Blog Topic

Justice Center is back open! (but, no court hearings until Oct. 13)
Posted by: Greg Enos
September 29, 2008

The Galveston County Justice Center re-opened today -- however, most courts are not hearing cases until October 13.   All settings (except emergency orders set since 09/11) with original settings of 09/11/08 through 10/10/08 will be reset to a later date.   Criminal cases will be reset by the courts.  Attorneys need to request new settings in civil cases (although some civil trials will be reset by the courts).  All settings originally set for Oct. 13^th or later remain on the docket as scheduled.

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Probate Court to hear heirship and will cases next week on special docket.
Posted by: Greg Enos
September 26, 2008

Probate Judge Burwell wants to people who missed their heirship and will hearings to know their cases can be heard on a special docket as follows:  Monday Sept. 29 at 10:00 a.m., Tuesday Sept. 30 at 1:30 p.m. and Wednesday Oct. 1 at 1:30 p.m.  The hearings will be at the Justice Center in the probate court.  If you want to be heard on any of these dockets, call 409-766-2252.  If you want on the Monday docket call toda!

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Galveston Municipal Courts Reopen as of Sept. 29
Posted by: Greg Enos
September 26, 2008

Galveston's Municipal Court will re-open on Monday, September 29, 2008. A skeletal crew of clerks will be available to answer questions and receive payments from the public from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily.

Anyone with an outstanding ticket or citation with a due date falling between September 11^th and September 26^th, 2008, must contact the court to address their violation no later than October 31^st. If you do not contact the court on or before this deadline, a warrant and failure to appear charge will be issued.

Municipal Court clerks will mail rescheduled court dates to anyone that had a trial or pre-trial hearing scheduled during the same time period.

If you have questions please contact the Galveston Municipal Court by calling (409) 765-3739. Payments for tickets and citations can be paid through the City of Galveston's website, http://www.cityofgalveston.org/.

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Judges met Wednesday - Plans made for full return to Justice Center
Posted by: Greg Enos
September 25, 2008

Allof Galveston County's district and county court judges (except for Mary Nell Crapitto who is still out of town) met Wednesday and reviewed plans to return the Justice Center to full, normal operation on October 13, 2008.  Court staff will be back in the courts starting next Monday, September 29.  Starting that day, attorneys can call or (better yet) fax requests for settings.  If you have a new case or your hearing was canceled because of the storm, the attorney should contact the court to request a new setting.

All settings through October 10 will be passed and will have to be reset.  Criminal cases will be reset by the court.  Civil cases will be reset upon request.

Jury trials will not resume until November 3 and all courts except to only hear criminal cases for sometime since defendants in jail must receive priority.  

The judges all presume deadlines will be extended at least 30 days and the expect attorneys to cooperate and agree to extensions.  For some time, the dress code will be relaxed in the courthouse as many attorneys, parties and witnesses may have lost their formal wardrobes.

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Probate Court can hear cases off the island
Posted by: Greg Enos
September 23, 2008

The State's presiding Probate Judge signed an order that allows the Probate Court of Galveston County to hear cases at the League City Annex or the Juvenile Detention Facility in Texas City.  Judge Burwell is still cleaning up her Bacliff house and I am sure hopes to hear cases in her regular courtroom in a few weeks.

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Grand Jury getting back to work
Posted by: Greg Enos
September 23, 2008

Grand Jury Summons are valid for October 1, 2008 and October 2, 2008.  Those persons who have been displaced and are unable to respond to the summons should contact Tracey Williams at 409-766-2319.

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Status of J.P. Courts as of September 22
Posted by: Greg Enos
September 22, 2008

JP1 Galveston - Judge Schweitzer - located at Judge Woltz's office in Friendswood. Their office phone is the same.

JP2 Galveston - Judge Pope - located at Judge Nelson's office in Santa Fe. Their office phone is the same.

JP3 Texas City - Judge James - Open at regular location

JP4 Santa Fe - Judge Nelson - Open at regular location

JP5 Texas City - Judge Apffel - Open at regular location

JP7 Bacliff - Judge Foster - Open at regular location

JP8-1 League City - Judge McCumber - Open at regular location

JP8-2 Friendswood - Judge Woltz - Open at regular location

JP9 Crystal Beach - Judge Vondra - Not in operation.

The Justices of the Peace Courts from Galveston and Crystal Beach may temporarily relocate to the Justice Center Courts Building once we are able to return.

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Brazoria County back in operation: report from Judge Hufstetler
Posted by: Greg Enos
September 22, 2008

Brazoria County Courthouse sustained some damage, mostly water leakage where the roof was peeled back (water in some of the courts and offices in the old side of the courthouse, but not heavy damage).  Courts were closed last week but all open for business as usual this week.  There may be delays in dockets as a result of rescheduling all cases from last week, but check with the specific court coordinators for details.  The 300th docket from last week is being reset as attys call in.  All cases from this week and next week, even those set for DWOP, may be reset if requested (generous with resets because of the damage some parties and attys may have sustained and "no-shows will be treated as a reset once my coordinator can contact the attys - the cases will not be DWOP'd).  Several attys are still without power, internet, and phone lines in the Angleton, Alvin, Pearland, Lake Jackson and surrounding areas, so if you try to contact one of the local attys, there may be no response unless you have cell numbers.  Otherwise, things are up and running as usual.  Randy Hufstetler 

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Justice Center staff asked to report to work Thursday
Posted by: Greg Enos
September 22, 2008

Courthouse employees are being told to report to work this Thursday, September 25.  The courts are still not open until further notice!

