EL PASO DISTRICT AND COUNTY COURTS
TEXAS FAIR DEFENSE ACT
ATTORNEY APPLICATION
DO NOT USE THE BACK OF PAGES
PLEASE PRINT OR TYPE. INCOMPLETE OR ILLEGIBLE APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED
Last Name:______First:______
Bar Card:______
Principal Office (Not a P.O. Box):______
YOU MUST MAINTAIN A PRINCIPAL OFFICE IN EL PASO COUNTY OR BE ANEL PASO COUNTY RESIDENT TO QUALIFY FOR COURT APPOINTMENTS.
Mailing Address(Not a P.O. Box): ______
PreferredTelephone Number: ______
SecondaryTelephoneNumber: ______
Fax Number: ______
E-mail Address: ______
YOU WILL RECEIVE NOTIFICATION OF APPOINTMENT BY FAX AND E-MAIL
ATTORNEY PROFILE
- Law School:______
Year of Graduation:______
- Year Admitted To State Bar:______
- Licensed in another state?______
- Work history since Law School: ______
______
______
- Years of Criminal Practice: ______
- Percent of practicethat is criminal:______%
7. What percent of your current practice is in criminal appointments? ______%
8. Are you qualified to representnon-English speaking clients? Which language(s)?
______
9.Are you willing to accept clientswho speak the language(s) listed in the above question?
YES OR NO
REQUEST FOR APPOINTMENTS
I am applying to be considered for the following appointments:
______1. Class A and B Misdemeanor List, to include motions to revoke community supervision and motions to
adjudicate guilt.
______2. State Jail Felony/Third Degree Felony List, to include motions to revoke community supervision and
motions to adjudicate guilt.
______3. First Degree/Second Degree Felony List, to include motions to revoke community supervision and
motions to adjudicate guilt
______4. Murder and allFelonies involving a Death List.
______5. Capital Murder List.
______6. Misdemeanor and Felony Appellate List.
______7. Murder and Capital Murder Appellate List.
ATTORNEY PROFILE INFORMATION
Please Circle: Yes or No (If yes, please attach explanation).
Yes No 1. Are you currently a member in good standing with the State Bar of Texas?
Yes No 2. Have you taken nine hours of CLE in criminal law this year?
Yes No 3. Are you board certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization? If yes, in what area(s)?
______
Yes No 4. Have you ever been sanctioned by the State Bar of Texas Grievance Committee or the
TexasCommission on Lawyer Discipline?
Yes No 5. Do you have an appeal pending of any State Bar of Texas sanction?
Yes No 6. Have you ever been sanctioned for failure to timely appear before a court?
Yes No 7. Have you ever admitted, in connection with an official proceeding, to having provided ineffective
assistance of counsel?
Yes No 8. Has a court ever found that you have provided ineffective assistance of counsel?
Yes No 9. Have you ever been sanctioned by a court for any misconduct committed while representing a
client?
Yes No 10. Have you ever been found to be in contempt by a court?
Yes No 11. Have you ever missed an appellate deadline?
Yes No 12.Have you received an order to show cause in a contempt hearing for failure to timely file a brief?
Yes No 13.Has an appeal been abated due to an overdue brief?
Yes No 14. Do you have the capacity to access and review the El Paso District Attorney’s Office and the El
Paso County Attorney’s Office electronic case filing system, such as PORTAL?
Yes No 15. Are you currently under indictment or charged for a criminal offense other than a Class C traffic
offense?
Yes No 16. Have you ever been convicted or placed on deferred adjudicationfor any offenseother than a
Class C traffic offense?
Yes No 17. Do you have unique training or skill in mental health cases?
Yes No 18. Do you have training or skill as a deaf interpreter?
Yes No 19. Do you have any legal conflicts that would prohibit you from takingappointments? If so,
please explain.
______
______
Yes No 20. Is there any matter that would disqualify you by law, regulation, rule or this Plan from receiving
appointments to represent indigent defendants? If so, please explain.
______
______
REQUIRED ATTACHMENTS
1. Applicant’s most recent reporting year CLE report from the State Bar of Texas.
2. If Applicant has been sanctioned by the State Bar of Texas Grievance Committee or the Texas Commission
on Lawyer Discipline in the last 10 years, attach the decision(s). If desired, attach a written explanation.
3. If Applicant has been sanctioned for failure to appear before a court or for misconduct committed while
representing a client in the last 10 years, attach any applicable documents. If desired, attach a written
explanation.
