Course Accreditations
and Registration Information

Registration Form

Planning Committee

Registration Confirmations

Back to CLE Home Page

South Texas College of Law
ANATOMY OF A FAMILY LAW CASE

March 4, 2009
Houston, Texas

Scroll down to view the complete schedule

Accredited by the State Bar of Texas for 4.0 MCLE hours.

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

12:00 REGISTRATION

12:20 Welcome and Opening Remarks
  • Lisa L. Dahm, J.D., LL.M-Health, Director of CLE and Adjunct Professor, South Texas College of Law - Houston

12:30 Anatomy of a Family Law Case For the New Practitioner (4.0 Hours)
(There will be a 15 minute break during this session)
  • Hon. Bonnie C. Hellums, Harris County District Court No. 247 - Houston
  • Carleen Johnson Robinson, Court Coordinator, Harris County District Court No. 247 - Houston
  • Philip Placzek, Law Offices of Philip Placzek - Houston
  • Carel L. Stith, Attorney at Law - Houston

This optional session is designed for the new Family Law Practitioner. By attending this session, you will learn how to handle a family law case from seasoned family law attorneys. They will describe the entire process in detail, beginning with the first meeting with the client, and provide samples of the forms you will need to complete for your client and the Court. Family Court Judges will tell you what they expect of attorneys who appear before them and you will receive practical tips designed to help you be the kind of attorney the court clerks and Court Coordinators like and respect.

  • Initial Contact and Meeting With the Client - What do you ask and what tools do you use?

  • What Do You File, and How Do You File It? - What forms will you need to create and where do you file them?

  • Local Rules - What you need to know before you get to court.

  • The Temporary Orders Hearing - What is it? Where is it? Who needs to be there? What should you bring?

  • Discovery - Is formal discovery mandatory? Can you use informal discovery? What do you need to get and from whom should you obtain it?

  • Settlement - Can your client's dispute be resolved before trial? What do you do if you do settle? What forms must you complete, and how do you communicate the settlement to the court?

  • The Job Isn't Finished Until the Paperwork is Done - Final Orders

  • What Judges Are Looking For and What They Don't Want to See - When you appear in court, what simple courtesies should you observe? How do you present evidence in the Family Law Courts? How do you ensure you are not the reason your client loses?

  • Family Law Forms From Start to Finish - From the Court Coordinator - The court clerks and Court Coordinator are critical to your success. What forms must you complete? How can you be the kind of attorney the court clerks and Court Coordinator like and respect?



4:45 Adjourn

(Return to top)


This CLE course is being offered in conjunction
with the
23rd Annual FAMILY LAW CONFERENCE
March 5-6, 2009.
Attend both conferences and receive a total of 17.0 MCLE hours,
including 3.25 hours of legal ethics at a reduced tuition rate.

To register

(Return to top)

 

.