Tuesday, May 5: 2026 Judicial Conference of the Fifth Circuit

7:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m.	Conference Headquarters Hours
	Rio Grande Ballroom, North Wing, Second Floor

	DeleteMe Representatives Available

8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.	Benefits Counseling Hours (By Appointment Only)
	Mexico and Texas, North Wing, Second Floor

7:30-8:30 a.m.	BREAKFAST BUFFET
	Woodlands Ballroom, South Wing

7:45-8:30 a.m.	BREAKFAST MEETING FOR SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF TEXAS
	EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR JUDGES ONLY
	Pecan, South Wing

Presiding:	Honorable Randy Crane
	Chief United States District Judge
	Southern District of Texas
	McAllen, Texas

8:45-10:00 a.m.	A CONVERSATION WITH THE CIRCUIT JUSTICE
	Grand Ballroom, North Wing, First Floor

	Honorable Samuel A. Alito, Jr.
	Associate Justice
	Supreme Court of the United States
	Washington, D.C.

	Aaron L. Nielson
	Charles I. Francis Professorship in Law, University of Texas School of Law
	Litigation Partner, Kirkland & Ellis LLP
	Austin, Texas

10:00-10:30 a.m.	REFRESHMENT BREAK
	Grand Ballroom Foyer, North Wing, First Floor

10:30-11:30 a.m.	ACCESS TO JUSTICE
	Grand Ballroom, North Wing, First Floor

	“The first duty of society is justice,” wrote Alexander Hamilton. The sacred promise “equal
	justice under law” bestrides the U.S. Supreme Court’s grand entrance, but “justice for only those
	who can afford it is neither justice for all nor justice at all.” Improving access to justice requires
	streamlining court procedures to better serve self-represented litigants, licensing more lawyers,
	allowing more kinds of legal providers, and using technology like AI. Closing the justice gap – a
	chasm, really – between the need for justice and its availability improves public trust in the justice
	system and supports judicial independence.

Introduction:	Honorable Don R. Willett
	United States Circuit Judge
	U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit
	Austin, Texas

Panel:	Honorable J. Brett Busby
	Justice
	Supreme Court of Texas
	Austin, Texas

	Honorable Nathan L. Hecht
	Chief Justice, Supreme Court of Texas (Ret.)
	Partner
	Jackson Walker LLP

11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.	CONFERENCE LUNCHEON: LAW, JOURNALISM, AND
	PUBLIC UNDERSTANDING OF THE COURTS
	Woodlands Ballroom, South Wing

	Amy Howe and Sarah Isgur break down how legal reporting shapes public understanding of the
	courts, the Constitution, and the rule of law. This panel will examine the challenge of translating
	complex cases for a broad audience, the tradeoffs of transperency, and why clear, accurate coverage
	matters to public confidence in the legal system.

Introduction:	Honorable Christina Ann Bryan
	United States Magistrate Judge
	Southern District of Texas
	Houston, Texas

Panel:	Amy Howe
	Reporter, SCOTUSblog

	Sarah M. Isgur
	Editor, SCOTUSblog

1:45-3:00 p.m.	BREAKOUT SESSIONS
*Option 1*	*Artificial Intelligence and Judging*
	Grand Ballroom I, North Wing, First Floor

	What are the best practices for using generative AI in the legal process? And how may they change
	in the years ahead? This panel considers some answers in this important and fast-moving area,
	including: creative ways to use generative AI to improve the analysis of precedent and case records;
	the continuing challenge from hallucinated case and record citations; the reliability of AI-generated
	evidence; issues of privilege and confidentiality that arise from sharing information with AI
	models; and— most importantly—the role of human judgment in a world where AI serves as a
	pervasive assistant to clients, counsel, and the courts. Other topics include the disclosure of AI
	use and how AI tools can best be used without compromising fairness or public confidence.

Moderator:	David S. Coale
	President, BAFFC
	Partner
	Lynn Pinker Hurst & Schwegmann
	Dallas, Texas

Panel:	Yonathan A. Arbel
	William Alfred Rose Professor of Law and
	Director, AI Legal Studies Initiative
	The University of Alabama School of Law
	Tuscaloosa, Alabama

	Kevin T. Frazier
	AI Innovation and Law Fellow
	University of Texas School of Law
	Austin, Texas

	Michael Trinh
	Associate General Counsel
	OpenAI
	San Francisco, California

*Option 2*	*Building Effective Federal Re-Entry Programs: Approval Standards,*
	*Judicial Engagement, and Evidence-Based Tools for Re-Entry Courts*
	Houston, North Wing, Second Floor

	This session will examine how federal re-entry courts enhance access to justice by providing
	structured, evidence-based pathways to support individuals returning from custody while
	promoting public safety and judicial efficiency. Panelists will discuss how collaborative, problem-
	solving court models use validated risk assessments, individualized case planning, and coordinated
	treatment and supervision to reduce barriers faced by court-involved individuals.
	The panel will also address the standards, requirements, and formal process for courts seeking
	approval to implement a post-conviction special-purpose court program in the Fifth Circuit.
	Panelists will discuss participant eligibility criteria, advancement and graduation standards,
	appropriate use of sanctions and incentives, monitoring and evaluation, and the role of consistent
	judicial interaction in supporting successful outcomes.
	Attendees will gain practical insight into how federal re-entry courts operate, the evidence
	supporting their effectiveness, and the ways in which these programs can expand meaningful
	access to justice while improving long-term reintegration and community safety outcomes for
	program participants.

