Texas Government Code §74.106:
CONTINUING EDUCATION. (a) Except as provided by Subsection (b), a court coordinator of a district court or statutory county court shall annually complete 16 hours of continuing education as provided by rules adopted by the court of criminal appeals under Chapter 56.
Rule 6a of the Rules of Judicial Education:
Each court coordinator of a district or statutory county court shall annually complete 16 hours of continuing education, unless the court coordinator files with the Texas Center for the Judiciary, Inc., the prescribed form, signed by the judge or commissioners court of the county employing the court coordinator certifying that state and local funds are not available for the court coordinator's continuing education.
CE requirements have a regular reporting cycle, September 1 through August 31 based on the Court of Criminal Appeals’ fiscal year. Hours obtained during any fiscal year in excess of the minimum number of hours required may be applied to the following fiscal year's requirement. Limit of carry over hours is 16.
Rule 6 applies only to a "court coordinator" of a district or statutory county court. If coordinator is not in your title, this rule does not apply to you.
| Reporting Period |
CE Hours Needed |
CE Hours Eligible for Carry Over |
FIRST YEAR AS COORDINATOR
Your Hire Date plus 364 days (or one full calendar year). For example, 1-1-2021 through 12-31-2021 |
16 |
16 |
| |
|
|
SECOND YEAR AS COORDINATOR
One year from your hire date until the end of the next fiscal year.* For example, if your hire date is 1-1-2021, this period would run 1-1-2022 through 8-31-2023. If your hire date is 11-25-2021, this period would run from 11-25-2022 through 8-31-2023. |
16 |
16 |
| |
|
|
| THIRD YEAR AS COORDINATOR and all subsequent years follow the fiscal calendar. For example, 9-1-2023 through 8-31-2024. |
16 |
16 |
Accredited CE Activities
The Rules of Judicial Education contain a list of pre-approved providers of continuing education in Rule 2c and Rule 6b. Court professionals may obtain education from these pre-approved providers without any additional approval through the Texas Center. Programs by organizations that are not on the list of providers may also be used to satisfy the requirements of Rule 6a, as long as they have prior approval of the Education Committee. Coordinators may request approval of the Education Committee by emailing the course information (i.e. provider, course title, course description, duration, etc.) to [email protected].
The Texas Center is on the list of pre-approved providers and offers two continuing education opportunities for court professionals:
Court Professionals Conference
This is an annual, one-and-a-half day training (9 hours) that provides continuing education for court professionals at all points in their careers. Curriculum is developed annually by a subcommittee comprised of court professionals, judges, and county administrators and is meant to address current trends, substantive issues, and offer practical guidance on challenges facing the judiciary.
College for New Court Professionals
This is a three-day training intended for new court professionals. It will provide a solid foundation of skills and knowledge for successful court management. Curriculum includes caseflow management, ethics, roles and responsibilities, and informal discussion opportunities. All new court professionals, from assistant coordinators to court administrators and managers, are encouraged to attend.
TCJ Webinar Library
Various free courses designed for Court Professionals. Find library here.
In addition to the Texas Center, here are some other pre-approved providers that offer accessible training:
Tracking CE Hours
The Texas Center is named as the official registrar for continuing education for court professionals. Continuing Education may be recorded by completing the Texas Center’s Request for Continuing Education and submitting the form to [email protected].
All court professionals have a user account created at www.yourhonor.com where they can monitor their CE hours. To view a detailed transcript of your education you can log on to your TCJ profile and select the CE Summary tab. If you need assistance logging into the system, contact the Texas Center Registrar at (888) 785-8986 or [email protected].
View detailed instructions on how to check your CE hours .
Waivers
Any requests for a waiver from CE requirements should be made in writing to the Texas Center for the Judiciary prior to August 31.
Section (b) of §74.106 and Rule 6a provide for an exception to the CE requirement:
The court of criminal appeals may not require a court coordinator to complete continuing education instruction during a year in which the judge or commissioners court of the county employing the court coordinator certifies to the court of criminal appeals that state and local funds are not available for the court coordinator’s continuing education.
Requests for waivers should be submitted to [email protected]