TAACA

Officers & Contact | Meetings | Job Postings | Yahoo Group | Resources | Links | History | Bylaws

Officers and Contacts:

2012-2013 TAACA Officers

• President: Margot Stander (1st COA)
• President-elect: Tricia Askew (2nd COA)
• Secretary: Lorien Whyte (4th COA)
• Treasurer: Kelly Canavan (2nd COA)
• Immediate Past President: Andrew Monaco (13th COA)

Traditionally, an individual begins as Treasurer and works his or her way up each year until eventually taking over as President.

If you are an appellate court attorney interested in becoming a TAACA officer, contact the TAACA President.

Meetings:

TAACA meets annually in Austin on the Wednesday before the UT State and Federal Appeals Conference, usually in late May or early June.

• Click here for information on the 2013 meeting!

Job Postings:

If you would like to post a job for an attorney position at a Texas appellate court, contact TAACA President

Yahoo Group:

• TAACA has a yahoo group. To join, go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/taaca.

Resources:

• Texas Rules of Appellate Procedure.
• Pending PDRs at the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals

Links:

• Council of Appellate Staff Attorneys (CASA)
• Appellate Section of Texas State Bar
• National Association of Appellate Court Attorneys
• Board Certification

History:

Click here to read about the formation of TAACA [pdf]

Presidents of TAACA

• 1999-2000: Brenda Norton (5th)
• 2000-2001: Nancy Hughes (11th)
• 2001-2002: Wendy Martinez (4th)
• 2002-2003: Karen Vowell (14th); Stacy Stanley (6th)
• 2003-2004: Stacy Stanley (6th)
• 2004-2005: Alan Bennett (10th)
• 2005-2006: Deborah Young (9th)
• 2006-2007: Margaret Hussey (12th)
• 2007-2008: Clint Sare (7th); Jenn Rosenblatt (4th)
• 2008-2009: Andy Porter (6th)
• 2009-2010: Cathy Cramer (CCA)
• 2010-2011: Greta McFarling (4th COA)
• 2011-2012: Andrew Monaco (13th COA)

Bylaws:

Bylaws
Texas Association of Appellate Court Attorneys
June 3, 2009

Article 1: Name & Jurisdiction

The name of this organization is the Texas Association of Appellate Court Attorneys (TAACA). TAACA's geographic area is the State of Texas.

Article 2: Purpose

2.1: Mission Statement TAACA is devoted to the professional development of career appellate court attorneys employed by the State of Texas.

2.2: General Objectives TAACA's general objectives, not listed in any particular order, include:

(a) to promote communication among the state appellate court attorneys;
(b) to provide continuing legal education to court attorneys;
(c) to enhance the quality and integrity of the appellate process;
(d) to foster in the bench, bar, and general public an appreciation and understanding of the role of appellate court attorneys.

2.3: Funds
TAACA is not intended to be operated as a profit-making organization. Any funds acquired by the organization will be used to further its objectives.

Article 3: Membership & Dues

3.1: Membership
(a) Voting Members. Voting members include attorneys

Article 4: Fiscal Year

The fiscal year of the organization commences on the day following the annual meeting and ends the day following the annual meeting of the following year.

Article 5: Officers

5.1: Elected Positions
The officers include President, President-elect, Secretary, Treasurer, and Immediate Past President. The officers are elected from the membership of the organization and serve without remuneration.

5.2: Terms of Office
Each officer assumes the duties of office on on the day following the annual meeting and holds office for one year or until a successor is duly elected. The outgoing President remains a member of the Executive Committee for a period of one year following the expiration of the term as President.

5.3: Duties
(a) President
As the chief executive officer of this organization, the President presides at all meetings of the organization or its Executive Committee. The President represents the organization and performs any duty as may be required by the mission statement and bylaws. The President appoints standing committees and may appoint special committees as necessary and appropriate to the organization's purpose and structure.

(b) President-elect
The President-elect performs such duties as are delegated by the President. In the event of the absence or inability of the President to act, the President-elect shall perform the duties of President. The President-elect automatically succeeds to the office of the President upon the expiration of the incumbent's term or in the event of the President's death, resignation, or removal.

