On the Ballot: Texas Constitutional Amendments 2019

Ten proposed constitutional amendments will be on the November ballot. The Texas League of Women Voters has compiled a nice list of the amendments along with important voting deadlines. Compare the pros and cons of each proposed amendment, and prepare to cast your vote on Election Day, November 5, 2019.

Proposed Constitutional Amendments

  1. Municipal Judges

  2. Assistance for Water Projects in Distressed Areas

  3. Tax Relief for Disaster Areas

  4. Personal Income Tax

  5. Sporting Goods Tax to Support State Parks

  6. Cancer Prevention & Research

  7. Funding Public Education

  8. Flood Control

  9. Tax Exemption of Precious Metals

  10. Law Enforcement Animals

For additional information and resources for voting in Texas, visit VoteTexas.gov And, for a brief history lesson on why the Texas Constitution is so long, with so many amendments, read this article at the Texas Tribune. Finally, for all your Texas statutory and Constitutional law research needs, the Texas Legislative Reference Library is your best free online resource.

Color the Law: Celebrate National Coloring Book Day

August 2 is National Coloring Book Day! To celebrate, we’ve compiled this list of freely available coloring pages from across the web, all related to the courts, judges, and the legal system. Have fun!

State Bar of Texas Activity Books First on the list, and deserving of special mention, are the State Bar of Texas activity books. Previously on Ex Libris Juris, we discussed the value of having these terrific resources on hand to share with families who visit the Law Library. Many thanks to the State Bar of Texas for making these coloring books available to our young visitors. Offering these activity books is a simple gesture, but keeping restless children engaged with a fun distraction while their parents deal with the stress of self representation can be invaluable. Two titles — Luis Goes to Court, and Let’s Learn a Little about The Law — can be requested at the Law Library Reference Desk or downloaded by clicking on the images below.

More Coloring Fun

For Fun: Colorful Facts About Coloring Books for Adults

At its peak in 2016, the adult coloring book craze attracted all kinds of media attention. It was also big business. Plenty of trend watchers theorized about why and how the frenzy evolved. A fair number of critics were among them, deriding those who claimed that coloring is a path to mindfulness and creative expression. Regardless, coloring as a meditative activity for adults is still a popular pastime. Other therapeutic activities have gotten a lot of attention in recent months, but simply putting colored pencil on paper is, for many, still a very satisfying activity.

Our advice: Find your favorite online source for printable coloring pages, and cue up this song to supplement your coloring joy. You may discover that, yes, coloring books (like those featured above) can be educational and interactive learning tools for children, but for adults, they are purely fun. Happy National Coloring Book Day!

Public Art Meets Courthouse Navigation

In the U.S., regardless of the jurisdiction, the court structure involves an appeals process in which a higher court can review a decision of a lower court. For many self-represented litigants, navigating the journey from court to court can be confusing and frustrating. For practicing attorneys, an appeal may not be a common task, so a resource to refresh the memory when appellate work crops up can be helpful. Our solution… public art, of course!

Not just any public art though. This summer we have been fortunate to host Helen Hartman from the Harris Commissioner Precinct One LEE Internship program. Helen’s graphic-design talents have helped us take a dry, nebulous concept and make it more approachable for patrons who need to navigate the Texas court structure in Harris County. Drawing inspiration from the Texas Judicial Branch’s “Court Structure of Texas” flowchart, we have added graphical representations of the buildings in which courts meet to bridge the gap between abstract concepts of jurisdiction and local venues where our patrons interact with the judiciary.

This public art piece is now a permanent exhibit at the Harris County Law Library. Visit Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., to see this impressive work in person.

Latest & Greatest – Make Your Own Living Trust

By Denis Clifford

Published by Nolo

KF 734 .Z9 C57 2019

Photo Credit: Helen Hartman

If you’re seeking a way to dispose of your property after your death without your heirs and beneficiaries having to go through the legal process known as probate, then a living trust might be the mechanism through which you can achieve that goal. A living trust, or an inter vivos trust, transfers property designated under the trust to your loved ones upon your death without the need for probate. Sound appealing? Then, you might want to have a look at Nolo’s Make Your Own Living Trust. Denis Clifford, an estate planning attorney, explains what a living trust is, how it works, and what its advantages and potential downsides are. With this book, you can also learn how to:

  • determine the type of trust that is right for you;

  • choose what property to place into the trust;

  • choose a successor trustee and designate beneficiaries;

  • prepare the living trust document; and

  • transfer property to the trust.

There are also plenty of sample forms to help draft your living trust and a glossary to help explain some key terms.

Before you embark on this estate-planning tool, read Make Your Own Living Trust. Find it in the Law Library’s Self-Help Collection. Other titles that you might find useful on this and similar topics are: Estate Planning Basics, Plan Your Estate, and Quick and Legal Will Book.