CAPITAL TRIAL ADVOCACY -

THE DEFENSE

April 17-21, 2004

 

Program Agenda

Small Group Leaders ―  Various Days
Frank Blazek, Esq.  Smither, Martin, Henderson & Blazek, Huntsville, TX      Robert A. Morrow III, Esq., Hocker, Morrow, Boyd & Matthews, Spring, TX  
Gerald Bourque, Esq., Houston, TX John Niland, Esq., Texas Defender Service, Austin, TX
Danny Burns, Esq.                  Fort Worth, TX     Don Vernay, Esq.,                       Rio Rancho, NM
Carlos Garcia, Esq.,                            Austin, TX     Gregory Westfall, Esq.                 Fort Worth, TX
William S. Harris, Esq.                    Fort Worth, TX     Phillip Wischkaemper, Esq. TCDLA, Lubbock, TX
Clifton "Scrappy" Holmes, Esq., Holmes Law Office, Longview, TX John Wright, Esq.,               Huntsville, TX
Robert A. Jones, Esq.,        Robert Jones & Associates, Houston, TX      

 

SATURDAY, APRIL 17

 

              9:00 a.m.      One-on-One Meetings between Faculty and Attendees (voluntary)           

 

              1:00 p.m.     Opening Remarks

                                        Mark Smith, Plano, TX

 

              1:15 p.m.     The Role of the Trial Lawyer

Millard Farmer, Atlanta, GA

 

              2:30 p.m.     Eighth Amendment Jurisprudence

Professor Jordan Steiker, University of Texas School of Law, Austin, TX

             

3:00 p.m.    Break

 

              3:15 p.m.     Mitigation Themes

Gina Vitale, LMSW - Mitigation Specialist, Houston, TX

 

              4:15 p.m.     Team Building

George Sornberger, Frankfort, KY

           

5:00 p.m.    Thinking Strategically - Developing a Theory of the Case

David A. Ruhnke, Ruhnke & Barrett, Montclair, NJ

          

6:00 p.m.     Dinner (provided)

           

7:00 p.m.    Small Group Workshops - Developing a Theory of the Case

           

8:30 p.m.      Recess

 

SUNDAY, APRIL 18

 

8:30 a.m.     LexisNexis Presentation

 

9:00 a.m.     Developing a Theory of the Case - Small Group Workshops (continued)

           

            12:00 p.m.     Lunch (provided)

 

  12:30 p.m.      Ethics and the Practice of Criminal Law

Millard Farmer,  (one hour of ethics)

 

               1:30 p.m.    The Law of Voir Dire in Texas

John Wright,  Hunstville, TX

 

              2:15 p.m.     Break

 

              2:30 p.m.     Capital Voir Dire and Practice

Carlos Garcia, Austin, TX

 

              3:45 p.m.     Break

 

              4:00 p.m.     Developing a Social History

Gina Vitale

 

               5:15 p.m.    Telling Your Client's Story

Millard Farmer

 

               6:00 p.m.     Recess

 

MONDAY, APRIL 19

 

               9:00 p.m.     Small Group Workshops - Jury Selection

 

            12:15 p.m.        Lunch (provided)

 

1:00 p.m.     Challenging Assessments of Future Violence and

                    Meeting Claims of Future Dangerousness

                                         Mark Cunningham, Lewisville, TX

                                         David A. Ruhnke, Ruhnke & Barrett, Montclair, NJ

             

              2:45 p.m.      Break

 

              3:00 p.m.      Dealing with a Challenging Client and Getting a Plea to Life

Kelly Goodness, Keller, TX

 

               4:00 p.m.     Opening Statement Lecture and Demonstration

Steve Harmon, Law Offices of Harmon &Harmon, Riverside, CA

 

5:00 p.m.      Presenting Mitigating Evidence Including Mental Health Evidence

                                      Richard H. Burr, Burr & Welch, Houston, TX

Recess

 

TUESDAY, APRIL 20

 

9:00 a.m.     Small Group Workshops – Opening Statement

 

       12:00 p.m.      Lunch (provided)

 

          12:45 p.m.       Daubert: Presenting and Defending Against Expert Testimony

                                       Michael Burt,  Deputy Public Defender, San Francisco, CA

 

1:45 p.m.     Lecture on Cross Examination

Mark Daniel, Evans, Daniel, Gandy & Moore, Fort Worth, TX

 

2:45 p.m.    Break

 

              3:00 p.m.     Demonstration of Cross Examination of Law Enforcement

and State's Expert on Future Danger

Richard H. Burr and Robert Morrow, III

 

4:00 p.m.    Small Group Workshops – Cross Examination

 

6:30 p.m.    Recess

 

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 21

 

9:00 a.m.     Small Group Workshops – Cross Examination (continued)

 

        11:00 a.m.     Break

 

        11:15 a.m.     Lecture on Closing Argument (Merits Phase)

                                       George Parnham, Houston, TX

 

       12:15 p.m.     Lunch (provided)

 

1:00 p.m.     Lecture on Closing Argument (Mitigation Phase)

Katherine Scardino, Houston, TX

 

1:45 p.m.     Small Group Workshop - Closing Argument

 

4:30 p.m.     Closing Argument Demonstration

Katherine Scardino

 

              5:00 p.m.     Closing Remarks - Steve Harmon

 

             5:30 p.m.     Adjourn