By John Dodson
TDCAA President & County Attorney in Uvalde County
I want to thank the members and leadership of TDCAA for the privilege to serve as TDCAA President. It is truly an honor to hold this position and I am deeply humbled.
I want to start out by wishing a very fond farewell to those prosecutors who have left office this year. I have had the pleasure of meeting many of you over the years, and you will be missed. I also want to officially welcome and congratulate all the newly elected prosecutors! I look forward to the opportunity to meet all of you over the course of the year. I hope that not too long into the new year, the coronavirus has been tamed and we can get back to meeting in person.
With its wealth of programs and services, including quality training and publications, TDCAA is the foremost support resource for Texas prosecutors. Even with the shutdowns of 2020, the amazing staff at TDCAA was able to move mountains and adjust to the times to maintain quality education opportunities for Texas prosecutors. Thanks in large part to the dedication of past president Kenda Culpepper, I take leadership of an organization that is operating smoothly despite these crazy times, and it is my sincere hope and mission to maintain its well-earned reputation.
TDCAA is the largest statewide association of prosecutors in the nation. As is usually the case, the true value of any organization lies in its members. Having so many members is one of TDCAA’s greatest strengths. I first joined TDCAA almost 19 years ago as the newly elected County Attorney in Uvalde County and received a warm welcome. Pretty soon thereafter I expanded my involvement by serving as a member (twice) and subsequent chairperson of the Civil Committee. I have also served on the Training Committee and spoken at conferences. More recently, I have continued my TDCAA relationship as a board member, officer, and now, president.
My association with TDCAA is in no way unique. Over the years I have come to know and work with many elected DAs and county attorneys, prosecutors, civil lawyers, investigators, and professional staff with more experience and longevity than I have. If I could point to a single factor that contributes the most to TDCAA’s ability to serve and benefit its membership, it is because of its diverse and active members. That has never been more evident than this past year. I have to say that for any of you wanting to increase your involvement, you will find a very welcome reception. Whether you are in the big city or small town (that would be me), TDCAA is dependent upon the experience and expertise of its membership to maintain its high level of service to our profession.
As many of you are aware, 2021 is a legislative year. As I am writing this, it is anybody’s guess as to how the legislature is going to conduct its business. Due to the impact of COVID-19 on our state and nation, I am pretty sure state leaders will be very busy with the budget and related matters. However, that doesn’t mean we get to sit back and enjoy some popcorn as we watch the show. I expect the issue of defunding police and efforts to limit involvement by associations such as TDCAA to get quite a bit of attention as well. As leaders in the criminal justice system, prosecutors must remain vigilant and be prepared to respond to issues about the justice system, both real and imagined. The public debate from 2020 will be continued in the upcoming session of the legislature, and we all have an obligation to ensure that any legislative response is deliberative and constructive. TDCAA has been, and will continue to be, an integral participant in the discussion. TDCAA will depend upon the expertise and support of its members to help shape public policy in criminal justice matters. It seems that each successive legislative session is increasingly important to Texas prosecutors. Executive Director Rob Kepple or Government Relations Director Shannon Edmonds cannot carry this load for us. They can help strategize and fashion our message, but our legislators must hear from us, the locally elected prosecutors. You can help this session by staying informed on the legislative issues that impact your work and collaborating with TDCAA to communicate your concerns and solutions to the legislature. I encourage each of you to subscribe to and read Shannon’s weekly updates for starters. They are always informative and usually entertaining as well.
I hope that you agree with me on the importance of our profession and this association. I didn’t start my legal career with an ambition to become an elected prosecutor. In fact, my grand plan was to become a real estate and transactional attorney in a small-town practice with my father. Fortunately for me, I discovered that there was hardly anything better than working for and serving my community as county attorney. And almost 19 years later, I still believe that to be true. I don’t think I would be saying this if it weren’t for the support, training, and fellowship that TDCAA has provided me over the years. I sincerely invite you to call me or search me out at the next TDCAA event. I would love to hear your story. Now, let’s put 2020 behind us and look forward to 2021.