2020-2021 Team Programs

The 2020-2021 Year for Calvert Inns of Court starts out all online! The Executive Committee is happy to announce things are back to full steam ahead.

Lights Out at the Legislature: What Bills Will be Left in the Cold and What Bills Will See the Light of Day?

On April 13, 2021, the Robert W. Calvert Inn of Court met in Austin, Texas with the 87th Texas Legislature 48 days from sine die. While the recent winter storm brought energy related bills to the forefront, the purpose of the program was to update the membership on the status of bills related to energy as well as to the respective practice areas of the membership.

Team 1: Genomics and DNA in the Law: Legal Implications of 23andMe, Ancestry.com, and Other Uses of DNA

The Robert W. Calvert Inn of Court held its first CLE-approved meeting of the year on October 13, 2020 virtually over Zoom. The program, Genomics and DNA in the Law: Legal Implications of 23andMe, Ancestry.com, and Other Uses of DNA, was organized under the leadership of Inn Barrister Christine Andresen. The study and application of DNA and genetic information is a rapidly evolving area of science and business that has numerous societal implications. The program explored the laws that govern how your genetic material can be used, the legal risks involved in submitting your DNA to companies such as 23andMe or Ancestry.com, who can obtain your genetic information once it is submitted and for what purposes, criminal and constitutional issues that are being impacted by the collection and use of genetic information, and issues presented by the use of such genetic information in family law and probate law.

Christine Andresen lead Team 1 and included Jane Atwood, Christopher Clough, Hon. Jim Coronado, Prof. Mary Crouter, Laura Fauber, Theresa Golde, Hon. Bill R. Henry, Hon. Aurora Martinez Jones, Michael Kabat, Michael Marin, Austin Nimocks, Scott Pehoushek, Ashley Presson, Jim Richardson, Monica Stallings, Wilson Stoker, Leslie Thorne, and Jane Webre.

Team 2: Executive Authority During Declared Emergencies

The Robert W. Calvert Inn met on Tuesday, Nov. 10th and Team 2 presented on "Executive Authority During Declared Emergencies." It was a timely presentation that delved into what constitutes an emergency under federal and Texas law and what powers does the Texas governor (including current pending litigation challenges) and Texas Supreme Court have in an emergency. The presentation provided a historical perspective on emergency provisions used during the Smallpox, Typhoid, and Influenza Endemics. Finally, the presentation also addressed the legal framework and limitations on interstate travel bans, mask orders, eviction moratoriums, payroll tax deferrals, and religious services.