Opened our Legal Resource Center in September 2024, made possible by a $25,000 grant from the Texas Bar Foundation. This is a unique hub where people without legal representation can find free information in multiple languages to navigate their cases.

Created access to justice forms and flyers, which we send with court notices, that link to specific guides to help self-represented litigants understand their rights.

Hired a data analyst to track and interpret key data to inform decision making.

Increased Zoom access for court proceedings and initiated hybrid dockets.

Established a lactation room and improved courthouse amenities with the help of generous donations from the MillerKnoll Foundation.

Installed video monitors in the courthouse to share critical resources and information.

Placed additional HEPA air filters throughout the courthouse.

Got rid of unnecessary and inequitable dress codes.

Repurposed space to create meeting rooms for legal aid and nonprofits to meet with clients and provide resources.

Launched an Outreach Docket­­—the first ever county-level homeless court modeled on the City of Houston and American Bar Association program.

Applied for and received a grant from the National Center for State Courts (NCSC) to create an Eviction Diversion Initiative (EDI), which emphasizes using the court to connect litigants with the time, information, and resources to resolve their housing disputes in a less harmful manner. In 2024, we were awarded an additional year of NCSC funding to expand our EDI program.

Our EDI efforts have led to a 44% decrease in default judgments.

Hosted the national convening of the NCSC EDI grantees in February 2024, with representatives from twenty-two courts across the country.

Worked with Connective to secure a $75,000 grant from Rockwell Fund to build capacity in Harris County Courts through a Public Benefits Access Initiative pilot program to increase housing stability.

Organized numerous “Eviction Town Hall and Know Your Rights” workshops across the district, in collaboration with other elected officials and our EDI community resource partners.

Recalled, due to constitutional concerns, 12,500 outstanding arrest warrants for failure to pay fines for Class C misdemeanors—the lowest level criminal offenses in Texas. These were mainly traffic violations, punishable by a fine of $500 or less, not jail time.

Initiated in-house collection efforts for fines and fees that were previously outsourced to a firm that added a 30% collection fee for those who can least afford to pay.

Leading the way on establishing ability to pay determinations, to avoid creating inequitable and unsustainable burdens for the most vulnerable people in our community.

Started a pilot program with Texas Appleseed to support access to justice in consumer debt collection lawsuits. Stemming from a resolution from the Texas Judicial Council in 2020, the pilot provides a form and legal information on how to file an answer to a debt collection lawsuit. Over 800 defendants have received information through this pilot. Initial data shows it decreased default judgements and increased defendant engagement.

Began a pilot program with South Texas College of Law (STCL) to provide free attorneys in debt collection cases for those who qualify.

2024 Crown Communities Award for Best Community Project, American City & County

2024 Best Practices Award, Texas Association of Counties

2024 Houser Award, Texas Housers