Austin Bar Blog

In a private preference poll, members of the Austin Bar Association and the Austin Criminal Defense Lawyers Association rated 16 candidates in seven contested Travis County judicial races, and four candidates in each of the races for District Attorney, County Attorney, and Sheriff, who will appear on the ballot in the March primary. The purpose of the preference poll is to give the general public an opportunity to see how local attorneys evaluate their colleagues in the legal community.

The results are strictly the opinions of the individual attorneys participating in the poll and are not intended as an endorsement of any candidate(s) by either the Austin Bar Association, ACDLA, or any affiliated organization.

For each race, Austin Bar and ACDLA members were asked to indicate which candidate they believed was best qualified to serve in the position for which he or she was running.Members did not have to vote in every race. Members cast their votes through Ballot Box, an online polling system. Of the 3,528 eligible voters, 1008 (28.6%) participated in the poll.

The results, based on the votes of those who participated in the 2020 Austin Bar/ACDLA Preference Poll, are:

 District Attorney:

County Attorney:

Sheriff:

Travis County District Judge, 53^rd Judicial District:

Travis County District Judge, 167th Judicial District:        

Travis County District Judge, 200^th Judicial District:

Travis County District Judge, 353^rd Judicial District:

Travis County District Judge, 390^th Judicial District:

Travis County District Judge, 460^th Judicial District:                     

Travis County Court at Law No. 4:

CLICK HERE to view the jury trial schedule at the HMS Courthouse for the week of Feb. 10, 2020.

A text is sent to members on Mondays mornings of each jury trial week with a direct link to this schedule. To opt in, text “Austinbar” to 313131.

Interested in running for a leadership positing as an officer or on the Board of Directors? Email resume and desired position to DeLaine Ward by Wed. Feb. 26.

Officer positions are one-year terms; director positions are for two years. Nominees for the office of president-elect shall have served at least two years on the Board of Directors prior to assuming office.

Nominations will be reviewed by the Austin Bar’s Nominating Committee. The number of candidates to be nominated for each position shall be left to the discretion of a majority of the Nominating Committee. The Nominating Committee’s decision will be announced on or before Monday, March 16. Any qualified member not receiving the nomination of the committee may be included on the ballot by submitting a written petition signed by 75 members of the Austin Bar. Such written petitions must be submitted by Thursday, April 9.

Voting shall be conducted via electronic ballot and at the annual meeting of the Austin Bar membership at the Bench Bar Conference on Friday, May 1.

If you have questions about the nomination or election process, contact DeLaine Ward.

An email with a link to the 2020 Judicial Preference poll was sent on Feb. 3, 2020 from noreply@ballotboxonline.com to members of ACDLA and those Austin Bar members whose dues were paid as of Jan. 27, 2020.  If you didn’t get yours, please check your spam filter. If you still can’t find it, add the email address to your safe senders list and contact the Austin Bar office to make sure we have the correct email address on file. Another email with a link to the ballot will be sent to you. The poll will close at 5 p.m. on Fri. Feb. 14. No Bar Card numbers are required.

The private preference poll allows members of the Austin Bar and ACDLA to rate candidates who will appear on the ballot in the March primary. The poll includes 16 candidates in seven contested Travis County judicial races, and four candidates in each of the races for District Attorney, County Attorney, and Sheriff.

The results of the poll will be released to the press. The purpose of the poll is to give the general public an opportunity to see how local attorneys evaluate their colleagues in the legal community. For each race, Austin Bar and ACDLA members are asked to indicate which candidate they believe is best qualified to serve in the position for which he or she is running.

The results are strictly the opinions of the individual attorneys participating in the poll and are not intended as an endorsement of any candidate(s) by the Austin Bar Association, ACDLA, or any affiliated organization. 

Now seeking contributing authors for 2020.

Articles on various legal-related topics are considered for publication monthly. These articles can stand alone or, if the topic is appropriate, be included in the Practice Pointers or Be Well columns.

Please limit submissions to between 500 and 750 words.  Send articles to Austin Lawyer Managing Editor Nancy Gray.  Please include a short author byline and high-resolution head shot with your submission.  Deadlines are always the first of the month for the following month’s issue (eg. Feb. 1 for the March issue).  If the first falls on a weekend or holiday, the deadline is the next business day.

Submission is not a guarantee of publication.  Publication is on a space-available basis. If your article is selected for inclusion, it will be published in the next issue with space availability.

Questions? Contact Nancy Gray.

CLICK HERE to view the jury trial schedule at the HMS Courthouse for the week of Jan. 27, 2020.

A text is sent to members on Mondays mornings of each jury trial week with a direct link to this schedule. To opt in, text “Austinbar” to 313131.

CLICK HERE to view the jury trial schedule at the HMS Courthouse for the week of Jan. 13, 2020.

A text is sent to members on Mondays mornings of each jury trial week with a direct link to this schedule. To opt in, text “Austinbar” to 313131.

CLICK HERE to view the jury trial schedule at the HMS Courthouse for the week of Dec. 9, 2019.

A text is sent to members on Mondays mornings of each jury trial week with a direct link to this schedule. To opt in, text “Austinbar” to 313131.

The Texas Access to Justice Commission (TAJC) has launched a digital resource called the Texas Transfer Toolkit to help Texans with limited means transfer their home, car, or money in a bank account to a beneficiary upon their death.

“This resource will empower people to plan ahead and ensure their family is taken care of after they pass,” Trish McAllister, TAJC executive director, said. “Many people cannot afford the costly probate process, and the Texas Transfer Toolkit can help people avoid going through that process following the death of a loved one, making for stronger families and communities.”

Navigating probate court may be an unnecessary burden for those of limited financial means and assets. The Toolkit has the forms needed to transfer a car and a home, as well as instructions on how to transfer money in a bank account, to a surviving family member or friend and will ultimately help families recover following the death of a loved one. Although these forms exist individually, they aren’t located in one centralized place, which presents an obstacle that may prevent individuals from taking these steps.

The forms included in the Toolkit are the Transfer on Death Deed, which transfers title to a home, and the Beneficiary Designation for a Motor Vehicle and Application for Texas Title and/or Registration forms to transfer title of a vehicle. It also includes instructions to complete the paperwork and how to obtain a Payable on Death account form from their bank. Preparing these forms prior to a crisis can save time, money, and stress for those who are grieving.

This new resource is for people with very limited assets, not for those with more complex estate issues who will need a lawyer to help them ensure their wishes are followed after their death.

In addition to providing the Toolkit online, TAJC plans to integrate it into free legal aid clinics across the state to increase awareness about these forms.

To access and download the Texas Transfer Toolkit, please visit https://www.texasatj.org/texas-transfer-toolkit.