Texas Pattern Jury Charges Committees
The Texas Pattern Jury Charges series is widely accepted by attorneys and judges as the most authoritative guide for drafting questions, instructions, and definitions in a broad variety of cases.
Each Texas Pattern Jury Charges volume includes an electronic version with the entire book as a hyperlinked and word-searchable PDF file, also available for purchase separately. All charge language is included as Word files linked to the comments for quick retrieval and assembly of jury charges. Texas case citations are linked to PDF files of the cases and to an online version of the Casemaker Web Library.
Pattern Jury Charges Committees:
Department Contact
Texas Bar Books
(512) 427-1411
books@texasbar.com
texasbarbooks.net
Pattern Jury Charges – Business, Consumer, Insurance & Employment Committee
Created in 1985Purpose
To prepare and periodically revise pattern jury charges for common law and statutory claims encountered in consumer, insurance, business, commercial, and employment litigation. The committee shall consist of a balance of judges, plaintiffs, and defense lawyers with demonstrated expertise in the various areas of practice under review by this committee.
2020-2021 Projects and Objectives
-
This will be a publication year for the committee and the committee will be working to finalize updates for the 2022 edition. This will include a comprehensive review and update of existing charges to reflect new statutory and case law and adding new charges where needed. Additionally, the committee will work with the other civil drafting committees and the Oversight Committee on updates that appear in multiple volumes.
Staff Contact
Elma Garcia
Publications Attorney
(512) 427-1858
Chair
William Chriss
The Snapka Law Firm
Corpus Christi
2021-2022 Committee Members
Name | Company | City |
---|---|---|
William Chriss (CHAIR) |
The Snapka Law Firm |
Corpus Christi |
Carlos Soltero (VICE CHAIR) |
Soltero Sapire Murrell, PLLC |
Austin |
Christopher Dove |
Locke Lord LLP |
Houston |
John V. Jansonius |
Jackson Walker L.L.P. |
Dallas |
Dwaine Massey |
Massey Law Firm PLLC |
Houston |
Philip Maxwell |
Law Offices of Philip K. Maxwell |
Austin |
Stephen Pate |
Cozen O'Connor |
Houston |
Georgina M. Benavides |
Thirteenth Court of Appeals |
Edinburg |
David Gunn |
Beck Redden LLP |
Houston |
Scott Lindsey |
Boyd, Powers & Williamson |
Fort Worth |
Rachel McKenna |
Almanza, Blackburn, Dickie & Mitchell LLP |
Austin |
Robert McKnight Jr. |
Marek, Griffin & Knaupp |
Victoria |
Charles Peckham |
Peckham Martin, PLLC |
Houston |
Scott A. Brister |
Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP |
Austin |
John Griffin Jr. |
Marek, Griffin & Knaupp |
Victoria |
Steven Hayles |
Law Office of Steven K. Hayes |
Fort Worth |
David E. Keltner |
Kelly Hart & Hallman LLP |
Fort Worth |
Rebeca Martinez |
Chief Justice, Fourth Court of Appeals |
San Antonio |
Amy Stewart |
Amy Stewart PC |
Dallas |
Michael Massiatte (Advisory |
DLA Piper |
Plano |
Jeremy Stone (Advisory) |
Butch Boyd Law Firm |
Houston |
Pattern Jury Charges – Criminal Committee
Created in 2005Purpose
To monitor statutory and case law developments in criminal law and prepare supplementation as needed for Pattern Jury Charges - Criminal. The committee shall consist of a balance of judges and practitioners with demonstrated expertise in the various areas of practice under review by this committee.
2021-2022 Projects and Objectives
-
The Committee continues to focus on the transition of the Criminal Pattern Jury Charges from printed volumes to an online-only product. The Committee has revised the basic format for how charges for all crimes are presented to juries, who will in the future see streamlined instructions that are easier to understand. Members are applying the new format to existing charges, as well as revising the CPJCs for recent changes in the law. The group is also adding new charges for various crimes, including burglary of a vehicle and animal cruelty.
