Fresh Start Resource Fair

Next Event
What: Fresh Start
When: Saturday, Feb 10, 2024
Time: 10 a.m. to noon
Where: Hester House
2020 Solo St.
Houston, Texas 77020
Fifth Ward/Harris County Precinct One
Resources:
  • Fresh Start Criminal Record Screening and Sealing
  • Housing Rights Workshop for Landlords & Tenants
Sponsors:
  • BAYOU City Community Court
  • Harris County Criminal Courts at Law
  • Harris County Precinct One
Program Partners:
  • Harris County Public Defender’s Office
  • Harris County Community Supervision and Corrections Department
  • Harris County District Courts
  • Harris County Civil Courts at Law
  • Neighborhood Defender Service of Texas
  • Houston Apartment Association

  Upcoming Events

Date
Event
Location
May 2024
Fresh Start
TBD
August 2024
Fresh Start
TBD
November 2024
Fresh Start
TBD
For updates on specific events, check back often or sign up below for News and Updates from Harris County Courts.


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Important Fresh Start Update: You MUST pre-register online to access our criminal record sealing programs.
Register online

Pre-registration opens at noon on Monday, Jan. 22 for the February Fresh Start criminal record sealing event.

BAYOU City Community Court

Launched in 2022, BAYOU — Bringing Assistance to You with Outreach and Understanding — City Community Court serves as the community outreach arm of the Harris County Criminal Courts at Law. The initiative builds upon the criminal misdemeanor judges’ restorative approach to criminal justice, which aims to identify and address root causes of crime, stop the cycle of recidivism, and make the community safer in the process. The work of the community court focuses on rehabilitative justice, as well as community education, outreach, and service.

Fresh Start

Offered under the community court, Fresh Start helps eligible community members change their trajectory after experiences with the criminal justice system by sealing their eligible criminal records and connecting them various community resources at quarterly Fresh Start events.

Once the charges are sealed, they no longer have to be disclosed publically — on job or housing applications, for example — but can still be viewed by criminal justice agencies.

Ultimately, the second-chance program aims to help people meet their basic needs, reduce recidivism, and make communities safer. It is offered in partnership with the Harris County Community Supervision and Corrections Department, Harris County Public Defender’s Office, Harris County Criminal Courts at Law, and Harris County District Courts.

Fresh Start Criminal Record Screening & Sealing

You must pre-register online to access Fresh Start criminal record screening and sealing. Legal staff will review your criminal history and determine your eligibility prior to the event. Eligible participants must attend the coordinating Fresh Start event in person on the day of the event to receive assistance.

Registration for the February event begins at noon on Monday, Jan. 22, and closes Feb. 2, at 4 p.m. – or sooner if all spaces are full.

Please note: Space is limited and spots often fill quickly. Sign up for news and updates below to receive pre-registration reminders.

Know Your Rights Housing Workshop for Landlords and Tenants*

The Know Your Rights Housing Workshop for Landlords and Tenants aims to help both landlords and tenants better understand their housing rights. The repeating, come-and-go sessions include a brief presentation and time for Q&A. Sessions will focus on topics such as contracts, expectations, landlord and tenant rights, and the eviction process.

The workshop is offered by BAYOU City Community Court in partnership with the Harris County Civil Courts at Law, Neighborhood Defender Service of Texas, and the Houston Apartment Association together with Hoover Slovacek Law Firm.

Registration for the February workshop begins at noon on Monday, Jan. 22, and closes Friday, Feb. 2, at 4 p.m.

Registration is encouraged but not required: https://bit.ly/FSHousingRights. Walk-ins are accepted.

*The information provided during the Free Housing Rights Workshop for Landlords and Tenants is not legal advice. Legal information is not the same as legal advice. The information provided during the workshop is not a substitute for, and does not replace the advice or representation of a licensed attorney. You should consult a licensed attorney of your selection to ensure that the information provided during the workshop and your interpretation of it are appropriate for your particular situation. You should not and are not authorized to rely on information provided as a source of legal advice.