Dallas Community Court for the Homeless - Fall 2010

One of the most critical issues facing many in the homeless community is the need to resolve legal problems. To meet this need, the Dallas Municipal Courts, the Dallas City Attorney’s office, and private attorneys in collaboration with The Stewpot provide complete Class C misdemeanor case resolution (other than thefts and assaults). A significant aspect of the Class C misdemeanor resolution is the alternative sentencing program. Community service organizations provide counseling and volunteer work opportunities to satisfy conditions of the alternative sentencing program imposed as a result of a guilty plea.

The next Community Court date is Nov. 6, 2010

Deadline to submit applications at The Stewpot is Oct. 15, 2010

Applications can be picked up at The Stewpot, 408 Park Ave, Dallas 75201 or 

Download and print an application

Please read the first page of the application carefully for procedures and instructions. 

This application is for homeless participants only.

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DART Community Court for our homeless friends

The Stewpot offers many services to their clients in an effort to help them transition from homelessness to self-sufficiency.  One of the services offered is Community Court.  Community Court is a program designed to offer homeless persons the opportunity to take care of misdemeanor citations and violations in the City of Dallas and for DART.  Our homeless friends are often times the subjects of certain types of citations from DART officers including most often fare evasion.  Since many of our homeless friends are financially strained as it is, the cost of these tickets can be difficult to afford.  If the tickets are not dealt with and one of our homeless friends gets arrested for a warrant, they go to jail and often times lose their identification (which often times The Stewpot has helped them obtain as vital records assistance is one of the services offered at The Stewpot). Hence, this court held at The Stewpot with the help of volunteers from the Dallas Association of Young Lawyers, clerks from the court houses, and judges and justices of the peace from various districts affords the chance to the clients to handle their legal affairs rather than getting a warrant issued for their arrest.

On Saturday morning August 14, 94 individuals showed up to thank the lawyers, see the judges, get assigned hours of community service, and then set out to perform the community service tasks for their allotted hours in the Downtown Dallas area.  Work crews spread out to the north, east, south, and west to pick up trash, sweep the sidewalks, and help clean up the neighborhood.  Some crews focused on specific areas like the Farmer’s Market and City Hall.  At the end of the day, areas were cleaned up, court dockets were cleared of tickets dating back many years in some cases, and the participating clients of The Stewpot got to go home relieved knowing that there would not be a warrant issued for their arrest.  The Stewpot would like to thank Mike Haney, Justice of the Peace Judge Seider, Justice of the Peace Judge Sepulveda, and Justice of the Peace Judge Ellis for their services.  Also, The Stewpot would like to thank the Dallas Association of Young Lawyers, Brandy Baxter-Thompson and Jennifer King for their hard work and dedication to our homeless friends.

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Community Court for homeless held at The Stewpot

175 homeless participants came ready to work off Class C misdeamanor violations by performing community service work offered through a City of Dallas Community Court for the homeless held at the Stewpot on Saturday, June 26. Community service organizations provided counseling and volunteer work opportunities to satisfy conditions of the alternative sentencing program imposed as a result of a guilty plea.

One of the most critical issues facing many in the homeless community is the need to resolve legal problems. A criminal record can prevent individuals from getting employment or qualifying for housing. To meet this need, the Dallas Municipal Courts, the Dallas City Attorney’s office, and private attorneys in collaboration with The Stewpot provide complete Class C misdemeanor case resolution (other than thefts and assaults) with periodic Community Court opportunities.