Resource Letter:
For Judges and Attorneys Handling Child Protective Services Cases
April 20, 2021
Announcing Scholarship Opportunity for Child Welfare Attorneys to ABA’s Virtual National Parent Representation Conference
The Children’s Commission is offering reimbursement scholarships to qualified attorneys for the American Bar Association (ABA) Center on Children and the Law’s 2021 National Parent Representation Conference, to be held virtually on May 20-21, 2021. For more information about the conference, please view the ABA's conference page. 

The Children’s Commission will provide a limited number of scholarships in the form of reimbursement of virtual registration fees ($130) to attend the conference. Applicants who meet all of the criteria detailed below will be considered on a first-come, first-served basis for a scholarship. Early applications are strongly encouraged.

To meet the criteria for a scholarship, attorney applicants must currently represent DFPS or take appointments on a CPS docket, be in good standing with the State Bar of Texas and with their appointing or presiding judge, and commit to participating in the virtual training and completing a post-event survey from the Children’s Commission. Judges with applicants from their jurisdiction will be notified by the Children’s Commission and asked to confirm that the applicant currently represents DFPS or takes appointments on their CPS docket.

For more information about the scholarship and to submit an application, please visit the Attorney Scholarships webpage. 

Please note, this scholarship application will close at midnight on Wednesday, April 28, 2021.
Reminder: Trial Skills Training Applications Due Friday, April 23, 2021
Designed for less experienced attorneys handling CPS cases who want to improve their litigation skills, the Children’s Commission’s Trial Skills Training will be taught over Zoom on August 26, 2021 and September 1 and 2, 2021.
 
A fictional Texas CPS case and live witnesses are partnered with seasoned faculty to coach attendees through all stages of trial. This unique, interactive training includes lectures, demonstrations, and practice sessions that cover critical skills needed for both the physical and virtual courtroom such as laying evidentiary foundation and entering exhibits, conducting effective direct and cross examinations, and impeachment of expert witnesses.
 
The application deadline is midnight on Friday, April 23, 2021. Attorneys will be notified within a few weeks of the close of the application period about whether they have been accepted into the Fall 2021 Trial Skills Training. This will be the final Trial Skills Training opportunity in 2021.
  
Additional information about the training and the application are provided on the Children’s Commission’s Trial Skills Training webpage. Please email questions to CCTraining@txcourts.gov. 

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For a complete list of Resource Letters, please visit the Children's Commission web page. Information provided by the Children’s Commission should not be read as a commentary by the Supreme Court of Texas or any other court. The Children’s Commission website is not equipped to facilitate dialogue or conversation about matters related to the information in this communique. For more information about the Children’s Commission, please visit our website.
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