CIVICS
Wednesday, November 18, 9:45-Noon
Justice Steve Hilbig of San Antonio and Justice Rose Vela of Corpus Christi along with candidates on the 2010 ballot will be our guests. Judge Lisa K. Jarrett- the newest judge appointed to the 436 Juvenile District Court will greet us as well. Renee McElhaney, candidate for District Judge for the 285th District Court will speak briefly to us at 10:00 a.m. I expect other candidates for office to join us as well. It will be a very informative and relaxed time.. Please bring the entire family and friends. It will be the perfect time to meet candidates and talk with them one-on one. RSVP online at the FEAST website- For more information, please contact Gale Sayers at (210) 662-0588 or Hope111@aol.com.
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Justice Steven C. Hilbig
Place 4 of the Fourth Court of Appeals
Please join us on November 18th for an exciting time with our former District Attorney and now Justice of the Fourth Court of Appeals. We have hosted all of the other six justices on the court of Appeals. It is our pleasure to complete our list of speakers from the Fourth Court of Appeals with Justice Hilbig. He is a very warm individual and likes to share!
Judge Lisa K. Jarrett- the newest judge appointed to the 436 Juvenile District Court will greet us as well. Renee McElhaney, candidate for District Judge for the 285th District Court will speak briefly to us at 10:00 a.m. Second speaker not confirmed at time of writing.
Justice Steven C. Hilbig was elected in November 2006 and joined the court on January 2, 2007. He was born in San Antonio, Texas on March 22, 1952. Justice Hilbig attended San Antonio College (Associates in Arts – 1972) and the University of Texas at Austin (Bachelor of Arts (American Studies) – 1974). He received his Doctor of Jurisprudence degree from University of Texas Law School in 1976 and entered the Texas Bar that same year.
Justice Hilbig began his legal career as an Assistant Criminal District Attorney for Bexar County, Texas in 1977 and served in that capacity until October 1981. At the district attorney’s office, he conducted jury trials in a wide variety of cases including capital murders. In October 1981 Justice Hilbig became an Assistant United States Attorney for the Western District of Texas and remained at that office until November 1984. In this capacity, Justice Hilbig helped conduct criminal investigations and trials of various federal offenses. He also served as a prosecutor on the Organized Crime, Drug Enforcement Task Force – an unit focused on the investigation and prosecutor of major drug organizations. After leaving the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Justice Hilbig established a solo law practice concentrating on criminal defense in state and federal courts.
In 1990, Justice Hilbig was elected Criminal District Attorney for Bexar County and was re-elected in 1994. In 1998 he chose not to seek a third term and returned to private practice. Justice Hilbig initially became Of Counsel with the firm of Sessions & Sessions, L.L.P. and followed this firm when it merged with the firm of Holland & Knight, L.L.P. While working at these firms, he expanded his practice to include civil litigation. In 2002 Justice Hilbig left Holland & Knight and again practiced as a sole practitioner, engaging in criminal defense and civil litigation in state and federal courts. He continued in his practice until his election to the court in 2006. Justice Hilbig has been board certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in criminal law since 1986. He is admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court and the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. He served previously as a director of the National District Attorneys Association, the Texas District & County Attorneys Association, and as a member of the Juvenile Justice Task Force under Governor George Bush.
He has been married to his wife Sylvia since 1975. Together they enjoy an active outdoor life including kayaking, fishing, backpacking, hiking and exploring our national parks.
Justice Rose Vela
Place 2
Rose Vela was born on November 5, 1964, at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas. She received her Bachelor of Arts Degree from Southwest Texas State University in 1985, with a major in English and a minor in Political Science. Justice Vela received a Doctor of Jurisprudence degree from St. Mary’s University School of Law in 1988, and was licensed to practice law in Texas that same year.
Upon graduation from law school, Justice Vela served as a Briefing Attorney for the Fourth Court of Appeals for one year. After moving to Corpus Christi in 1990, she served as a Briefing Attorney for the Thirteenth Court of Appeals for two years. In 1998, she was elected to the 148th District Court of Nueces County, Texas, where she served two full terms. Justice Vela was elected to the Thirteenth Court of Appeals in November, 2006.
Justice Vela is a member of the American Inns of Court, American Bar Association, Texas Bar Association, National Association of Women Judges, Texas Center for Legal Ethics and Professionalism, the College of the State Bar of Texas, and the Texas Bar Foundation. She is also a graduate of the Texas College of Advanced Judicial Studies (General Jurisprudence), the National Judicial College (Conducting the Trial, Advanced Evidence), and the Harvard Law School Program on Negotiation.
Before joining the Court, Justice Vela previously served as the Presiding Administrative Judge of the Nueces County Council of Judges, President of the Corpus Christi Young Lawyers’ Association, Director of the Texas Center for the Judiciary, and Director of the Corpus Christi Bar Association.
OCTOBER 13, 2009—FEAST Civics Field Trip Summary
On October 13 we toured the Texas Supreme Court, the Court of Criminal Appeals, the Capitol Visitor Center and the State Capitol. Our morning opened with a downpour from the heavens. For those in the group without umbrellas, it was quite a dripping baptism- this was one of two for the day. To my relief, there was laughter as we continued to the Court- after the rains stopped. Justice Dale Wainwright of the Supreme Court and Judge Cochran of the Court of Criminal Appeals addressed our group in their respective adjoining courtrooms. The judges were relaxed, animated, and very knowledgeable. They spoke to us at length and then answered every question from the students and parents. The students were very polite, attentive, and very appreciative of the judges’ time. All of us learned something new.
These two courts are the highest courts in Texas. In Texas, we have the Municipal courts, Justice of the Peace Courts, the District Courts, County Courts at Law and Constitutional County Courts, Courts of Appeals(our November speaker serves at this level), Supreme Court and Court of Criminal Appeals. Texas is one of only two states with coordinate “supreme” courts. All Court proceedings are live online from the website. At the Supreme Court, we learned that seniority amongst the justices is respected and celebrated as the justices enter the courtroom and even when exiting the elevator! The Chief Justice or a lady jurist goes first while the others enter the courtroom or exit the elevator- in descending order- based on time spent in service on the court.
Special thanks to Amelia Alvarado- -Executive Assistant to Justice Dale Wainwright and Clerk Abel of the Court of Criminal Appeals for helping to organize the visits. Thanks to Mr. Osler of the Supreme Court for the beautiful color brochures welcoming us to the Supreme Court and detailing the role of the Court. (A very limited number of the beautiful and informative brochures will be available at the November Civics meeting- first come, first served). I know that if the students and parents would study these brochures, they would be more informed about the courts than the majority of our Texas population. Justice Eva Guzman has been recently appointed to replace former Justice and speaker to our Civics class, Homeschool Dad, Scott Brister. Please be in prayer for her and the court. Clerk Abel also presented the attendees with brochures detailing the workings of the Court of Criminal Appeals.
After lunch, at the Capitol Visitors’ Center, a thrilling and exciting scavenger hunt awaited us. Every student participated and learned much about Texas History. This place will be a “must see’ for all my future Capitol visits. We capped our day with a tour of the Texas Capitol with very knowledgeable and entertaining tour guides. I hope to have another tour to the Capitol and some State offices in February of 2010. Please plan to join us.
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25 Burwood Ln. • San Antonio, Texas • 78216
Phone: 210.342.4674 • Fax: 210.541.8722
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