The agenda for the 2012 Conference will be released in early 2012. Once finalized, course descriptions for the classes that will be offered will be published on this page of the website. As a reference only, course descriptions for last year's conference are available below.

Course Descriptions for the 2011 Conference

Just Fake It! Recognizing Counterfeit IDs and Money

Bailiffs and warrant officers serve an important role in municipal courts. Tasked with maintaining security and integrity, it is imperative that bailiffs and warrant officers be observant and can recognize when defendants attempt to circumvent justice by perpetrating a fraud on the court. Whether it be a fake ID presented to a law enforcement officer or court clerk, a fraudulent document filed with the court, or counterfeit bills used to pay a court fine, bailiffs and warrant officers should know what to look for and how to handle fake IDs and counterfeit money. Both are crimes.

This optional pre-conference contains two components: a course on recognizing fake IDs and a course on recognizing counterfeit money and documents.

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

1. Discuss the reasons that a person may possess a false, altered, or fraudulent identification document;
2. Describe locations and resources that a person may use to obtain false, altered, or fraudulent identification documents;
3. Utilize the “FLAG” system for checking identification documents;
4. Recognize false, altered, or fraudulent identification documents;
5. Identify the steps that should be taken if a counterfeit bill is presented to the court;
6. Identify the warning signals and alerts to recognize a suspicious bill; and
7. Recognize suspicious transactions in the municipal court setting.

Effective Court Security: A Panel Discussion

Court security officers face a myriad of expectations: to protect the integrity of the court; to keep the judge, court personnel, and public safe while in the courthouse; to sustain the rights of individuals before the court; to maintain court decorum; and to deter those who would take violent action against the court. They must do all this while protecting the court against bomb threats, attacks, physical altercations, hostage situations, protests, medical emergencies, weather disasters, fires, and evacuations, etc. Further, in an economy where every local government and agency is cutting budgets, court security officers must be creative and find resources that provide the most “bang for the buck” – no pun intended.

Through an active, guided discussion led by the panelists, participants will learn of new and existing technologies, resources, and efforts in court security.

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

1. Describe the basic resources used in providing effective court security;
2. Discuss the pros and cons of door systems, panic buttons, metal detectors, camera systems, bulletproof glass, and firearms, among other resources, in the court setting;
3. Explain how court security is a group effort requiring buy-in from all court personnel.

Give ‘Em the Pickle

Like it or not, we’re all in the same business: the people business. It’s not what we make or sell that’s critical, it’s how we take care of the people who buy it. Our job is to make “customers” happy. If you’re a leader, your “customers” are your employees. As a bailiff or warrant officer, your “customers” are your judge(s) and court staff, the victims and defendants, the public, and everyone else in the courtroom or your community that you have sworn to serve and protect. What do you have that makes employees want to come back on Monday morning and customers come back at all – or in the case of defendants, not go running to complain to city council or your chief? Both can get a product, service, job, or benefits somewhere else. So, what’s your pickle?

This presentation is designed to help participants create or discover theirs by offering ideas for a formula to keep ‘em coming back.

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

1. List new strategies toward customer (or employee) happiness and why this is critical to the future;
2. Identify what “pickles” are and how to give them away;
3. Describe why serving others is a high calling;
4. Cite the reasons why great customer service is “performed;”
5. Identify which customer service principle is most noticeable when it’s not there; and
6. Identify the ultimate goal of teamwork.

Contempt and Offenses Against the Court

Contempt is one of the inherent powers of the court intended to enable the court to enforce its lawful orders and exercise its jurisdiction in an orderly manner. The power to punish for contempt is an essential element of judicial independence and authority, but one that should be exercised with caution.

It is imperative for judges and bailiffs to maintain order and enforce decorum in the courtroom. Defendants, public spectators, attorneys, and even court staff that are out of order may be held in contempt; defendants who ignore a court order by failing to appear or failing to satisfy a judgment may be arrested; and those who perpetuate fraud on the court or disregard the sanctity of the court may be committing additional criminal offenses.

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

1. Define contempt and identify various situations in which a judge may use contempt power;
2. Discuss direct contempt versus indirect contempt, and due process concerns for each;
3. Explain the bailiff’s role in a contempt proceeding;
4. Define decorum and identify how decorum relates to court security; and
5. Identify arrestable offenses that may occur in the courtroom or against the court.

Introduction to Commercial Vehicle Enforcement

Cities across Texas are trending towards enforcement of commercial vehicle weight laws, both on the state and federal level. These offenses most often appear in municipal courts, leaving court staff and municipal peace officers with numerous questions.

