City of Fort Worth Homeless Court Information

last updated December 5, 2008

DEADLINE FOR NOVEMBER DOCKET IS DECEMBER 18

City of Fort Worth Municipal Court Homeless Court Info Line: 817-392-6990

• Calendar - Application Deadlines, Court dates - pdf

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS:

• Homeless Court Application (Word format)

• FAX Cover for Application to Homeless Court

• Consent to Release Information   (Word format) 

Homeless Court Purpose and Description:

Homeless people often receive multiple tickets for Class C offenses that occur in Fort Worth.  Since they lack the financial resources to resolve their cases, they do not appear in court and a warrant is issued for their arrest. They live in fear of being arrested and the arrest warrant prevents them from obtaining a driver’s license, a job, housing, etc. 

The purpose of the Homeless Court Program is to remove barriers that result from these pending Class C offenses so that homeless people living in Fort Worth can obtain a driver’s license, a job, etc. 

By participating in the Homeless Court program, a homeless person will not pay a fine or serve time in jail.  Instead, the program combines a progressive plea bargain system, an alternative sentencing structure and participation by the homeless person in certain program activities, such as life-skill classes, chemical dependency or AA/NA meetings, computer or English literacy classes, training or search for employment, counseling or volunteer work.

·        This is a voluntary program.

·        No homeless person will be arrested when they appear in Homeless Court unless the person misbehaves in court (contempt of court).

·        Only Class C tickets issued in Fort Worth and which occur in the High Impact Zone (see attached map) are eligible for Homeless Court, except for Class C offenses where there is a victim, such as theft or assault.

·        Successful participation in the Homeless Court program normally results in dismissal of the tickets.

Dates of Homeless Court

The City of Fort Worth’s Homeless Court meets at 8:00 a.m. on the 4^th Monday of each month.  Compliance dockets (the docket at the end of the probationary period) meets at 2:00 p.m. on the 4^th Monday of each month.

 

	Community Prosecution (CP) Court	City of Fort Worth Homeless Court
Geographical Area	Weed and Seed Area (may expand in the future)	High Impact Zone (click for map) (may expand in the future)
Is homelessness a requirement?	No	Yes
Can homeless apply?	Yes-from target area	Yes
How does person get into the court?	May access without a case manager.  Must call Community Prosecutors to be placed on CP Docket list.	Must access through a case manager; If no case manager, refer Applicant to Community Prosecution Court
When does person appear in court?	1. Initial Court Date, 2. A status hearing court date or a status letter from the person’s case manager that indicates what the person has done to comply with the probation, and 3. After the end of the probationary period	1. Initially (after intake session with social service or community service coordinator), and 2. After the end of the probationary period
Who screens applicant?	Community Prosecutors/ Case managers at social agencies, shelters	Case manager at social agencies, shelters
Can disabled apply?	Yes	Yes
Types of offenses	Class Cs (non-traffic offenses but if the majority of offenses are non-traffic, the prosecutor will decide whether to accept the case)	Class Cs (not assault, theft or traffic offenses but if the majority of offenses are traffic, the prosecutor will decide whether to accept the case)