Staff Contact
Jim Norman
Attorney I
(512) 427-1460
Co-Chairs
Emily Johnson-Liu
Office of State Prosecuting Attorney
Austin
James McDermott II
Far West Texas Regional Public Defender
Alpine
2021-2022 Committee Members
Name | Company | City |
---|---|---|
Emily Johnson-Liu (CO-CHAIR) |
Office of State Prosecuting Attorney |
Austin |
James McDermott II (CO-CHAIR) |
Far West Texas Regional Public Defender |
Alpine |
John Messinger (VICE CHAIR) |
Office of the State Prosecuting Attorney |
Austin |
Christopher J. Downey |
The Downey Law Firm |
Houston |
Laurie English |
112th District Attorney |
Ozona |
Susan Klein |
Univ Of TX At Austin - Law |
Austin |
Barbara Paulissen |
Bexar County Criminal District Court Administration |
San Antonio |
Scott Pawgan |
Law Offices of Scott Pawgan |
Windcrest |
Edward Bennett |
|
Waco |
Alan Curry |
|
Houston |
Wendell A. Odom Jr. |
Wendell A. Odom, Jr. |
Houston |
Thomas Ross |
|
Houston |
Edith Schatelowitz |
Law Office of Eve Schatelowitz |
Round Rock |
Zackery Wavrusa |
County/District Attorney Office of Rusk County |
Henderson |
Jessie Allen |
Dallas County Criminal District Attorney's Office |
McKinney |
George Aristotelidis |
Law Office of Jorge G. Aristotelidis |
San Antonio |
Robert Cadena |
83rd Judicial District Judge |
Del Rio |
Andrew Fletcher |
Harris County District Attorney's Office |
San Antonio |
Melissa Goodwin |
3rd Court of Appeals |
Austin |
Sid L. Harle |
Presiding Judge 4th Judicial Region |
Shavano Park |
Dayna Jones |
Law Offices of Dayna L. Jones |
San Antonio |
Jennifer Laurin |
University Of Texas School Of Law |
Austin |
Elizabeth Ponce |
Ponce Law, PLLC |
Houston |
Benjamin Smith |
380th Judicial District Court |
McKinney |
Pattern Jury Charges – Family and Probate Committee
Created in 1987Purpose
To monitor statutory and case law developments in family and probate law and prepare supplementation as needed for Pattern Jury Charges - Family and Probate. The committee shall consist of a balance of judges and practitioners with demonstrated expertise in the various areas of practice under review by this committee.
2021-2022 Projects and Objectives
-
The 2022 edition of the PJC - Family & Probate volume will be published in early 2022. Changes will reflect statutory revisions enacted during the 2021 legislative session, including new provisions for juries to place geographic restrictions on sole managing conservators. The Committee has completely revised the charge and instructions for reimbursement claims in divorce litigation and is drafting a new charge for contempt of court in cases where the defendant has a right to a jury.
Staff Contact
James Norman
Attorney I
(512) 427-1460
Chair
John Nickelson
Law Office Of Gary L. Nickelson
Fort Worth
2021-2022 Committee Members
Name | Company | City |
---|---|---|
John Nickelson (CHAIR) |
Law Office Of Gary L. Nickelson |
Fort Worth |
Cindy Tisdale (VICE CHAIR) |
Law Office of Cindy V. Tisdale, P.L.L.C. |
Granbury |
Kristy Blanchard |
Blanchard & Thomas, LLP |
Ovilla |
Mary C. Burdette |
Burdette Law Firm |
Dallas |
Ryan Cantrell |
Chamberlain, Hrdlicka, White, Williams & Aughtry, P.C. |
Houston |
Larry Flournoy Jr. |
Jordan Flournoy LLP |
Dallas |
Kathleene Garcia |
5th District Court of Appeals |
Dallas |
Jessica Janicek |
KoonsFuller, PC |
Southlake |
Aimee Key |
GoransonBain Ausley |
Dallas |
William McCulloch Jr. |
MacIntyre McCulloch & Stanfield, LLP |
Houston |
Richard Spencer |
Spencer & Johnson, PLLC |
Dallas |
Robert Wilmoth |
Farrow-Gillespie Heath Witter LLP |
Dallas |
Sam M. Yates III |
Law Office Sam M. (Trey) Yates, III, P. |
Houston |
David G. Balmer |
Balmer Law Firm, PC |
San Antonio |
Kelly L. Fritsch |
Kelly L. Fritsch, P.C. |
Houston |
Kymberly McMorries |
|
Houston |
Thomas L. Ausley |
GoransonBain Ausley |
Austin |
Becky Beaver |
Law Office of Becky Beaver |
Austin |
Roxie Cluck |
Roxie W. Cluck, Attorney At Law |
Canton |
Anna McKim |
Field Manning Stone Hawthorne & Aycock |
Lubbock |
Susan Oehl |
Jenkins & Kamin, LLP |
Houston |
James Shipp |
Shipp Ecke, PLLC |
San Antonio |
Kristal Thomson |
Langley & Banack, Inc. |
San Antonio |
Alicia York |
Franklin York Mediations |
Houston |
Caroline Jackson (Advisory) |
|
San Antonio |
Pattern Jury Charges – General Negligence, Intentional Personal Torts & Workers’ Compensation Committee
Created in 1984Purpose
To monitor statutory and case law developments in the subject matter of this PJC volume and prepare supplementation as needed. The committee shall consist of a balance of judges, plaintiffs’, and defense lawyers with demonstrated expertise in the various areas of practice under review by this committee.
