In Focus: Bail Reform

February 5-6, 2026

February 5, 2026
Bail Reform in Harris County:
Understanding the Issues in ODonnell v. Harris County

Distinguished Lecture on Bail Reform

Senior U.S. District Court Judge Lee H. Rosenthal

Lee H. Rosenthal
Senior U.S. District Court Judge
Southern District of Texas

ODonnell v. Harris County is a class action lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of bail practices for misdemeanor cases in Harris County. Judge Rosenthal was the presiding judge in the case and entered the 52-page consent decree in 2019. Her presentation will provide an understanding of the legal and policy issues in ODonnell and their implications for bail reform in Harris County.

4:00 PM Central – Program
5:00 PM Central – Reception
Foundation Room · In Person Only

John M. O’Quinn Law Building
4170 Martin Luther King Blvd.
Houston, Texas 77204

Approved for 1.0 hour of Texas MCLE credit

Sponsored by UH Law Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP Fund

February 6, 2026
Bail Reform and Backlash: Litigation, Legislation and Experimentation

Bail reform event graphic

Agenda

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Speakers

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Time	Session
8:00 – 9:00AM	Breakfast
9:00 – 9:10AM	Introductions
9:10 – 10:00AM (0.75 Texas MCLE)	Bail Litigation from Bell to ODonnell Kellen R. Funk Michael E. Patterson Professor of Law Columbia Law School
10:05 – 10:55AM (0.75 Texas MCLE)	The Evolving Jurisprudence of Bail Sandra Mayson Professor of Law Penn Carey Law University of Pennsylvania
11:00 – 11:50AM (0.75 Texas MCLE)	Pretrial Friction Zina Makar Assistant Professor of Law University of Baltimore
11:50AM – 12:20PM	Break to Pick Up Box Lunches
12:20 – 1:10PM (0.75 Texas MCLE)	Win-Win Misdemeanor Bail Policy: Lessons from Data on Harris County Reforms Brandon L. Garrett David W. Ichel Distinguished Professor of Law Director, Wilson Center for Science and Justice Duke Law Sandra Guerra Thompson Newell H. Blakely Professor of Law Former Director, Criminal Justice Institute University of Houston Law Center Dottie Carmichael Principal Investigator Texas A&M University Public Policy Research Institute
1:15 – 2:30PM (1.25 Texas MCLE)	Roundtable Discussion: Implementing Bail Reform in Harris County Porscha Brown Executive Director Harris County Office of Managed Assigned Counsel Genesis Draper Chief Public Defender for Harris County Paul Heaton Professor of Law Academic Director Quattrone Center for the Fair Administration of Justice Penn Carey Law University of Pennsylvania Natalie Michaelides Director, Harris County Pretrial Services Sean Teare Harris County District Attorney Moderator: Anna VanCleave Director of the Criminal Defense Clinic Associate Professor of Law University of Connecticut School of Law

Porscha Brown

Porscha Brown
Executive Director
Harris County Office of Managed Assigned Counsel

Dottie Carmichael

Dottie Carmichael
Principal Investigator
Texas A&M University
Public Policy Research Institute

Genesis Draper

Genesis Draper
Chief Public Defender for Harris County

Kellen R. Funk

Kellen R. Funk
Michael E. Patterson Professor of Law
Columbia Law School

Brandon L. Garrett

Brandon L. Garrett
David W. Ichel Distinguished Professor of Law
Director, Wilson Center for Science and Justice
Duke Law

Paul Heaton

Paul Heaton
Professor of Law
Academic Director
Quattrone Center for the Fair Administration of Justice
Penn Carey Law
University of Pennsylvania

Zina Makar

Zina Makar
Assistant Professor of Law
University of Baltimore

Sandra Mayson

Sandra Mayson
Professor of Law
Penn Carey Law
University of Pennsylvania

Natalie Michaelides

Natalie Michaelides
Director
Harris County Pretrial Services

Sean Teare

Sean Teare
Harris County District Attorney

Sandra Guerra Thompson

Sandra Guerra Thompson
Newell H. Blakely Professor of Law
Former Director, Criminal Justice Institute
University of Houston Law Center

Anna VanCleave

Anna VanCleave
Director of the Criminal Defense Clinic
Associate Professor of Law
University of Connecticut School of Law

8:00 – 9:00 AM Central Breakfast
9:00 AM – 2:30 PM Central Program (Lunch Provided)
Danny M. Sheena Courtroom · In Person Only

John M. O’Quinn Law Building
4170 Martin Luther King Blvd.
Houston, Texas 77204

Approved for 4.25 hours of Texas MCLE credit

This event is made possible with support from:

The University of Houston Law Center Criminal Justice Institute
Houston Law Review

The University of Houston Law Center is part of a Carnegie-designated Tier One public research university and an EO institution.