate – if this is the case; District Judges must check the very first box titled: United States government or Texas government official exempt from state, city, and county taxes. The hotel is to make a copy of the first two items. If any District Judge does not have a Hotel Tax Exemption Identification Card please contact the Comptroller’s Office – Judicial Division. Judges Sitting by Assignment on the District Courts, also need a Hotel Tax Exemption Identification Card. This should have been issued from the Comptroller’s Office. If you do not have the ID card, please contact the Comptroller’s Office – Judicial Division. Appellate Judges are exempt from all Hotel Occupancy Tax; State, City, County etc. Hotel Tax Exemption Identification Cards are issued by the respective Courts – not the Comptroller’s office. If no card has been issued by the Court, Appellate Judges must turn in their taxes to their Court Clerk who will then seek reimbursement through the Comptroller’s office. County Court at Law Judges are not exempt from any Hotel Occupancy Tax. Transportation and Parking: The Texas Center will reimburse travel expenses in accordance with state travel regulations, i.e. economy airfare or the prevailing mileage rate for travel by personal automobile. Mileage is calculated from the city of your court to the destination city using MapQuest. Valet parking is not reimbursable. Shuttle and Taxi Service: If Shuttle service is available, the Texas Center will reimburse the use of a taxi only up to the amount of shuttle transportation. All reimbursement claims must be submitted within 60 days of the event. Please allow 30 days (from the date we receive your form) for processing.

Texas Center for the Judiciary programs are funded by a grant from the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals. As such, the Court of Criminal Appeals and the Texas Center for the Judiciary’s reimbursement policies govern reimbursement of travel expenses. Reimbursements for personal expenses and tips are not allowed. Rental cars must be pre-approved to be eligible for reimbursement. [A downloadable copy of this policy can be found here.]

Reimbursement Forms:

Please use the Texas Center reimbursement forms found in the conference booklet. Please print, sign and date your form. Make a copy of the completed form and receipts for your records and mail the original form with receipts attached to the Texas Center.

Receipts:

Receipts are required for lodging, taxi, parking, shuttle service and airline tickets. Receipts for meals are not required for reimbursement. Effective September 1, 2007, third-party Internet booking receipts, such as Expedia and Travelocity, are not valid receipts and therefore will not be reimbursed. Internet booking receipts direct from the service provider (e.g. Southwest Airlines, Hilton Hotels) are valid and will be reimbursed.

Meals:

The Texas Center will reimburse for the actual cost of non-contracted meals not to exceed:

$6 for Breakfast
$10 for Lunch
$20 for Dinner

Lodging:

The contracted single occupancy rate will be reimbursed by the Texas Center. Additional room nights, guest, and incidentals are not reimbursable. A hotel receipt is required. The Texas Center will reimburse Hotel Occupancy Tax per the following:

Hotel Taxes:

District Judges are exempt from all Hotel Occupancy Tax; State, City, County etc. Judges must provide the following:

Hotel Tax Exemption Identification Card given to them by the Comptroller’s office showing that they are exempt from all hotel tax.
State Issued Picture ID
You may have to complete a Texas Hotel Occupancy Tax Exemption Certificate – if this is the case; District Judges must check the very first box titled: United States government or Texas government official exempt from state, city, and county taxes.
The hotel is to make a copy of the first two items.

If any District Judge does not have a Hotel Tax Exemption Identification Card please contact the Comptroller’s Office – Judicial Division.

Judges Sitting by Assignment on the District Courts, also need a Hotel Tax Exemption Identification Card. This should have been issued from the Comptroller’s Office. If you do not have the ID card, please contact the Comptroller’s Office – Judicial Division.

Appellate Judges are exempt from all Hotel Occupancy Tax; State, City, County etc. Hotel Tax Exemption Identification Cards are issued by the respective Courts – not the Comptroller’s office. If no card has been issued by the Court, Appellate Judges must turn in their taxes to their Court Clerk who will then seek reimbursement through the Comptroller’s office.

County Court at Law Judges are not exempt from any Hotel Occupancy Tax.

Transportation and Parking:

The Texas Center will reimburse travel expenses in accordance with state travel regulations, i.e. economy airfare or the prevailing mileage rate for travel by personal automobile. Mileage is calculated from the city of your court to the destination city using MapQuest. Valet parking is not reimbursable.

Shuttle and Taxi Service:

If Shuttle service is available, the Texas Center will reimburse the use of a taxi only up to the amount of shuttle transportation.

All reimbursement claims must be submitted within 60 days of the event. Please allow 30 days (from the date we receive your form) for processing.