The Texas Board of Legal Specialization was created by, and operates under the authority of, the Supreme Court of Texas. Its members are appointed by the President of the State Bar of Texas. The Board administers the program by which an attorney may earn a certificate of special competence in a particular field of law. The program is voluntary and is funded entirely by fees imposed on participating attorneys.
An attorney who is Board Certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in Criminal Law must have experience in the preparation and trial of serious criminal matters. The attorney must also have extensive knowledge of state and federal constitutional law, evidence, procedure and penal laws involved in the trial of these matters.
To become Board Certified in Criminal Law, an attorney must have:
- Been licensed to practice law for at least five years;
- Devoted a required percentage of practice to criminal law for at least 3 years;
- Handled a wide variety of criminal law matters to demonstrate experience and involvement; including a required number of jury trials and appeals.
- Attended criminal law continuing education seminars regularly to keep legal training up to date;
- Been evaluated by fellow lawyers and judges;
- Passed a day-long written examination.
Initial certification is valid for a period of five years. To remain certified, an attorney must apply for recertification every five years and meet practice, peer review and continuing legal education requirements for the specialty field. An attorney who is Board Certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in Criminal Law must have experience in the preparation and trial of serious criminal matters. The attorney must also have extensive knowledge of state and federal constitutional law, evidence, procedure and penal laws involved in the trial of these matters.