Federal laws regulating commercial vehicles are adopted and enforced on Texas roadways through the Texas Administrative Code and Chapter 644 of the Transportation Code. The catch: these laws can only be enforced by certified peace officers in qualified cities/counties. Furthermore, commercial vehicle weight laws contained in Chapters 621-623 of the Transportation Code can be enforced on state roadways only in certain cities/counties and by those officers who qualify as weight enforcement officers. However, any peace officer can enforce commercial vehicle weight restrictions on city or county roads. The Transportation Code provisions above only apply to state roadways. In other words, a city could author a weight ordinance to be enforced by its officers. 

Whether you are an officer out on routine traffic patrol or just find yourself in a position to be asked questions about enforcement by the court clerk, this class will attempt to illuminate the confusing world of commercial vehicle enforcement as clear as possible in one hour.

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

1. Explain why Commercial Vehicle Enforcement is so important;
2. Identify the levels of commercial enforcement an agency can engage in;
3. Identify the various legal references that regulate commercial vehicle safety (Transportation Code, Texas Administrative Code, Code of Federal Regulations- Driver, Equipment and Hazardous Materials);
4. Define weight enforcement officer; and
5. Understand the general size and weight laws regulating commercial vehicles.

Dealing with Sovereign Defendants

Municipal courts come into contact with more citizens each year than all other courts in Texas combined. Given that fact, it is expected that some of these defendants appearing in your courts are not the easiest the deal with. Some of these “difficult” defendants may classify themselves as sovereign individuals.

Sovereign individuals claim to be non-citizens of the State and refuse to submit to the court’s jurisdiction. They often have homemade driver licenses, license plates, and identification cards. Courts that come in contact with these individuals often receive numerous petitions and motions filed, based on claims that the municipal court is unconstitutional, that the municipal prosecutor does not have the authority to prosecute, or that the Texas Legislature has no authority to pass the laws they are accused of violating.

This session will not focus on ways for law enforcement to recognize and safely interact with sovereign defendants, though much has been publicized on this topic in recent years. It also will not provide tips for prosecutors, judges, or clerks to respond to these sovereign individuals. It will, however, discuss ways for bailiffs and warrant officers to control sovereign defendants in a court setting.

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

1. Define sovereign defendants;
2. Identify basic traits shared by several different groups of people considered to be of a sovereign demeanor;
3. Demonstrate ways to successfully maintain control of sovereign defendants in a court setting.

Where Does the Money Go?

Municipal law enforcement – especially those engaged in active traffic enforcement – are portrayed by angry citizens and the media as “ticket writers” only trying to meet quotas and raise revenue for the city. Municipal court personnel (including bailiffs and warrant officers) often face questions from city councils, mayors, and the media regarding the amount of money collected, but not retained, by the municipal court. City officials are often unaware of the costs and fine money that are collected by courts, but must be sent on to the State. Judges and court personnel may also be unaware of when a judge may legally waive the payment of fines, fees, or costs owed by a defendant; thus, reducing the amount of money expected by the court, but not actually collected. This class will offer court personnel (including bailiffs and warrant officers) a succinct explanation of what money is collected but not retained by the court/city. Participants will leave prepared to build responses to outside questions or claims that municipal peace officer are just raising money for the city or that the court is mismanaging collections and sending too much money to the State.

By the end of the session, participants will be able to:

1. Differentiate between “fines,” “fees,” and “costs” that are collected by municipal courts;
2. Identify costs of court that must be wholly or partially remitted to the State;
3. Identify offenses for which all or part of the fine must be remitted to the State;
4. Identify when judges may legally waive the payment of fines, fees, or costs by a defendant; and
5. Devise responses to the question of “where does the money go?”

While there is no definition of juvenile under Texas law, the Family Code defines “child” as a person at least age 10 and not yet 17. Special laws exist treating juvenile offenders differently from adult offenders, including laws on magistrate warnings administered to juveniles, the taking of children into non-secure custody as opposed to full custodial arrest, and the role of law enforcement in handling juvenile offenders.

Municipal courts have jurisdiction over “fine-only” misdemeanors, regardless of whether the offender is an adult or juvenile. In FY10, 274,300 new Class C misdemeanor cases were filed against juveniles in Texas municipal courts. In fact, municipal courts see more juvenile cases than all other courts combined, including the designated “juvenile” courts. The Code of Criminal Procedure provides special rules for dealing with “child” offenders in municipal court about which all bailiffs and warrant officers should be familiar.

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

1. Define juvenile, child, delinquent conduct, and conduct indicating a need for supervision;
2. Describe laws regarding taking a child into custody;
3. Discuss the laws pertaining to handling a juvenile case in municipal court; and
4. List enforcement mechanisms that can be used against juveniles and juveniles who are now adults in municipal court.

Recognizing Intoxicated Defendants in Court

Municipal courts handle violations of public intoxication and disorderly conduct. But what happens when the defendant is drunk or under the influence in the courtroom? Bailiffs are tasked with maintaining order in the court, and peace officers are tasked with arresting people who violate the law by appearing intoxicated in public.

