Talbot Publishers

Talbot Publishers is an independent publisher specializing in legal, political and academic books. Although we have several imprints, Talbot remains a genuine small publisher. Our staff is few in number but long in experience.

Talbot’s publication of the biennial editions of Texas House Practice since 2003 represents the quality reference work we strive to publish. Well-received in the Texas legislative community, it is complemented by Texas Senate Practice.

We currently publish under the following imprints: Capitol Hill, for our legislative and political titles; Judges Hill for our law titles; and College Hill for our academic titles.

The most complete reference guide to Texas legislative procedure, Texas House Practice is the “authoritative book on the rules,” according to the Texas Observer and designated by the Texas Legislative Reference Library as a core material to supplement the Texas House Rules. Compared to other rulebooks, Texas House Practice offers

• more House precedents, including pertinent rulings from the last 22 years;
• more Congressional precedents, the default when the House Rules are silent or ambiguous;
• more practice notes;
• more cross-references to Rules sections, Constitutional provisions, and statutes;
• more readable and easy-to-use format; and
• more information that you just can’t get from any other publication.

To see the table of contents and sample pages from Texas House Practice, click here.

This is the rulebook used by many Members of the House since 1999 and edited by Hugh Brady, a Texas law professor who spent nine sessions as a parliamentary advisor helping Members design effective procedural strategies and floor tactics. He was appointed as House Parliamentarian in 2019. Get the book and find out why the Texas Observer reported that “without ever stepping on the House floor, Hugh Brady . . . had a larger impact on the 78th Legislature than many representatives did.”

Publication of Texas House Practice is on hiatus. The last edition, for the 85th Legislature, was printed in March 2017. If you have questions, contact us.

The Texas Senate’s rules are briefer than the Texas House rules; that does not mean they are self-explanatory. Texas Senate Practice is essential for understanding the Senate. Designated as a core text by the Texas Legislative Reference Library for supplementing the Senate Rules, Texas Senate Practice offers the same advantages found in its companion, Texas House Practice:

• more Senate precedents, including pertinent rulings from the last 22 years;
• more Congressional precedents, the default when the Senate Rules are silent or ambiguous;
• more practice notes;
• more cross-references to Rules sections, Constitutional provisions, and statutes;
• more readable and easy-to-use format; and
• more information that you just can’t get from any other publication.

To see the table of contents and sample pages from Texas Senate Practice, click here.

Edited by Ross Peavey, an Austin lawyer and former Senate counsel, Texas Senate Practice is the comprehensive guide to Senate practice and procedure.

The edition for the 87th Legislature was printed in March 2021 and may be ordered through Biblio.com: click here to purchase. If you have questions, contact us.

We’re looking for carefully researched and well-written manuscripts that demonstrate a high level of subject-matter mastery in the core areas in which we publish: law, politics, history (including local history). Except for anthologies intended for use with an educational course, we do not publish fiction.

If you are interested in submitting a proposal or completed manuscript, please follow these guidelines:

Potential authors should include a cover letter, a copy of their curriculum vitae or résumé; a brief synopsis (not more than 4 pages) of the work; a table of contents; and sample chapters from the work (if available). If you are approaching multiple publishers simultaneously, please say so in your submission.

Please include all parts of your submission in a single PDF and e-mail the entire submission to submissions@talbotpublishers.com. We cannot be, and are not, responsible for any lost or misdirected manuscripts, proposals, photos, artwork or other submissions.

Given the volume of submissions we receive, please expect a response time of 6-8 weeks. We appreciate your patience. Telephone calls, e-mails, and letters will not speed up the process, and are strongly discouraged.

Box 7122, University Station | Austin, Texas 78713-7122
512-522-8560
info@talbotpublishers.com

Talbot Publishers is a registered trademark of Talbot Publishers, Ltd. Co.