(c) Secretary
The Secretary furnishes notice of election results, conducts the general correspondence of the organization, provides notice of all meetings, keeps a record of the proceedings of the meetings, maintains a roster of membership with the information provided by the Treasurer, and performs other duties pertinent to the office. The Secretary is the custodian of all non-financial records, documents, books, papers, and other property of the organization.

(d) Treasurer
The Treasurer collects and receives all monies due the organization, maintains the organizations deposits in a bank or banks as designated by the Executive Committee, disburses funds as authorized by two officers or a majority vote of the members present at a meeting of the organization, informs the Secretary of the financial standing of each member, and performs other duties pertinent to the office. The Treasurer will keep an itemized record of all monies received and disbursed by or to whom paid and for what purpose and will submit a report to the organization at the annual meeting or when requested by the President or the Executive Committee. The Treasurer will keep all books and records available for audit.

(e) Immediate Past President
The Immediate Past President performs such duties as may be designated by the President.

5.4: Elections
The election of officers will be made by a voice vote or show of hands. The election will be held during the regular meeting of the organization. At that time, the President will accept nominations from the membership or the nominating committee, if any. The officers elected commence their terms of office as stated in these bylaws.

5.5: Removal
An officer may be removed from office for delinquency in attendance, inefficiency, neglect of duty, or for other causes only upon a majority vote of the Executive Committee. The removal will be effective immediately.

5.6: Vacancies
In case of death, resignation, or removal of the President, the President-elect will succeed to office. In cases of death, resignation, or removal of any other officer, the President shall appoint a person to act in that position until the next meeting of the membership, when vacancy will be filled by election of the members.

Article 6: Executive Committee

6.1: Composition
The Executive Committee consists of the elected officers, the Immediate Past President, and the chairs of the standing committees.

6.2: Powers
The Executive Committee shall meet and advise the organization from time to time as may be appropriate on matters pertinent to the organization. The Executive Committee or any of its members may act for the organization on a particular matter on the oral or written vote of quorum of the Executive Committee members.

6.3: Meetings
The Executive Committee meets on the call of the President or any two of its members. Except in matters requiring immediate action, at least seven days notice of the meeting shall be given to members of the Executive Committee. A quorum consists of any four Executive Committee members. Meetings may be held by telephone conference and any member unable to attend a meeting may participate and vote by telephone. In the case of a disputed issue, the meeting will be conducted according to Robert's Rules of Order.

6.4: Voting
Each Executive Committee member has one vote.

Article 7: Committees

7.1: Special Committees
The President may appoint special committees from the general membership to perform such duties and exercise such powers as the President or Executive Committee may direct, subject to these bylaws. Special committees may include but are not necessarily limited to: Budget and Finance, Nominations and Elections, and Programs and Special Projects.

7.2: Appointments
All appointments are effective immediately and continue until the end of the fiscal year. The President may also appoint non-voting nonmembers to serve as advisory members of any committee.

Article 8: Meetings

8.1: Frequency
The organization will hold at least one general membership meeting each year. The President will designate the day, hour, and place of the meeting. Special meetings may be called by the President or a number of members equal to a quorum.

8.2: Notice
The Secretary will provide notice of the time, date, and place of all meetings to the general membership at least ten days prior to such meeting, unless the nature of the meeting is such that shorter notice cannot be provided. Notice may be directed to the members of a court's staff in general rather than to each individual. If a special meeting is called, the notice must specify the nature of the business to be presented and no other business will be conducted.

8.3: Quorum
Twenty percent of the members constitutes a quorum for the transaction of the organization's business.

8.4: Voting
Voting at meetings will be by show of hands, unless otherwise provided in these bylaws, with the President determining the vote. A majority of members in attendance will control. Only members may vote.

8.5: Rules of Order
The rules of order consist of any standing resolutions passed by the members and the most current available edition of Robert's Rules of Order.

Article 9: Amendment

These bylaws may be altered, amended, or repealed, and new bylaws adopted by two-thirds of the members of this organization present at a regular meeting if a quorum is present and ten days' written notice of the purpose has been given to all members.

Certified as duly adopted on June 3, 2009, at 1:15 p.m.

Kelly Gatewood_______________
Secretary

Attested:

______________________________
Andy Porter, President

______________________________
Cathy Cramer, President-Elect
and Chair, Bylaws Committee