Primary Department: District Attorney
Primary Department Head/Elected Official: Sean Teare, District Attorney
Secondary Department: Choose an item.
Secondary Department Head/Elected Official:
Regular or Supplemental RCA: Regular RCA
Type of Request: Financial Authorization
Project ID (if applicable): N/A
Vendor/Entity Legal Name (if applicable): Diana Faraclas
MWBE Contracted Goal (if applicable): N/A
MWBE Current Participation (if applicable): N/A
Justification for 0% MWBE Participation Goal: N/A - Goal not applicable to request
Grant Indirect Costs Rate (if applicable): N/A
Justification for 0% Grant Indirect Costs Rate (if applicable): N/A - Not a grant item
Request Summary (Agenda Caption):
title
Request for approval to pay for services in an amount not to exceed $100,000 provided under a personal services agreement with Diana Faraclas, for legal work regarding matters adjudicated in the Justice of the Peace courts and other duties as assigned.
end
Background and Discussion:
The District Attorney’s Office contracts with local attorneys to be Special Assistant District Attorneys in the Justice of the Peace courts. The attorneys are responsible for handling arraignments, pretrial dockets and trials. Performance of their work includes preparing complaints, charging instruments, reviewing and responding to emails from defendants and defense attorneys, communicating with complaining witnesses, and completing other duties in the JP courts as assigned by the Chief Prosecutor.
Expected Impact:
The contracts with local attorneys to be Special ADAs in the JP courts has proven very helpful and is expected to continue. The contracts were originally funded from discretionary funding. With the extreme usage of discretionary funding over the last two years, these contracts will be adjusted to be paid with discretionary or general fund budgets as available. The DAO may need to transfer expenses made in FY2025 between discretionary funding and the general fund as budgets are adjusted.
Alternative Options:
The vendor would not get paid for the work performed.
County Strategic Plan Goal: 1. Make Harris County safer and more just.
County Strategic Plan Objective: B: Reduce criminal legal system exposure that does not advance public safety.
Justice/Safety Initiative (Goal 1): B4: Increase the jail deflection and diversion rate.
Infrastructure Initiative (Goal 2): N/A
Economy Initiative (Goal 3): N/A
Health Initiative (Goal 4): N/A
Climate/Resilience Initiative (Goal 5): N/A
Housing Initiative (Goal 6): N/A
Additional notes related to the Strategic Plan:
Prior Court Action (if any):
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Date |
Agenda Item # |
Action Taken |
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Location:
Address (if applicable):
Precinct(s): Countywide
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Fiscal and Personnel Summary |
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Service Name |
Justice of the Peace Courts |
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Current Fiscal Year Cost |
Annual Fiscal Cost |
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Labor |
Non-Labor |
Total |
Recurring Expenses |
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Funding Sources |
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Existing Budget |
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1000 - General Fund |
$ |
$100,000 |
$100,000 |
$ |
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Choose an item. |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
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Choose an item. |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
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Total Existing Budget |
$ |
$100,000 |
$100,000 |
$ |
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Additional Budget Request (Requires Fiscal Review Request Form) |
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Choose an item. |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
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Choose an item. |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
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Choose an item. |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
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Total Additional Budget Request |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
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Total Funding Sources |
$ |
$100,000 |
$100,000 |
$ |
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Grants - Proposed Budget (For Grants Items only) |
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Labor |
Non-Labor |
Total |
No. of Grant Years |
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Local Match Source - Existing Budget: Choose an item. |
$ |
$ |
$ |
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Local Match Source - Additional Budget Request: Choose an item. |
$ |
$ |
$ |
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Grant Funds Applied for/Awarded (Total) |
$ |
$ |
$ |
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Personnel (Fill out section only if requesting new PCNs) |
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Current Position Count for Service |
- |
- |
- |
- |
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Additional Positions Request |
- |
- |
- |
- |
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Total Personnel |
- |
- |
- |
- |
Anticipated Court Date: 6/26/2025
Anticipated Implementation Date (if different from Court date): Click or tap to enter a date.
Emergency/Disaster Recovery Note: Not an emergency, disaster, or COVID-19 related item
Contact(s) name, title, department: Amiel Chen, CFO, District Attorney’s Office
Attachments (if applicable): Diana Faraclas HCDAO Contract Renewal (expires 12.31.25).pdf