Department: Domestic Relations
Department Head/Elected Official: David W. Simpson, J. D., Executive Director
Regular or Supplemental RCA: Supplemental RCA
Type of Request: Grant
Project ID (if applicable): N/A
Vendor/Entity Legal Name (if applicable): Night Court Houston
MWDBE Contracted Goal (if applicable):
MWDBE Current Participation (if applicable):
Justification for 0% MWDBE Participation Goal: N/A - Goal not applicable to request
Request Summary (Agenda Caption):
title
Request by Domestic Relations for approval to submit an application to Night Court for grant funds in the amount of $25,000, with no required match, for the Night Court - Self Representation Program.
end
Background and Discussion:
Approval is requested to apply for a grant to provide additional funding for self-represented legal services. The grant will enhance existing services to parents navigating the Harris County Family District Court system as self-represented litigants. These parents are eager to move forward with their uncontested, family-related matter. The service provides attorney-review of pleadings in uncontested family matters to ensure self-represented litigants are prepared prior to the court’s docket. That in turn will assist progression of self-represented cases, access to justice and reduce docket delays because incorrect pleadings or paperwork were submitted.
Expected Impact:
The grant will enhance services to self-represented litigants navigating the Harris County Family District Court system as self-represented litigants in an uncontested matter and seeking to finalize a divorce, a parentage, an adoption, a modification, or an enforcement action.
Alternative Options:
N/A
Alignment with Goal(s):
X Justice and Safety
_ Economic Opportunity
_ Housing
_ Public Health
_ Transportation
_ Flooding
_ Environment
X Governance and Customer Service
Prior Court Action (if any):
|
Date |
Agenda Item # |
Action Taken |
|
N/A |
|
|
Location:
Address (if applicable):
Precinct(s): Countywide
|
Fiscal and Personnel Summary |
|
Service Name |
Night Court - Self Represented |
|
|
|
Current Fiscal Year Cost |
Annual Fiscal Cost |
|
|
Labor |
Non-Labor |
Total |
Recurring Expenses |
|
Funding Sources |
|
|
Existing Budget |
|
|
FY24 portion |
|
|
Grant |
$ |
$ |
$25,000 |
$ |
|
Choose an item. |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
|
Choose an item. |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
|
Total Current Budget |
$ |
$ |
$25,000 |
$ |
|
Additional Budget Request (Requires Fiscal Review Request Form) |
|
|
Choose an item. |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
|
Choose an item. |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
|
Choose an item. |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
|
Total Additional Budget Request |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
|
Total Funding Request |
$ |
$ |
$25,000 |
$ |
|
Personnel (Fill out section only if requesting new PCNs) |
|
|
Current Position Count for Service |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
Additional Positions Request |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
Total Personnel |
- |
- |
- |
- |
Anticipated Court Date: 2/27/24
Anticipated Implementation Date (if different from Court date):
Emergency/Disaster Recovery Note: Not an emergency, disaster, or COVID-19 related item
Contact(s) name, title, department: Blanca Reyna; Data Analyst, Grant/Contract Manager, IT Liaison; Domestic Relations Office
Attachments (if applicable): Court Order, Night Court Application