December 7 - 8, 2000

Texas Law Center, Austin, Texas

Transcripts of the session are available in MS Word Format by clicking the appropriate link.

Catherine Burnett, Associate Dean South Texas College of Law, Master of Ceremonies

Lynne Liberato, State Bar of Texas President

Kristine Orlando, Department of Justice

"What is an Ideal System of Indigent Defense?"

Norm Lefstein, Dean University of Indiana at Indianapolis Law School

Indigent Defense Activity in the South: Observations from Southern States" 

Robert Spangenberg, The Spangenberg Group

"Lady Luck or Lady Justice?  Indigent Defense in Texas"

Judge Allan K. Butcher Tarrant County Magistrate and Dr. Michael K. Moore, University of Texas at Arlington

Moderator: Dean Frank Newton, Texas Tech Law School and Past President of the State Bar of Texas

"The Need for Timeliness and Independence to Ensure Fairness and the Appearance of Justice"

Stephen Bright, Director, Southern Center for Human Rights

Panel Members:

State Senator Rodney Ellis, Houston

Rene Guerra, District Attorney, Hidalgo County

Mike Heiskel, Past President of Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, Tarrant County

Moderator: Judge Faith Johnson, 363rd District Court, Dallas

Keynote Address: "Gideon: The Fading Trumpet"

Anthony Lewis, NY Times columnist and author of Gideon's Trumpet

"The Role and Need for Experts in Representing Indigents"

Peter Neufeld, Director of the Innocence Project, Cardoza Law School

Panel Members:

Judge Don Leonard, Criminal District Court 3, Tarrant County

Professor Ruth Luckasson, Regents Professor at the University of New Mexico

Jamie Esparza, District Attorney, El Paso County

Moderator: Senator Kenneth Armbrister, Victoria

"Costs and Funding Options for Competent Indigent Defense," Scott Wallace NLADA

Panel Members:

Economic Analysis of Criminal Defense Practices in Texas: Robert Morrow, Harris County 

James Allison, Counsel to the County Judges and Commissioners Association of Texas

John Bradley, Assistant District Attorney, Williamson County

Moderator: Allan K. Butcher and State Representative Jim Dunnam

Welcomes by State Senator Kenneth Armbrister 

Comments by Kristine Orlando, Grant Program Specialist, Bureau of Justice Assistance, Department of Justice

"Providing Counsel in Capital Cases:  Why Death is Different."

David I. Bruck, Federal Death Penalty Resource Center

Panel Members:

Judge Steve Ables, 216th District Court, Kerrville

Richard Burr, Texas Defenders Association

Cathleen, C. Herasimchuk, Rusty Hardin & Associates

Drew Derham, Attorney Generals Office

Moderator: Judge Lamar McCorkle, 133rd Judicial District Court, Houston

"Thoughts on Improving the Quality of Criminal Defense Services Provided to the Poor" Adele Bernhard, Pace University Law School

Panel Members:

Jay Burnett, Attorney, Harris County, Former Judge and criminal defense attorney

Judge Noe Gonzalez, 370th Judicial District Court, Edinburg 

Judge Cheryl Johnson, Texas Court of Criminal Appeals

Moderator:  Allan K. Butcher

Moderator: Dean Norm Lefstein  

Roundtable Members:

Bill Beardall, Texas Appleseed

Judge Diane DeVasto, 241st District Court, Tyler

Tony Fabelo, Texas Criminal Justice Policy Council

Marshall Shelsy, Administrator, Harris County Courts System