JUSTICES OF THE PEACE

a. Each Justice of the Peace will, as an official duty: (1) complete within one year after taking office, an eighty (80) hour live course of instruction from the Texas Justice Court Training Center in the performance of the duties of office and the bail course described by Article 17.024(a)(1), Code of Criminal Procedure (an initial eight (8) hour training that includes content described by Article 17.0501 of the Code of Criminal Procedure). Forty (40) of the required hours must be met by attending a live course, provided by the Texas Justice Court Training Center. The remaining forty (40) hours may consist of hours achieved by electronic means through course(s) provided by the Texas Justice Court Training Center; and (2) in each fiscal year thereafter, complete twenty (20) hours of instruction approved by a justice court education committee in the performance of the duties of office. At least ten (10) of the total required hours must be met by attending courses, provided by the Texas Justice Court Training Center. The remaining hours may be achieved through course(s) sponsored by any approved provider. Up to ten (10) hours of the total hours may be satisfied via electronic course(s). At least ten (10) of the total hours must include instruction regarding substantive, procedural, and evidentiary law in civil matters in accordance with Section 27.005(a) of the Government Code; and (3) in each following state fiscal biennium, the bail course described by Article 17.024(a)(2), Code of Criminal Procedure (a two (2) hour continuing education course). (4) for purposes of removal under Chapter 87, Local Government Code, “incompetency” in the case of a justice of the peace includes the failure of the justice to successfully complete the training as described under Rule 4 | R u l e s o f J u d i c i a l E d u c a t i o n 3(a)(1-3). (5) in every fiscal year that ends in 0 or 5, complete two hours of course instruction related to understanding relevant issues of child welfare and youth diversion, including issues related to mental health and children with disabilities as required by Section 22.1105 of the Government Code. See Rule 12(a). The training may consist of either a course of instruction provided by the Texas Justice Court Training Center at which instruction is achieved by electronic means or any live course of instruction, substantive, procedural, and evidentiary law in civil matters in accordance with Section 27.005(a) of the Government Code; and b. All electronic courses must include interactive components and the participation time in electronic courses must be verified. c. Except for the limitations provided in Rule 3(a), a justice court education committee may not deny course credit to a Justice of the Peace who receives approval for such credit through another justice court education committee. A justice court education committee may approve or pre-approve courses taken from the following list of qualifying entities for courses in performance of duties of office: (1) Texas Justice Court Training Center (2) V.G. Young Institute of County Government (3) Texas Department of Health and Human Services (4) National Judicial College, Reno (5) Local, state, or national bar association (6) Texas District and County Attorney’s Association (7) Texas Municipal Court Education Center (8) Texas Association of Counties (9) Office of Secretary of State (10) Any accredited law school (11) Texas Trial Lawyers Association (12) Texas Association of Defense Counsel (13) National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (14) Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association (15) The Texas Center for the Judiciary (16) Texas Justice Court Judges Association (a) Grant funds may not be used to pay for the cost of training from the aforementioned training entities, except for the Texas Justice Court Training Center. d. A person who serves in the dual capacity as a Justice of the Peace and as a municipal judge may be permitted to receive credit toward fulfillment of the requirements of the Rules of Judicial Education for each office by attending a 5 | R u l e s o f J u d i c i a l E d u c a t i o n course of instruction for either office, provided that the curriculum is pertinent to the duties and responsibilities of each office. The determination of the applicability of the course to each office shall be made on a case-by-case basis by a judicial education committee having jurisdiction over the office in accordance with that committee’s procedures. e. Only courses of instruction completed through a continuing education program approved by a justice court education committee can be utilized to satisfy the requirement of Rule 3(a)(1). f. The Texas Justice Court Training Center will be the keeper of records for credit hours approved for all justices of the peace for the purpose of fulfilling Rules 9(b) and 10. g. A justice court education committee may make rules regarding attendance at their training events and may deny costs for an attendee who violates those rules. h. Once Rule 3(a)(1) has been satisfied, Justices of the Peace who are also licensed attorneys may: (1) obtain training sponsored by the organizations listed in Rule 2(c) in order to satisfy the educational requirements of Rule 3(a)(2) and 3(b), including up to ten (10) hours of education achieved by electronic means in each fiscal year; and (2) obtain training sponsored by the organizations listed in Rule 2(c) in order to satisfy the educational requirements of Rule 3(a)(5), including education achieved by electronic means. i. Justices of the Peace who have been out of office for 4 or more years and then return to office must satisfy Rule 3(a)(1). j. Temporary appointees under Section 27.055 of the Government Code are exempt from Rule 3. k. Justices of the Peace who are appointed to fill an absence or vacancy under Section 27.052 of the Government Code must satisfy Rule 3, beginning at the date of appointment. l. Justices of the Peace who have been suspended by the State Commission on Judicial Conduct are also suspended from the requirements of Rule 3 for the pendency of their suspension.