| 7:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m. |
Conference Headquarters Hours |
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Rio Grande Ballroom, North Wing, Second Floor |
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|
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DeleteMe Representatives Available |
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| 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. |
Benefits Counseling Hours (By Appointment Only) |
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Mexico and Texas, North Wing, Second Floor |
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| 7:30-9:00 a.m. |
BREAKFAST BUFFET |
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Woodlands Ballroom, South Wing |
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| 8:45-9:45 a.m. |
JUDICIAL COUNCIL MEETING |
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Spanish/Republic, North Wing, Second Floor |
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| Presiding: |
Honorable Jennifer W. Elrod |
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Chief United States Circuit Judge |
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U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit |
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Houston, Texas |
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| 10:00-11:00 a.m. |
SEPARATE JUDGE MEETINGS |
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|
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Circuit Judges |
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Spanish/Republic, North Wing, Second Floor |
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| Presiding: |
Honorable Jennifer W. Elrod |
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Chief United States Circuit Judge |
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U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit |
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Houston, Texas |
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|
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District Judges |
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Emerald Ballroom, North Wing, Second Floor |
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| Presiding: |
Honorable Marina Garcia Marmolejo |
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United States District Judge |
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Southern District of Texas |
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Laredo, Texas |
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|
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Honorable Sul Ozerden |
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Chief United States District Judge |
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Southern District of Mississippi |
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Gulfport, Mississippi |
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|
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Bankruptcy Judges |
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San Felipe, North Wing, Second Floor |
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| Presiding: |
Honorable Christopher M. Lopez |
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United States Bankruptcy Judge |
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Southern District of Texas |
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Houston, Texas |
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|
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Magistrate Judges |
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Houston, North Wing, Second Floor |
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| Presiding: |
Honorable Ignacio Torteya III |
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United States Magistrate Judge |
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Southern District of Texas |
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Brownsville, Texas |
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| 11:00 a.m.-1:30 p.m. |
EXECUTIVE SESSION LUNCHEONS |
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|
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Fifth Circuit Appellate, District, Bankruptcy, and Magistrate Judges |
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and Court Unit Executives |
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Woodlands Ballroom, South Wing |
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|
| Presiding: |
Honorable Jennifer W. Elrod |
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Chief United States Circuit Judge |
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U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit |
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Houston, Texas |
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|
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Honorable Robert J. Conrad, Jr. |
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Director |
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Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts |
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Washington, D.C. |
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|
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Honorable Richard J. Sullivan |
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United States Circuit Judge |
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U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit |
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New York, New York |
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|
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Honorable Michael Y. Scudder |
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United States Circuit Judge |
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U.S. Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit |
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Chicago, Illinois |
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|
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Clara J. Altman |
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Deputy Director |
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Federal Judicial Center |
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Washington, D.C. |
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|
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Honorable Reed O’Connor |
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Chief United States District Judge |
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Northern District of Texas |
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Fort Worth, Texas |
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|
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Honorable Jeremy D. Kernodle |
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United States District Judge |
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Eastern District of Texas |
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Tyler, Texas |
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|
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Honorable Nannette Jolivette Brown |
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United States District Judge |
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Eastern District of Louisiana |
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New Orleans, Louisiana |
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|
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Bar Association of the Fifth Federal Circuit Board of Directors |
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Pecan, South Wing |
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|
| Presiding: |
David S. Coale |
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President, BAFFC |
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Partner |
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Lynn Pinker Hurst & Schwegmann |
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Dallas, Texas |
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|
| 2:00-3:30 p.m. |
OPENING OF THE CONFERENCE |
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Grand Ballroom, North Wing, First Floor |
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|
| Presiding: |
Honorable Jennifer W. Elrod |
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Chief United States Circuit Judge |
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U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit |
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Houston, Texas |
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|
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Presentation of Colors |
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Scout Troop 242 |
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Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church |
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Houston, Texas |
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|
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National Anthem |
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Garland R. Walker Inn Singers |
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Houston, Texas |
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|
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Pledge of Allegiance |
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Scout Troop 242 |
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Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church |
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Houston, Texas |
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|
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Texas Welcome |
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Honorable Gregory W. Abbott |
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Governor of Texas |
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Austin, Texas |
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|
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Chief Judge Welcome and Dedication of the Conference |
| Presentation: |
Honorable Jennifer W. Elrod |
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Chief United States Circuit Judge |
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U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit |
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Houston, Texas |
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|
| Recipient: |
To Be Announced |
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|
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2026 American Inns of Court James E. Coleman, Jr. |
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Award for Professionalism in the Fifth Circuit |
| Presentation: |
Honorable Carl E. Stewart |
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United States Circuit Judge |
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U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit |
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Shreveport, Louisiana |
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|
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Lieutenant General Joseph B. Berger III, US Army (Ret.) |
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Executive Director, American Inns of Court |
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Alexandria, Virginia |
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|
| Recipient: |
To Be Announced |
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|
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In Memoriam |
| Presentation: |
Honorable S. Kyle Duncan |
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United States Circuit Judge |