Moderator:	Honorable Diana Saldaña
	United States District Judge
	Southern District of Texas
	Laredo, Texas

Panel:	Honorable Irma Carrillo Ramirez
	United States Circuit Judge
	U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit
	Dallas, Texas

	Charles Robinson
	Deputy Chief
	Probation & Pretrial Services Office
	Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts
	Washington, D.C.

	Honorable Keith Starrett
	Senior United States District Judge
	Southern District of Mississippi
	Jackson, Mississippi

*Option 3*	*Higher Education in 2026: Emerging Legal and Policy Issues*
	*Confronting Colleges and Universities*
	Grand Ballroom II, North Wing, First Floor

	Recent judicial decisions and legislative changes have changed the legal landscape for colleges and
	universities. This panel of General Counsels from the University of Texas, Texas A&M, and
	Louisiana State University Systems will discuss how Universities and Boards of Regents are
	addressing these changes, along with practical considerations for navigating the future legal
	landscape.

Moderator:	Honorable David S. Morales
	United States District Judge
	Southern District of Texas
	Corpus Christi, Texas

Panel:	Nichole Bunker, J.D.
	General Counsel
	Texas A&M University System Board of Regents
	College Station, Texas

	Stacey Napier, J.D.
	General Counsel
	University of Texas System Board of Regents
	Austin, Texas

	Uma Subramanian, J.D., Ph.D.
	General Counsel
	Louisiana Board of Regents
	Baton Rouge, Louisiana

*Option 4*	*Once and Future Amendments to the Federal Rules of Evidence*
	Spanish/Republic, North Wing, Second Floor

	Since 2023, eight of the Federal Rules of Evidence have been amended. This year and next year it
	is expected that four more will undergo revision. This panel will explore the purpose behind each
	amendment and proposed amendment, as well the amendments’ expected and experienced effects
	on practice in the federal trial courts. Staying on top of the rules is essential for both trial lawyers
	and trial judges—this discussion will guide both through the brave new world these amendments
	have wrought.

Moderator:	Honorable Jeffrey Vincent Brown
	United States District Judge
	Southern District of Texas
	Galveston, Texas

Panel:	Katherine Butler Brem
	Clinical Professor, Lawyering Skills and Strategies
	University of Houston Law Center
	Houston, Texas

	Phyllis A. Jones
	Partner
	Covington and Burling LLP
	Washington, D.C.

	Honorable Reece Rondon
	Shareholder
	Hall Maines Lugrin
	Houston, Texas

*Option 5*	*Post-Conviction Practice in Federal Court: Sentencing Guidelines Amendments and*
	*Emerging Issues in Probation and Supervised Release*
	Grand Ballroom III, North Wing, First Floor

	Recent amendments to the Federal Sentencing Guidelines have significant implications for post-
	conviction practice. Panel discussion will focus on how courts and counsel can address these
	changes, along with practical considerations on supervision, compliance, and modification issues.

Moderator:	Honorable Charles Eskridge
	United States District Judge
	Southern District of Texas
	Houston, Texas

Panel:	Douglas A. Berman
	Newton D. Baker-Baker & Hostetler Chair in Law
	Executive Director of the Drug Enforcement and Policy Center
	Ohio State University
	Moritz College of Law
	Columbus, Ohio

	Honorable David W. Counts III
	United States District Judge
	Western District of Texas
	Midland, Texas

	Maureen Scott Franco
	Federal Public Defender
	Western District of Texas
	San Antonio, Texas

	Honorable Carlton W. Reeves
	Chair of the United States Sentencing Commission and
	United States District Judge
	Southern District of Mississippi
	Jackson, Mississippi

3:00-3:30 p.m.	REFRESHMENT BREAK
	Grand Ballroom Foyer, North Wing, First Floor

3:30-4:45 p.m.	BREAKOUT SESSIONS
*Option 1*	*An Honest Discussion About Bankruptcy Exceptionalism*
	Spanish/Republic, North Wing, Second Floor

	It is often said that bankruptcy courts are “courts of equity.” But what does that really mean? This
	panel will discuss the role of bankruptcy courts and the extent to which bankruptcy courts should use equity
	to facilitate pragmatic solutions in consumer and corporate bankruptcy cases. Are judges deviating
	from the Bankruptcy Code to achieve equitable results or just trying to fill in gaps in the Code? The
	panel will also explore whether the Bankruptcy Code should be construed applying textualism or
	purposivism, or both, considering recent Supreme Court and Fifth Circuit cases.