2021-2022 Projects and Objectives
-
Complete the 2022 volume for publication: "Shepardize all Chapters; Add/revise charges on Proximate Cause, Inferential Rebuttal, Cap-busting, Trespass and Nuisance, Personal Property Damages, Physical Impairment, Pecuniary Loss, and Subsequent Injury. Monitor case law developments; Develop and draft jury questions and instructions for the new laws passed under 2021 (R) Tex. HB 19 (Relating to civil liability of a commercial motor vehicle owner or operator, including the effect that changes to that liability have on commercial automobile insurance) which becomes effective September 1, 2021
Staff Contact
Sarah Henson
Publications Attorney
(512) 427-1492
Chair
Hyattye Simmons
Hyattye O. Simmons, Attorney at Law
Dallas
2021-2022 Committee Members
Name | Company | City |
---|---|---|
Hyattye Simmons (CHAIR) |
Hyattye O. Simmons, Attorney at Law |
Dallas |
Judge Sharon McCally (VICE CHAIR) |
|
Houston |
Sammy Ford IV |
Ahmad, Zavitsanos, Anaipakos, Alavi & Mensing PC |
Houston |
Jose G. Gonzalez Jr. |
Watts Guerra LLP |
McAllen |
R. W. (Ricky) Richards |
Richards Penn, LLP |
Jacksonville |
Gisela Triana |
Third Court of Appeals |
Austin |
Ryan Anderson |
The Law Offices of Ryan G. Anderson, PLLC |
San Antonio |
Alison Colvin |
Colvin, Saenz, Rodriguez & Kennamer L.L.P. |
Brownsville |
Matthew E. Coveler |
Weinstein Tippetts & Little LLP |
Houston |
Elizabeth Herrera |
Colvin, Saenz, Rodriguez & Kennamer, L.L.P. |
Edinburg |
Daniel Horowitz III |
The Law Office of Daniel D. Horowitz, III, PC |
Houston |
Wm. Randell Johnson |
Law Office of Wm. Randell Johnson |
Plano |
Donald Kidd |
Perdue & Kidd |
Houston |
Sean Reagan |
The Reagan Law Firm |
Houston |
Rebecca Vela |
Rebecca Vela, PC |
Edinburg |
Tennessee Walker |
Patterson Law Group |
Fort Worth |
Merritt Clements |
Ray Pena McChristian |
San Antonio |
Linda Dedman |
Dedman Law, PLLC |
Dallas |
Laura Haley |
Haley Law Firm, PLLC |
Harlingen |
Paula Knippa |
Knippa Law, PLLC |
Austin |
Tracy McCormack |
University of Texas at Austin |
Austin |
Henry L. Moore |
|
Austin |
Michael L. Sprain |
Sprain Law Firm |
Houston |
Daniel Linebaugh (Advisory) |
The Linebaugh Law Firm, P.C. |
Baytown |
Tara Richardson (Advisory) |
Ketterman Rowland & Westlund |
San Antonio |
Pattern Jury Charges – Malpractice, Premises & Products Committee
Created in 1987Purpose
To monitor statutory and case law developments in the subject matter of this PJC volume and prepare supplementation as needed. The committee shall consist of a balance of judges, plaintiffs, and defense lawyers with demonstrated expertise in the various areas of practice under review by the committee.