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Info for donations to help fellow attorneys
Posted by: Greg Enos
September 22, 2008

The State Bar urges you to donate to one of the following foundations that support our colleagues and our legal system:

Texas Access to Justice Foundation, P.O. Box 12886, Austin, TX 78711-288
(Click here to donate online)
Texas Bar Foundation, 504 Lavaca, Ste. 1005, Austin, TX 78701
Houston Bar Foundation, 1001 Fannin, Suite 1300, Houston, TX 77002
Please designate your donation - Hurricane Relief Fund.

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Order signed allowing district courts to work away from the County Seat (if needed)
Posted by: Greg Enos
September 22, 2008

ORDER DESIGNATING ALTERNATE LOCATIONS IN GALVESTON COUNTY
TO CONDUCT JUDICIAL PROCEEDINGS DUE TO DISASTER

Pursuant to Texas Government Code Sections 24.033, 25.0019, and 26.009, this Court FINDS that Hurricane Ike and its aftermath constitute a disaster that precludes the district courts, statutory county courts, and constitutional county courts from conducting proceedings at the county seat of Galveston County, which is a first tier coastal county within the meaning of Section 2210.003 of the Insurance Code.

Accordingly, the Order Declaring Disaster and Designating Alternative Locations to Conduct Judicial Proceedings issued on September 19, 2008 is hereby AMENDED, and as AMENDED it is hereby ORDERED that effective immediately, the following places are designated as alternate locations in the County of Galveston at which the district and county courts of Galveston County may conduct proceedings:

Jerry J. Esmond Juvenile Justice Center, located at 6101 Attwater Avenue, in the City of Texas City; and

Galveston County League City Annex, located at 174 Calder Road, in the City of League City.

Signed, on this the _______ day of September, 2008.

Olen Underwood,
Presiding Judge, Second Judicial Region

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Jail opens to visitors on Tuesday
Posted by: Greg Enos
September 22, 2008

On Tuesday September 23 the County Jail will be open to visitors from 6 a.m. - 6 p.m.  Also, parole hearings will resume that day as well. 

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Galveston Repairs Going Faster Than Expected.
Posted by: Greg Enos
September 22, 2008

The Galveston Daily News reported Monday:  Repairs to the island's water, sewer, gas and electricity lines are going better than expected and should be fixed within a week, City Manager Steve LeBlanc said. 

Folks on the island say cell phone coverage is improving and stores are starting to open back up.

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Attorneys should consider SBA disaster loans
Posted by: Greg Enos
September 22, 2008

Attorneys whose offices have been damaged by Hurricane Ike should consider SBA disaster loans.  The rates are low as are collateral requirements.  Credit is required and a lot depends on whether the busines can borrow elsewhere (if you can, the loan rate is higher and you must repay within 3 years but you can still get the SBA loan).  More information is at the SBA website.

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Galveston JP Jim Schweitzer surveys damage
Posted by: Greg Enos
September 21, 2008

Galveston JP Jim Schweitzer reports that his house had 3 feet of water and his JP office at 1922 Sealy had water and will be closed for awhile. Stewart Title at 22nd and Mechanic had roof damage and flooding. Jim says his law office had broken windows and he predicts the Galveston City Court will be closed for awhile.

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Justice Center will not be open to staff on Monday
Posted by: Greg Enos
September 21, 2008

Bonnie Quiroga has sent this message to court employees:  Although we have electricity at the Justice Center, the sewage problems have not been corrected. The Justice Center will not be open to staff on Monday, Sept. 22nd.  lease check with your Elected Official/Department Head for instructions. I have recommended that office staff not report to the Justice Center on Monday.

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Galveston will allow residents & business owners in starting Wednesday
Posted by: Greg Enos
September 20, 2008

• No medical facilities are available
• Limited water, sewer, electricity, or natural gas service
• A boil water notice remains in effect until further notice
• Mandated water conservation program in effect island-wide
• Limited retail services available including fuel, food, water, auto, pharmacies, etc.
• Curfew strictly enforced: 6:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.  Violators subject to $2,000 fine.
• Limited cell phone coverage

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Texas City Municipal Court Open Monday
Posted by: Greg Enos
September 20, 2008

The Texas City municipal court will be open starting Monday, September 22.  Attorneys can call or fax in pleas. 

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Mediator Pam Hoerster working in Houston and Austin
Posted by: Greg Enos
September 20, 2008

Pam Hoerster's Clear Lake office is without power but her offices in Houston are functional.  She has moved her Beaumont mediations (mostly cases arising from a Hurricane named Rita) to Austin.

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Attorneys are getting on the island and to their offices!
Posted by: Greg Enos
September 20, 2008

Attorneys who get going early in the morning are getting on the island and are able to inspect or empty their offices.  One attorney got in line for emergency responders about 6:00 a.m. Saturday morning and was able to get through to his office near the Justice Center.  He showed the officer at the checkpoint his Justice Center photo ID and a yellow legal pad that said,"Justice Center" and he was waived through with no trouble.  By mid-morning he reports the traffic line on IH 45 is long, slow and crowded.

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