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U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit |
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Baton Rouge, Louisiana |
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|
| Honoring: |
Honorable John M. Duhé, Jr. |
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1933 – 2025 |
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Senior United States Circuit Judge |
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U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit |
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Lafayette, Louisiana |
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|
| Presentation: |
Honorable Rhesa H. Barksdale |
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Senior United States Circuit Judge |
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U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit |
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Jackson, Mississippi |
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|
| Honoring: |
Honorable E. Grady Jolly |
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1937 – 2026 |
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Senior United States Circuit Judge |
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U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit |
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Jackson, Mississippi |
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|
| Presentation: |
Honorable David W. Counts III |
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United States District Judge |
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Western District of Texas |
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Midland, Texas |
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|
| Honoring: |
Honorable Robert A. Junell |
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1947 – 2025 |
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Senior United States District Judge |
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Western District of Texas |
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Midland, Texas |
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|
| Presentations: |
Honorable Alia Moses |
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Chief United States District Judge |
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Western District of Texas |
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Del Rio, Texas |
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|
| Honoring: |
Honorable Walter S. Smith, Jr. |
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1940 – 2025 |
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Retired United States District Judge |
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Western District of Texas |
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Waco, Texas |
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|
| Honoring: |
Honorable Sam Sparks |
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1939 – 2025 |
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Retired United States District Judge |
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Western District of Texas |
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Austin, Texas |
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|
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Introduction of New Judges |
| Introductions: |
Honorable Diana Saldaña |
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United States District Judge |
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Southern District of Texas |
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Laredo, Texas |
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|
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Honorable David S. Morales |
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United States District Judge |
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Southern District of Texas |
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Corpus Christi, Texas |
| |
|
| Honoring: |
Honorable Robert P. Chamberlin |
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United States District Judge |
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Northern District of Mississippi |
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Aberdeen, Mississippi |
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December 16, 2025 |
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|
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Honorable James D. Maxwell II |
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United States District Judge |
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Northern District of Mississippi |
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Oxford, Mississippi |
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December 18, 2025 |
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|
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Honorable William J. Crain |
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United States District Judge |
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Eastern District of Louisiana |
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New Orleans, Louisiana |
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December 19, 2025 |
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|
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Honorable Alexander C. Van Hook |
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United States District Judge |
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Western District of Louisiana |
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Shreveport, Louisiana |
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January 12, 2026 |
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|
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Honorable Nicholas Jon Ganjei |
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United States District Judge |
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Southern District of Texas |
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Houston, Texas |
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March 10, 2026 |
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|
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Honorable Anna St. John |
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United States District Judge |
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Eastern District of Louisiana |
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New Orleans, Louisiana |
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Commission pending |
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|
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Honorable Brad Wesley Odell |
| |
United States Bankruptcy Judge |
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Northern District of Texas |
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Lubbock, Texas |
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April 10, 2025 |
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|
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Honorable Aubrey Laine Thomas |
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United States Bankruptcy Judge |
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Western District of Texas |
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San Antonio, Texas |
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April 6, 2026 |
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|
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Honorable Brian C. Bajew |
| |
United States Magistrate Judge |
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Southern District of Texas |
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Laredo, Texas |
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June 13, 2025 |
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|
| |
Honorable Daniel N. MacLemore |
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United States Magistrate Judge |
| |
Western District of Texas |
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Waco, Texas |
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November 12, 2025 |
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|
| |
Honorable Kelly G. Stephenson |
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United States Magistrate Judge |
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Western District of Texas |
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El Paso, Texas |
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April 2, 2026 |
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|
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Length of Service Recognition |
| |
Honorable Jennifer W. Elrod |
| |
Chief United States Circuit Judge |
| |
U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit |
| |
Houston, Texas |
| |
|
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Celebrating the Declaration at 250 |
| Introduction: |
Honorable Charles R. Eskridge III |
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United States District Judge |
| |
Southern District of Texas |
| |
Houston, Texas |
| |
|
| Presenters: |
Second Continental Chorus |
| |
Garland R. Walker American Inn of Court |
| |
Houston, Texas |
| |
|
| 3:30-4:00 p.m. |
REFRESHMENT BREAK |
| |
Grand Ballroom Foyer, North Wing, First Floor |
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|
| 4:00-5:00 p.m. |
EXECUTIVE AND JUDICIAL POWER |
| |
Grand Ballroom, North Wing, First Floor |
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|
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Prominent professors of law and legal history will discuss our current national conversation: |
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Executive overreach? Lower court overreach? Or just separation of powers as usual? |
| |
|
| Introduction: |
Honorable Edith H. Jones |
| |
United States Circuit Judge |
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U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit |
| |
Houston, Texas |
| |
|
| Panel: |
Philip Hamburger |
| |
Maurice & Hilda Friedman Professor of Law |
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Columbia Law School |
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New York, New York |
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|
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Ilan Wurman |
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Julius E. Davis Professor of Law |
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University of Minnesota School of Law |
| |
Minneapolis, Minnesota |
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|
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John C. Yoo |
| |
Emanuel S. Heller Professor of Law and |
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Faculty Director, Public Law & Policy Program |
| |
UC Berkeley Law |
| |
Berkeley, California |
| |
|
| 5:00-6:00 p.m. |
CHIEF JUDGE’S WELCOME RECEPTION |
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Grand Ballroom Foyer, North Wing, First Floor |
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|
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The Bar Association of the Fifth Federal Circuit invites you to enjoy hors d’oeuvres and drinks |
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with friends and colleagues before your evening plans. |
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|
| 6:00 p.m. |
BUS LOADING FOR DISTRICT DINNERS |
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Motor coaches arranged for district dinners will depart from and return to The Woodlands Resort |
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Conference Center. |