2021-2022 Projects and Objectives
-
The Committee is updating the volume to reflect changes enacted by the 2021 legislature and recent case law. Changes also will be made to the charges and instructions for the Emergency Treatment and Active Labor Act, the definition of "design defect," the basic damages question to clarify when damages were caused by an injury or by an occurrence, cases where plaintiff seek to exceed normal limits on exemplary damages, and others. In addition, the committee is updating the comments to the proximate cause instruction, actions against attorneys, inferential rebuttals, premises liability actions, and other PJCs.
Staff Contact
James Norman
Attorney I
(512) 427-1460
Chair
Laura Trenaman
Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP
Houston
2021-2022 Committee Members
Name | Company | City |
---|---|---|
Laura Trenaman (CHAIR) |
Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP |
Houston |
Alexander Klein III (VICE CHAIR) |
The Klein Law Firm |
Houston |
Curry L.Cooksey |
Cooksey, Marcin & Parecki, PLLC |
The Woodlands |
John Huddleston |
Clark Hill Strasburger |
Dallas |
Coyt Johnston Jr. |
Johnston Tobey Baruch, P.C. |
Dallas |
Amanda R. McKinzie |
Bowman and Brooke LLP |
Plano |
Andrew Payne |
Payne Mitchell Ramsey Law Group |
Dallas |
Andrew Cavazos |
Poulos & Coates LLP |
Las Cruces |
Iain Kennedy |
Nathan Sommers Jacobs |
Houston |
Matthew Kita |
|
Dallas |
John Martinez |
Hilliard Martinez Gonzales LLP |
Corp Christi |
Timothy Riley |
Riley Law Firm |
Houston |
Randell C. Roberts |
Roberts & Roberts |
Tyler |
Cynthia Alicia Villanueva |
United States Attorney's Office, Southern District of Texas |
McAllen |
Charles Brown |
Brown, Christie & Green |
Houston |
Daniel M. Downey |
Dan Downey, P.C. |
Houston |
William R. Edwards III |
The Edwards Law Firm |
Corp Christi |
Wilbert (Will) Hughes |
Adams & Graham, L.L.P. |
Harlingen |
Erin E. Lunceford |
Norton Rose Fulbright US LLP |
Houston |
Laura Sharp |
The Sharp Firm |
Austin |
Brent Walker |
Aldous\Walker LLP |
Dallas |
Melody M. Wilkinson |
17th District Court |
Fort Worth |
Jack McGehee (Advisory) |
McGehee Chang, Landgraf, Feiler |
Houston |
Michelle Robberson (Advisory) |
Cooper & Scully PC |
Dallas |
Pattern Jury Charges – Oil and Gas Committee
Created in 2013Purpose
To monitor statutory and case law developments in the subject matter for this PJC volume and prepare supplementation as needed. The committee shall consist of a balance of judges, and practitioners with demonstrated expertise in the various areas of practice under review by the committee.
2021-2022 Projects and Objectives
-
The committee will spend this year finalizing materials to be included in the 2022 edition. The committee will complete a comprehensive review of the current charges and consider what changes or additions should be made to reflect new cases and statutory law. The committee will also continue to work closely with the other drafting volumes on new materials impacting more than one volume. This includes working with the General Negligence volume to develop updated materials on nuisance and working with the Business volume to update contracts materials included in both volumes.
