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The Texas Justice Court Judges Association came about in September of
2002 because many Judges felt an urgent need for an organization with
a new direction; an organization devoid of conflict of interests, and
dedicated
solely
to judicial issues.
In just a few years, our organization has climbed past the 500-member mark. Our priority is education. Our motto is “Excellence and Integrity”. We believe better education, delivered in a cost effective manner, is the key to improving the image and the quality of Texas Justice Courts. We are developing programs for the rural judge, the small town judge, the medium multifunctional judge, the metro judge, the attorney judge, and the clerks in each of those courts. Different judges need different levels of training. We were the first to bring you convenient one day, drive- in, drive-out schools. To date, we have hosted a number of one-day schools featuring qualified, top notch instructors, and the feedback for every school has been unanimously positive. We know what Judges want, and continue to improve our endeavor to provide the best schools in Texas.
Our organization has also taken great strides in bringing Judges and clerks into the technology age. We brought you this website, with tools specifically tailored to meet the needs of Judges and clerks. The website continues to evolve with your suggestions. Our legislative coverage is unparalleled. We bring you information on the bills affecting your Courts almost as quickly as the bills are filed. Over one hundred newsletters and legislative updates have come directly to your desk via email. Again, the response has been overwhelmingly positive. In accomplishing our goals, we steadfastly maintain the belief that Judges should have total control of the available judicial education funds and not law enforcement. We feel Judges should be in an independent association, an opinion some have unfairly labeled as “anti Constable”. This is not true. We will continue to work with and endorse Constable goals when prompted by a vote of our membership. Likewise, we may oppose them on issues from time to time. The difference now is that our new organization provides us with a choice. For fifty years, Justices of the Peace have had only one statewide organization, the Justice of the Peace and Constables Association. In that organization, legislative agendas and educational budgets are set by boards that often have a Constable majority. Often times Constable are making the decisions for the Judges. The most elementary civics lesson tells us that the judiciary is to be independent of the executive and legislative branch of government. The Constables represent the Executive branch, and we represent the Judiciary. By concentrating solely on judicial issues, JCJ has been able to forge new relationships with groups such as the Municipal Court Judges Association, as well as many Senators and Representatives in the Texas Legislature. We are here and we are not going away. Our organization has become a machine for Judges and judicial staff members that prefer to have their own organization, as well as those who wish to be a part of both groups. We do not claim to be perfect. We are growing and learning. With your help, our organization has the potential to quickly become one of the largest organizations in the State of Texas. We want you to share in our commitment to excellence. We want your energy to help our organization grow. If you are a Judge, a Justice Court clerk, or merely an interested party, we encourage you to join and learn more about our new association. We are open for business. |