The People's Law School - 2025 Schedule

Room 120

Veterans Treatment Court and Specialty Courts Overview

Three specialty courts – Veterans Treatment Court, DWI/Drug Court, and Mental Health Treatment Court – were created in McLennan County to administer programs to address issues of mental illness, trauma, and substance abuse. In this course, a local judge will describe the work of these courts to partner with local agencies and offer treatment as an alternative to incarceration within the criminal justice system for qualified defendants.

Room 122

Tax Fundamentals and Tax Q&A

The presentation will cover the latest hot topics and trends in the tax landscape, providing insights into new regulations, tax strategies, and emerging challenges. Attendees will gain a deeper understanding of key issues impacting individuals and businesses. The session will also include a Q&A segment to address specific questions.

Room 127

Don’t Learn Your Law from the Movies

Hollywood tends to take a great deal of creative license in portraying the law, which can result in misunderstandings about the law, as well as how trials actually work. Through a series of clips from movies and television shows, the instructor will illustrate what Hollywood gets wrong (and sometimes right) about the law.

Room 236

Misunderstandings, Myths, and Half-Truths about the U.S. Supreme Court

The United States Supreme Court plays a front and center place in many of the hot-button legal issues in our nation. Despite the heavy media coverage, many in our nation are not knowledgeable about the nature of the case docket of the Court, about how the Court processes and decides upon issues presented to it, about its relationship to the President and the Congress, and about the judicial philosophy of its justices. This session will focus upon these issues, including the dispelling of various misunderstandings, myths, and half-truths about the Court.

Room 237

Family Law: Parental Alienation

Parental alienation is when one parent intentionally displays to the child unjustified negativity aimed at the other parent. A family law attorney will provide an overview of parental alienation in Texas family law cases.

Room 120

Jury Selection: The Leading Edge

Many are called for jury duty, but few truly understand what is happening during the jury selection process. Attendees will learn how jury selection works, and why that process is the most important phase in any criminal trial. Attendees will understand how and why certain jurors are eliminated from service, what lawyers can and cannot discuss in jury selection, and why lawyers ask particular questions. Attendees will also learn how trial lawyers seek to make jury selection an extension of their argument.

Room 122

Pulling Back the Curtain: Understanding How State Agencies Affect Your Life

State agencies affect the lives of all citizens, but many people do not understand how state agencies act, how they affect citizens' lives, or how citizens can benefit from the work that state agencies do. This class will provide an overview of Texas state agencies, how they work, and how citizens can learn to navigate agency regulations and websites for their benefit.

Room 127

Wills and Estate Planning

Everyone should have a will. Students in this course will learn the requirements of a valid will and basic estate planning considerations. The instructor will additionally cover the new SECURE Act as well as special needs children’s trusts.

Room 234

From Oh No! to Now What? Your Roadmap After a Car Wreck

A board-certified personal injury attorney will provide guidance for navigating the legal process after a car accident.

Room 236

The First Amendment and the Internet

A gentle introduction to the First Amendment and how First Amendment principles apply to recent legislative attempts (by Texas and other states) to regulate social media and other apps, and users' access to content on those apps.

Room 237

Navigating Special Education

Your Rights and the District's Duties. A beginners course on the basics of special education law. We will go over the important laws and procedural safeguards that apply to children with disabilities and their education. From Initial evaluations, annual ARD meetings, discipline, transition to conflict resolution. You will learn the basics needed to advocate effectively for your loved one and to spot the red flags for when your child is not receiving the free appropriate public education they have the right to.

Room 120

Insurance Law: What Coverage You Thought You Had but Didn’t Get

This course will cover basics questions about insurance policies (including typical coverage in auto, home and general liability insurance policies), as well as claims, and your rights as an insured.

Room 122

Know Your Rights - Law Enforcement Interactions

This course will provide valuable information on your constitutional rights as an activist or everyday person to build awareness of what to expect from interactions with law enforcement.

Room 127

Navigating the Legal System from the Date of Offense to Prosecution

A local judge will guide you through the legal system from the date of the alleged offense to prosecution by simulating scenarios from real life courtroom cases and jail magistration. Emphasis will be placed on how to effectively resolve your Class C Misdemeanor (tickets), Class A & B Misdemeanors, and Felony cases without making critical mistakes that could jeopardize your freedom and result in costly fines and fees when you are dealing with court staff, lawyers, probation officers, judges, and law enforcement officers.

Room 234

My HOA can do what?!?

With more than six million Texans living in home ownership association (HOA) communities, many people have had some sort of an encounter with an HOA. This presentation will discuss common sources of disagreement and surprise including HOA assessments, fines, liens, signs, flags, and eco-friendly practices, and how those can be regulated by the HOA.

Room 236

Elder Law

This course provides an overview of issues important to senior citizens and those who care about them, including a review of long-term care planning, including Medicaid eligibility.