About Homeless & Caring Court

The Homeless & Caring Court Program is an actual Court session held every two months at St. Vincent de Paul of Alameda County and at Berkeley Food and Housing. The Homeless and Caring Court is a collaboration of the Superior Court of California, County of Alameda and EveryOne Home. This type of Court is more accessible and less intimidating to homeless clients. Homeless and Caring Court allows homeless clients who are motivated and actively working to end their homelessness to pursue dismissal of outstanding non-violent infractions and misdemeanor legal offenses without jail time or fines. As an opportunity to help continue their progress out of homelessness and out of the legal system, the Homeless Court allows

eligible homeless, formerly homeless, or at-risk clients to substitute their legal charges, fines, and jail time with personal life progress.

• This is a free program.
• No one at HCP goes to jail or is fined for their charges.
• This process takes 6-8 weeks. There is no guarantee of acceptance.
  

Contact Information for Homeless & Caring Court

Phone: (510) 877-9203
Fax: (510) 451-0302

Eligibility

Clients are eligible who can prove both financial need and personal life progress, such as housing, income, job/search, substance abuse classes, parenting classes, volunteering, etc.
Applicants must attend all scheduled meetings to fully complete the program.

Tickets, fines or fees can be related to infractions, citations and non violent misdemeanor offenses. These can include moving violations, petty theft, BART evasion, littering, open container, possession, etc.

If charges are related to substance use, verification of services and progress must include treatment. This can be in the form of 30 NA/AA Meetings or a substance abuse program.

Ineligibility

Clients are ineligible who have tickets only outside of Alameda. For information regarding tickets only outside Alameda County, please click here for more information. Or search, "Taking the Court to Streets American Bar Association" in your web browser.

Tickets, fines or fees related to felonies, sex crimes, violent crimes/concealed weapons, DUIs, parking tickets, restitution to individuals or businesses, drug court

How to Apply (See Calender, below, for specific dates)

1. Attend orientation at St. Vincent de Paul of Alameda County located at 2272 San Pablo Avenue, Oakland, CA 94612 on Thursday afternoons starting at 1:00 pm. Please bring a pen.
2. See the SVdP Homeless Court Processor for a ½ hour one-on-one appointment at St. Vincent de Paul’s. We will schedule these after orientations.
3. Meet with your Public Defender at St. Vincent de Paul.
4. Present yourself with the Public Defender at the Court session at St. Vincent de Paul.

Calendar

Homeless and Caring Court mandatory orientations are held every Thursday (excluding holidays) starting at 1:00pm. Please bring a pen. Open office hours are as follows: Tuesday. Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday 9:30am-12:00pm; Thursdays open office hours are 11:00am-12:30pm (excluding holidays) .

Applicants must:

• Complete the application process and be accepted to the DA before appearing at the Public Defenders’ Meeting or the Court itself.
• Be in contact with Contasha Sweat at least 30 days prior to the application deadline: orientation counts as day one.

2013 Schedule

January 7: Inake packets due by 5 p.m. to EveryOne home via fax (510-670-6378), email, or mail.
January 15: Intakes sen to PD and Court.
January 29: Meetings with Public Defender at SVdP at 9:30 a.m.
February 7: Final list of attendees & matters to clerk's office.
February 15 at 1 p.m.: Homeless & Caring Court

May 6: Intake packets due b 5 p.m. to EveryOne home via fax (510-670-6378), email, or mail.
May 20: Intakes distributed to PD and Court.
June 4: Meetings with Public Defender at SVdP at 9:30 a.m.
June 13: Final list of attendees & matters to clerk's office.
June 21 at 1 p.m.: Homeless & Caring Court

July 9: Intake packets due by 5 p.m. to EveryOne home via fax (510-670-6378), email, or mail.
July 23: Intakes distributed to PD and Court.
Aug. 6: Meetings with Public Defender at SVdP at 9:30 a.m.
Aug. 15: Final list of attendees & matters to clerk's office.
Aug. 23 at 1 p.m.: Homeless & Caring Court

Oct. 29: Intake packets due by 5 p.m. to EveryOne home via fax (510-670-6378), email, or mail.
Nov. 13: Intakes distributed to PD and Court.
Dec. 3: Meetings with Public Defender at SVdP at 9:30 a.m.
Dec. 12: Final list of attendees & matters to clerk's office.
Dec. 20 at 1 p.m.: Homeless & Caring Court.