Recognizing an intoxicated person in public, let alone in a court setting, is not always an easy task. Different drugs, including alcohol, display different signs of impairment. This session will examine different types of intoxicants, the effects each have on a person, and ways to handle intoxicated persons in the court.

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

1. Identify drugs that may cause impairment;
2. Recognize typical sensory and behavioral clues of alcohol and drug impairment that may be discerned during face-to-face contact;
3. Recognize typical clues of alcohol impairment that may be discerned during administration of standardized field sobriety tests;
4. Describe the role and relevance of psychophysical testing in pre-arrest screening;
5. Explain appropriate administrative procedures for validated divided attention psychophysical tests and for the horizontal nystagmus test; and
6. Recognize intoxicated subjects in court.

Tweets, Poke, and Ethics? Social Media for Law Enforcement

New developments in technology have changed the way we live and communicate. Modern technology allows us to communicate with the world instantaneously and to socialize in new and exciting ways in the form of the email, blogging, Twitter, and Facebook. This new “social media” is something to be embraced, not feared or ignored, and can even assist law enforcement in locating offenders.

As far as personal social networking for law enforcement, be careful who you poke! Your tweets are showing! With these new technologies, bailiffs and warrant officers should be careful to continue to uphold the ethical standards of their profession and take care not to use these new technologies in a way that could erode public confidence in law enforcement or the judiciary. This session will look at various forms of social networking, discuss proper uses for this emerging media, and examine real stories of improper uses of social media.

By the end of the session, participants will be able to:

1. Identify the role of court officers (including bailiffs and warrant officers) in promoting public confidence in the judicial system;
2. Summarize ethical rules and opinions that should govern online behavior;
3. Discuss examples of ethical traps in this new media; and
4. Provide strategies for ethical and practical use of modern technology including internet, blogs, tweets, and social media.

Domestic Violence and the Courts

Family violence continues to be a persistent problem and an all-too-often lethal crime.  According to recent Texas Department of Public Safety reports, there are more than 175,000 reported incidents of family violence annually. Statistics show that while family violence offenses typically fall into several general categories - including homicides, kidnappings and/or abductions, robberies, and forcible sex offenses - an overwhelming number (96.7%) are assaults. Municipal courts are compelled to address the aftermath of highly volatile and emotionally charged family assault incidents on a regular basis, as assaults by threat or causing offensive or provocative physical conduct are filed in municipal courts as Class C misdemeanors.

A sad majority of law enforcement in the line of duty deaths occur while responding to domestic violence calls. This class is not designed to train law enforcement in the investigation of domestic violence cases, but is instead designed to assist court security staff in increasing their awareness and attention to the family violence cases present in their courts, as special concerns should be given to docketing and handling these cases.

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

1. Identify the phases of the Cycle of Violence; 
2. Describe and employ legislative requirements for Class C family violence cases; and
3. Recognize professional, societal, and practical implications and concerns in dealing with family violence cases.

Security Screening Procedures

Many courts are seeking to increase their security through screening procedures, but lack the training to start an effective screening program. This class is intended to enhance the participant’s knowledge of security screening by taking the student through a basic understanding of the tools, administration, and procedures involved. Once completed, the student should be able to set up a screening program in their home court facility.

At the end of this session, participants will be able to:

1. Identify the different methods of security screening in a court setting;
2. Identify the liability involved in security screening;
3. Describe the proper methods of screening; and
4. Apply the knowledge to a practical use in the courthouse.

Case Law and Attorney General Opinion Update

This course is designed to keep municipal court officers, including bailiffs and warrant officers, apprised of recent trends and holdings in case law and to identify opinions of interest issued by the Office of the Texas Attorney General.

Note: This course does not fulfill the mandatory TCLEOSE 3181 Legal Update course requirement.

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

1. Explain how recent federal and state court decisions affect procedural and substantive legal issues in municipal courts;
2. Explain how recent federal and state court decisions affect procedural and substantive legal issues pertaining to state magistrates;
3. Explain how recent federal and state court decisions affect procedural and substantive legal issues pertaining to peace officers;
4. Summarize Texas Attorney General Opinions of interest to municipal courts; and
5. Describe the ethical implications of select case law and Attorney General opinions.

FOCUS: Distracted Driving for Emergency Vehicle Operators

The most dangerous activity with the greatest liability in the law enforcement profession is the operation of the emergency vehicle. The purpose of this course is for each participant to understand the lack of skill training in emergency response, the reasons emergency vehicle operators are killed and injured in crashes, and the attitude that allows emergency vehicle operators to push the envelope beyond their skill level.

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

1. Discuss the various liabilities of and the importance of training involved in driving an emergency vehicle;
2. Identify possible dangers associated with driving an emergency vehicle;
3. List the top five reasons why emergency vehicle operators die behind the wheel; and
4. Explain the importance of attitude in combating distracted driving among law enforcement officers.