Homeless Court Lends Helping Hand By Removing Legal and Financial Hurdles
There was a full house at yesterday’s Los Angeles County Homeless Court Program.
At PATH Los Angeles, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Michael Tynan presided over a makeshift courtroom packed with individuals seeking to have tickets (and associated warrants) dismissed for “quality-of-life” infractions and low-level misdemeanors such as driving on a suspended license, loitering, riding the metro without paying the fare, and jaywalking.
Without such tickets and fines standing in their way, Homeless Court participants can move forward and take the “next step” in their journeys out of homelessness…whether it’s securing housing, employment, or an academic credential.
Homeless Court is a once-in-a-lifetime program for individuals who have demonstrated a commitment towards revamping their lives. They must have successfully completed at least 90 days of a rehabilitative program (like a substance abuse or job-training program), be recommended by a caseworker and have been out of trouble for at least six months.
Volunteers serve as advocates for each participant. California Criminal Defense Attorney Sarah Garvey took part in the program, along with other attorneys and law students from the Los Angeles area.
Homeless Court takes place about every other month. It is sponsored by a number of entities including the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office, Public Counsel Law Center and the Los Angeles County Superior Court.
