Is Your Case Eligible for Harris County's Family Law Evening Court?
In September 2008, Harris County anno unced a new monthly Family Law Evening Court. The first session was held on September 9, 2008. The new Evening Court is a great way to get a fast disposition of uncontested cases. Eligible cases include uncontested matters handled by volunteer attorneys through pro bono agencies certified by the Interest on Lawyers Trust Accounts (IOLTA) Program and uncontested pro se cases with a poverty affidavit. Members of the Harris County judiciary preside on a volunteer basis. The program is presented through the cooperation of the Harris County family law courts, the Harris County judiciary, the Harris County District Clerk's Office, the Harris County Sheriff's Office and the Houston Bar Association.
Family Law Evening Court is held on the second Tuesday of each month from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on the second (2nd) floor of the Family Law Center. To find out if your case is eligible, contact the clerk of the court in which the case is assigned. Public users can go to www.hcdistrictclerk.com, select the Civil/Family Courts menu and follow the Family Services link to the Evening Court’s docket search link. Users can then select a date and view the docket listings for the Family Law Evening Court.
Thanks to the court's evening hours, litigants will not have to miss work. Evening court also will help relieve the crowded family court dockets.
Sources: Houston Bar Bulletin, May 2009; Houston Chronicle, September 5, 2008.