4. If a court has found that Applicant has provided ineffective assistance ofcounsel in the last 10 years, attach
any applicable documents. Ifdesired, attach a written explanation.
5. If Applicant has ever been convicted of or placed on deferred adjudication for an offense other than
a class C traffic offense, attach copies of all final orders (or those deferring adjudication) and judgments. If
desired, attach a written explanation.
WHEEL LISTS
If you are applying to receive appointments for Murder and any Felony involving a Death List you must complete the following information:
______I am Board Certified in Criminal Law, or
______I have at least four years of experience in criminal litigation, and
______I have completed ten hours of CLE in Criminal Law per year for the last three years, and
______I have experience as trial counsel in five felony jury trials, serving as lead counsel or co-counsel
Please list the five felony jury trials:
Defendant Cause Number/CourtDateDisposition
1.______
2.______
3.______
4.______
5.______
If you are applying to receive appointments for First Degree Felony/Second Degree Felony (Non Death) List you must complete the following information:
______I am Board Certified in Criminal Law, or
______I have at least one year of experience in criminal litigation, and
______I have experience as trial counsel in seven criminal jury trials, including four felony jury trials, serving as lead counsel or co-counsel
Please list the seven jury trials, including four felony jury trials:
Defendant Cause Number/CourtDateDisposition
1.______
2.______
3.______
4.______
5.______
6.______
7.______
If you are applying to receive appointments for the Third Degree Felony/State Jail Felony List you must complete the following information:
______I am Board Certified in Criminal Law, or
______I have at least one year of experience in criminal litigation, and
______I have experience as trial counsel in four criminal jury trials, including one felony jury trial, serving as lead counsel or co-counsel.
Please list the four jury trials, including one felony jury trial:
Defendant Cause Number/CourtDateDisposition
1.______
2.______
3.______
4.______
If you are applying to receive appointments for Class A and B Misdemeanor List you must complete the following information:
______I am Board Certified in Criminal Law, or
______I have experience as trial counsel in two criminal jury trials, serving as lead counsel or co-counsel
Please list the two jury trials:
Defendant Cause Number/CourtDateDisposition
1.______
2.______
If you are applying to receive appointments for the Appellate list for all Misdemeanors and Non Death Felonies you must complete the following information:
______I am Board Certified in Criminal Appellate Law, or
______I have at least one year of experience in criminal litigation or criminal appellate and
______I have filed two appellate briefs in a criminal or juvenile case.
Please list the twoappellate briefs:
Defendant Cause Number/CourtDateDisposition
1.______
2.______
If you are applying to receive appointments for the Appellate list for all Murders and all Felonies involving a Death you must complete the following information:
______I am Board Certified in Criminal Appellate Law, or
______I have at least two years of experience in criminal litigation or criminal appellate and
______I have filed four appellate briefs in a criminal or juvenile case.
Please list the four appellate briefs:
Defendant Cause Number/CourtDateDisposition
1.______
2.______
3.______
4.______
OATH OF APPLICANT
I, ______, the undersigned attorney, hereby state under oath that all of the above information is complete, true and correct; that I have read and understand the qualifications set out in the El PasoCounty Indigent Plan and that I meet all the qualifications for the degree of appointment sought. I understand that I have no property interest in receiving appointments; and that in addition to meeting the qualifications under the Plan, that I will not receive felony or misdemeanor court appointments unless I am approved to do so by a majority of the judges hearing criminal cases. I understand that I have a duty to promptly notify the Council of Judges of any matter that may make me ineligible to receive appointments under the El PasoCounty Indigent Plan; and to notify the COJ, in writing, of any changes to the information contained in this Application. I understand that I may be removed from the appointment wheel for failure to meet any qualification stated in the El Paso County Indigent Plan and for failure to promptly notify the COJ in writing of any change to my status.
I understand that the law requires that I make every reasonable effort to contact the defendant not later than the end of the first working day after the date on which I am appointed and interview the defendant as soon as practicable after I am appointed. I will represent the defendant until charges are dismissed, the defendant is acquitted, appeals are exhausted, or until I am permitted or ordered by the Court to withdraw as counsel for the defendant.
______
Attorney
SWORN TO and SUBSCRIBED before me on ______
Notary Seal ______
Notary Public in and for El Paso County, The State of Texas
My commission expires: ______
For COJ use only:
On the ____ day of ______, 20___, the judges hearing criminal cases of El Paso County, Texas considered the foregoing application and it is hereby:
Approved: _____
Denied: _____
Comments: ______
______
Presiding Judge
Updated August, 2014 - 1 -