Friends,

Justice continues to be served in the 248th Criminal District Court! Take a look at our summer updates below!

Caseload of the Court

The Court’s docket remains at approximately 550 felony cases. We are proud to have the third lowest docket among the 22 criminal district courts! Justice in the 248th is swift, certain, and fair.

Courtroom Stories

As you may know, I am one of the judges of the Success Through Addiction Recovery program, commonly called Drug Court. At the afternoon docket every Monday, the STAR Court participants attend and discuss their progress. I preside over repeat drug offenders as they maintain sobriety and become productive citizens in society.

At the annual Drug Court picnic in Macgregor Park in May, the drug court participants and their families celebrated their ongoing success. The family fun included a barbecue, games, and fellowship.

For ten years, the STAR Court has worked to fight crime in a tough, smart way. A graduation ceremony will mark the success of our most recent graduates on June 17 at 3pm in the Ceremonial Courtroom at 1201 Franklin. Join us, and learn more about this amazing program!

Community Impact

It has been a busy few months, including the following:

– I was asked by a former juror to attend Career Day at Aragon Middle School! The students had recently completed a Mock Trial curriculum, and they had many questions about the “real” criminal justice system. The most entertaining question was about the criminal consequences for “wrapping” a house with toilet paper; apparently, this had been an issue in their student body on a recent occasion!

– Many thanks to Boyar Miller for the opportunity to present a lunch-and-learn at their firm. The presentation was entitled “What Every Civil Lawyer Needs to Know about the Criminal Courthouse.” It was wonderful to meet everyone, share a few courtroom stories, and highlight some important criminal court laws and practices!

– It was a great honor to attend the Impact a Hero Gala. The stories of the many local veterans who were being served by this organization were incredibly inspiring.

– It was also a privilege to attend the Barbara Bush Literacy FoundationTwentieth Anniversary celebration. Six authors read to the crowd, including John Grisham, a longtime friend of the Bushes. Former President and Barbara Bush were there, as were several of their grandchildren. It was a spectacular event for a great cause.

– Finally, what an honor to attend the Harris County Criminal Lawyer’s Association Gala! Congratulations to the organization’s new officers who were inducted in high style in the Hotel Zaza. It was a great event, and well-deserved recognition for many exemplary lawyers in the criminal justice system.

Thank you for the opportunity to serve each of you, and all of the citizens of Harris County, as the judge in the 248th. Keep an eye on JudgeCabaniss.com for upcoming events and reminders! Thank you for all you do to ensure that Harris County remains a safe place to live, work, and learn!

Best,
Katherine Cabaniss

Posted by gopadmin on Wednesday, June 25th, 2014 @ 11:53AM
Categories: Blog Posts