Staff Contact
Elma Garcia
Publications Attorney
(512) 427-1858
Chair
Ricardo Morales
Person, Mohrer, Morales, Boddy, Garcia & Gutierrez, PLLC
Laredo
2021-2022 Committee Members
Name | Company | City |
---|---|---|
Ricardo Morales (CHAIR) |
Person, Mohrer, Morales, Boddy, Garcia & Gutierrez, PLLC |
Laredo |
Lisa Lumley (VICE CHAIR) |
Lisa Lumley Law |
Fort Worth |
Daniel Charest |
Burns Charest LLP |
Dallas |
Allen D. Cummings |
Allen D. Cummings, Attorney at Law |
Austin |
Heriberto Montalvo |
Munsch Hardt Kopf & Harr, P.C. |
Houston |
Karen S. Precella |
Haynes and Boone, LLP |
Fort Worth |
Susan Richardson |
Susan R. Richardson |
Midland |
Patricia O'Connell Alvarez |
Fourth Court of Appeals |
San Antonio |
Charles W. Gordon IV |
Porter, Rogers, Dahlman & Gordon, P.C. |
Corp Christi |
Ezra Allen Johnson |
Railroad Commission of Texas |
Austin |
Michael D. Jones |
Jones Gill LLP |
Houston |
Benjamin Robertson |
Fourth Court of Appeals |
San Antonio |
Paul F. Simpson |
McGinnis Lochridge LLP |
Houston |
James Truss |
Dykema Gossett PLLC |
San Antonio |
Russell Wilson |
Judge 218th District Court |
Jourdanton |
Laura H. Burney |
|
San Antonio |
Joseph C. Gunter III |
Bracewell |
Houston |
Kyla Marie Gunter |
Gunter Law Group, PLLC c/o Palmer Lehman Sandberg, PLLC |
Dallas |
Craig A. Haynes |
Thompson & Knight LLP |
Dallas |
Christopher Hogan |
Hogan Thompson LLP |
Houston |
Isaiah Jackson |
IRJ LAW, a PLLC |
Midland |
Monica Z. Notzon |
111th District Court Judge |
Laredo |
Timothy Shelby |
Ahmad, Zavitsanos, Anaipakos, Alavi & Mensing, P.C. |
Houston |
Scott Stolley |
Stolley Law, P.C. |
Dallas |
Patricia Weaver |
Field, Manning, Stone, Hawthorne, & Aycock PC |
Midland |
Pattern Jury Charges – Oversight Committee
Created in 2003Purpose
To set appropriate policies and standards, to act as an oversight and coordinating committee for the PJC committees, and to concern itself with the study and formulation of the form of charges submitted for publication through the Books and Systems Department. The membership of the PJC - Oversight Committee shall consist of two ex-officio members of the Texas Supreme Court as designated by the Supreme Court, a balance of district and appellate court judges, and a balance of lawyers with demonstrated expertise in the various areas of practice, including plaintiffs and defense lawyers, and general member appointments.
2021-2022 Projects and Objectives
- The PJC Oversight Committee will work with each of the individual civil PJC volumes (General Negligence, Intentional Personal Torts & Workers’ Compensation; Oil & Gas; Business, Consumer, Insurance & Employment; Family & Probate; and Malpractice, Premises & Products) to complete work for the 2022 editions. The PJC Oversight Committee will review new materials and updates and work with appointed cross-volume subcommittees to complete work impacting multiple volumes. The Oversight Committee will also continue to support the work of the Criminal PJC Committee as it updates its materials and transitions its volumes on-line.
Staff Contact
Elma Garcia
Publications Attorney
(512) 427-1858
Chair
Daniel Hinde
Schiffer Hicks Johnson PLLC
Houston
2021-2022 Committee Members
Name | Company | City |
---|---|---|
Daniel Hinde (CHAIR) |
Schiffer Hicks Johnson PLLC |
Houston |
Anahid Estevez (VICE CHAIR) |
251st District Judge |
Amarillo |
Scott Armstrong |
Armstrong & Lee LLP |
Houston |
Jane Bland |
Supreme Court of Texas |
Austin |
James Dean |
J. Christopher Dean Law Firm PLLC |
Houston |
Michael W. Eady |
Thompson, Coe, Cousins & Irons, L.L.P. |
Austin |
Clyde Jackson III |
Burford Perry LLP |
Houston |
Joyce W. Moore |
Langley & Banack |
San Antonio |
Robert K. Schaffer |
152nd District Court |
Houston |
Kirsten M. Castaneda |
Alexander Dubose & Jefferson LLP |
Dallas |
Stewart W. Gagnon |
Norton Rose Fulbright, LLP Us |
Houston |
David Kent |
Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP |
Dallas |
Brian Miller |
Royston Rayzor Vickery & Williams LLP |
Corp Christi |
Emily Miskel |
470th District Court |
McKinney |
Lana Myers |
Fifth District Court Of Appeals |
Dallas |
Andrew Wright |
Harris County Criminal Court at Law Number Seven (7) |
Houston |
Brock C. Akers |
The Akers Firm |
Houston |
Kenda L. Culpepper |
Rockwall County Criminal District Attorney |
Rockwall |
Mary Henderson |
Office of the Attorney General |
Austin |
Jeffrey S. Levinger |
Levinger PC |
Dallas |
LaDawn Nandrasy |
Amy Stewart PC |
Dallas |
Michael L. Slack |
Slack Davis Sanger LLP |
Austin |
Catherine M. Stone |
Langley & Banack, Inc. |
San Antonio |
Timothy M. Sulak |
|
Austin |