FUNDED BY A GRANT FROM THE

TEXAS COURT OF CRIMINAL APPEALS

TEXAS MUNICIPAL COURTS

EDUCATION CENTER

2210 HANCOCK DRIVE, AUSTIN, TEXAS 78756

TELEPHONE 512.320.8274

1.800.252.3718

FAX 512.435.6118

TMCEC IS A PROJECT OF THE TEXAS MUNICIPAL COURTS ASSOCIATION

Resilience in Court:

Coping with Stress, Change, and

Routine

Presented by

Ed Spillane, Presiding Judge, City of College Station

Authorities describe judicial distress as any condition, problem, or situation that impairs a judge’s ability to carry out

his/her judicial functions or poses a challenge to the judge’s physical or emotional stability. Texas municipal judges

encounter a very high volume of cases. The burden of stress and responsibility of the position leads some judges to

be plagued by a wide range of physical and emotional problems or stresses. They often do not get the help they need.

Like any other person, judges face conflicts, problems, difficulties; and they suffer from physical ailments and other

troubles. Unlike other persons, judges are sometimes expected to conceal their hardship in order maintain the calm,

cool, and collected image. This combination of greater stress and a reduced support system poses a great risk of

distress.

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

1. Describe the characteristics of the judicial profession that may lead to judicial distress;

2. List signs that may indicate that something is wrong in either their own life or that of another jurist that would

require assistance; and

3. Locate resources that may be of assistance to judges in distress.

Time: .75 hours CLE (.25 hours ethics)

4/18/2019

1

RESILIENCE IN COURT:  COPING WITH STRESS, CHANGE AND ROUTINE

Ed Spillane

Presiding Judge 

College Station Municipal Court

Outline and Goals

• Examine what we know and what we don’t know as to reasons for stress at our Courts

• Focus on all the players in Court and barriers to help seeking

• Solutions and Resilience

• Mindfulness as a useful tool for Courts

• Paying attention to the big picture and flexible with external and internal change

• Resources

Mental Health with lawyers

• 46% depression

• 61% anxiety

• 11.5% suicidal thoughts

4/18/2019

2

Young lawyers

• The younger the lawyer, the greater the likelihood of:

• Substance use disorder

• Depression

• Anxiety

Law School

Court

• Studies……..?

• What we all know

4/18/2019

3

Stress, Change, Routine

The Dangers of Routine

Courts

Stress (often makes us less empathetic)

Anger:  lose peripheral vision

Implicit Bias

Secondary Trauma:  National Center for State Courts; Assistance Programs

Mentors

Barriers to Help‐Seeking

• Stigma as a barrier

• “Peer pressure”

• Privacy, vulnerability

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4

Solutions

• Resiliency

Optimism

• Experiences

• How we view ourselves at the end of the day

• Positive emotions; gratitude

Connections

• Meaningfulness

• Seeing the forest from the trees

• Perceiving routine

• Showing vulnerability

4/18/2019

5

Municipal Court

Jail

Mindfulness

• What exactly is this?

• M word

• Not problem solving mode

• Out of past , future.  Present as it is happening

• Health and Wellness

• Breath

4/18/2019

6

Mark Twain

• “I’ve been through some terrible things in life; some of them happened”

Present Moment

• Going to and from the Airport

• Sports talk radio:  yoga class, walking

• Non judgmental awareness

• Dropping the screen

Time and the M word

• Practice:  Harvard Business School:  Mindfulness works but only if you work at it: resilience, collaboration, ability to lead in complex conditions

• Increased space between stimulus and response

• Distinctions

4/18/2019

7

Other Factors

• Statutes, Demeanor, Appearance, Bias, Procedural Fairness

• A. The more we limit our thinking by original facts; B. use limited signals in the world; C. see rules as inflexible

• Moving directly from problem to solution

• Illusion of control

• “could”; rubber band

Impulse vs Reflection

• Thoughtful approach to current tasks

• Not rushing headlong into the process

• Not mindless

• Commission Judicial conduct

Double‐Loop Learning

• Thermostat which turns on the heat whenever the temp falls below 68 degrees vs. “why am I set to 68 degrees?”

• Theories of action vs theories in use

• Change

• Leadership

4/18/2019

8

Other Judges

Judicial Mindfulness: Mindful Plea

• Reverse, empathize:  what is the litigant going through?

• Paying attention

• The Humanity of Litigants

Courts are a reflection of the mind

4/18/2019

9

Judges and Courts

• Mindful Speaking and Listening: 1. awareness that is 2. openhearted, 3. centered in the present moment, and 4 nonjudgmental

Mindful Listening

To do:  

1. Actively attempt to understand the Other’s point of view

2. Take in info without passing judgment

3. Acknowledge the speaker

4. Model empathic practices

5. Create a trusting environment

Mindful Listening

Not to do:

1. Change the subject

2. Discount the speakers’ feelings

3. Let the speaker “hook” you into emotional exchange

4. Interrupt

5. Give advice

6. Interrogate

4/18/2019

10

Application

• Reform

• Day to Day Health

• Reflection on Change

• Individual stories versus Ideas/Theories

• Mindful Focus on the person in the Courtroom allows Insights beyond the individual

• Mechanical approaches:  Failure

• Mindlessness vs Awareness

Texas

• Where we are

Expanding the Choices

• Car key doesn’t work:  the more uncertainty, the more we will look for viable alternatives

• Degree of choice increases when car doesn’t start

• Think of factors you didn’t consider; everything isn’t great?

• Look under the hood

• Increasing distinctions 

about our awareness

• Other uses of drugs

4/18/2019

11

Benefits

• More Insight every day

• Positive emotions, empathy, cognitive flexibility

• Best interests for everyone in Court

• Lexis/Nexis search

• Not the only

solution

Focus

• Courts:  Humanity, Efficiency, Fairness

• National Association for Court Management Annual Meeting

• TLAP, stress reduction, mindfulness

Texas Lawyers Assistance Programs

• Attorney or Non‐Attorney Judges

• Confidential and Anonymous

• Referrals

• Peer Support

• Education and Public Awareness

4/18/2019

12

Paradox

• Seems trivial to explain and difficult to accomplish

• More you need; harder to achieve

• Amazon review

Resources

• Jon Kabat‐Zin:  “Wherever you go, there you are”

• Headspace, Insight Timer Apps

• Other mindful practices

• ABA National Helpline for Judges Helping Judges:  1‐800‐219‐6474

• TLAPHelps.org; 1‐800‐343‐8527

The End