Texas governor opposes plan to deny CLE credit for program on Christian ethical perspectives
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott is accusing the state bar of religious discrimination for a decision to deny continuing legal education credit to a program on faith and law.
The State Bar of Texas notified St. Mary’s University School of Law in November that it would no longer give lawyers CLE credit for the program “Christian Ethical Perspectives: Faith and Law Today.” Texas Lawyer and the Dallas Morning News Trail Blazers Blog have stories.
Abbott criticized the decision on his Facebook page. “I’m accusing Texas State Bar of religious discrimination for denying continuing education credit for Christian legal ethics programs,” he wrote. The general counsel for his office is seeking reconsideration of the decision in a letter to the bar.
Lawyers who attended the program when it was presented by the law school and others in October got 3.75 hours of ethics credit. But the bar said it would not provide such credit in the future because the program didn’t meet its definition of legal ethics and professional responsibility.
The bar says that, to receive accreditation, such programs must pertain specifically to attorney duties and responsibilities. Programs providing instruction on religious and moral responsibilities don’t qualify, according to the bar.
State bar president Allan DuBois replied to the general counsel for the governor’s office in a letter. He said the bar’s approach to CLE accreditation is aimed at helping sponsors meet standards for substantive legal training. “I am sure we will take the same approach with regard to the issues raised by the course sponsors, and I am confident we will find a mutually acceptable resolution,” he wrote.