Moderator:	Honorable Christopher M. Lopez
	United States Bankruptcy Judge
	Southern District of Texas
	Houston, Texas

Panel:	Anthony J. Casey
	Donald M. Ephraim Professor of Law and Economics and
	Faculty Director of the Center on Law and Finance
	University of Chicago Law School
	Chicago, Illinois

	Jonathan M. Seymour
	Associate Professor of Law
	Duke University School of Law
	Durham, North Carolina

*Option 2*	*Artificial Intelligence and Judging*
	Grand Ballroom I, North Wing, First Floor

	What are the best practices for using generative AI in the legal process? And how may they change
	in the years ahead? This panel considers some answers in this important and fast-moving area,
	including: creative ways to use generative AI to improve the analysis of precedent and case records;
	the continuing challenge from hallucinated case and record citations; the reliability of AI-generated
	evidence; issues of privilege and confidentiality that arise from sharing information with AI
	models; and— most importantly—the role of human judgment in a world where AI serves as a
	pervasive assistant to clients, counsel, and the courts. Other topics include the disclosure of AI
	use and how AI tools can best be used without compromising fairness or public confidence.

Moderator:	David S. Coale
	President, BAFFC
	Partner
	Lynn Pinker Hurst & Schwegmann
	Dallas, Texas

Panel:	Yonathan A. Arbel
	William Alfred Rose Professor of Law and
	Director, AI Legal Studies Initiative
	The University of Alabama School of Law
	Tuscaloosa, Alabama

	Kevin T. Frazier
	AI Innovation and Law Fellow
	University of Texas School of Law
	Austin, Texas

	Michael Trinh
	Associate General Counsel
	OpenAI
	San Francisco, California

*Option 3*	*Higher Education in 2026: Emerging Legal and Policy Issues*
	*Confronting Colleges and Universities*
	Grand Ballroom II, North Wing, First Floor

	Recent judicial decisions and legislative changes have changed the legal landscape for colleges and
	universities. This panel of General Counsels from the University of Texas, Texas A&M, and
	Louisiana State University Systems will discuss how Universities and Boards of Regents are
	addressing these changes, along with practical considerations for navigating the future legal
	landscape.

Moderator:	Honorable David S. Morales
	United States District Judge
	Southern District of Texas
	Corpus Christi, Texas

Panel:	Nichole Bunker, J.D.
	General Counsel
	Texas A&M University System Board of Regents
	College Station, Texas

	Stacey Napier, J.D.
	General Counsel
	University of Texas System Board of Regents
	Austin, Texas

	Uma Subramanian, J.D., Ph.D.
	General Counsel
	Louisiana Board of Regents
	Baton Rouge, Louisiana

*Option 4*	*Post-Conviction Practice in Federal Court: Sentencing Guidelines Amendments and*
	*Emerging Issues in Probation and Supervised Release*
	Grand Ballroom III, North Wing, First Floor

	Recent amendments to the Federal Sentencing Guidelines have significant implications for post-
	conviction practice. Panel discussion will focus on how courts and counsel can address these
	changes, along with practical considerations on supervision, compliance, and modification issues.

Moderator:	Honorable Charles Eskridge
	United States District Judge
	Southern District of Texas
	Houston, Texas

Panel:	Douglas A. Berman
	Newton D. Baker-Baker & Hostetler Chair in Law
	Executive Director of the Drug Enforcement and Policy Center
	Ohio State University
	Moritz College of Law
	Columbus, Ohio

	Honorable David W. Counts III
	United States District Judge
	Western District of Texas
	Midland, Texas

	Maureen Scott Franco
	Federal Public Defender
	Western District of Texas
	San Antonio, Texas

	Honorable Carlton W. Reeves
	Chair of the United States Sentencing Commission and
	United States District Judge
	Southern District of Mississippi
	Jackson, Mississippi

*Option 5*	*Retirement Benefits Overview (For Judges and/or Spouses of Judges Only)*
	Houston, North Wing, Second Floor

Presenter:	Carol S. Sefren
	Chief, Judges Compensation and Retirement Division
	Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts
	Washington, D.C.

7:00-10:00 p.m.	CONFERENCE SOCIAL EVENT: A CELEBRATION OF
	THE UNITED STATES AND THE GREAT STATE OF TEXAS
	Forest Deck and Harrison's Restaurant
	The Woodlands Resort Conference Center

	Patriotic attire or western wear (or patriotic Western wear!) is a must for this resort-casual
	themed party onsite at The Woodlands Resort.

Tuesday, May 5, 2026