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

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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.

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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

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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 Monday mornings starting at 9:30am. Please bring a pen.
2. See Leah Ingram 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.

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Calendar

Orientations for prospective Homeless Court participants are every Monday morning (excluding holidays) starting at 9:30am. Please bring a pen. Open office hours are every Monday (excluding holidays) from 1:00 to 3:00pm.

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 Leah Ingram at least 30 days prior to the application deadline: orientation counts as day one.

Important Dates, 2011-2012

December 16th: Homeless and Caring Court 1:00pm at St. Vincent de Paul

December 23rd: Community Center is closed: no orientation or open office hours

December 26th- January 2nd: No Homeless and Caring Court activities

January 3rd: Makeup open office hours: 1-3pm

January 5th: Last day to hand in applications for February court

January 16th: Community Center is closed for Martin Luther King Day: no orientation or open office hours

January 22nd- 31st: No Homeless and Caring Court activities

February 2nd: Public Defenders’ Meeting 9:30am at St. Vincent de Paul

February 17th: Homeless and Caring Court 1:00pm at St. Vincent de Paul

February 20th: Community Center is closed for Presidents’ Day: no orientation or open office hours

March 1st: Last day to hand in applications for April Court

April 5th: Public Defenders’ Meeting at Berkeley Food and Housing 9:30am

April 6th: Community Center is closed for Good Friday

April 20th: Homeless and Caring Court at Berkeley Food and Housing 1:00pm

April 26th: Last day to hand in applications for June Court.

April 30th-May2nd: No Homeless and Caring Court activities

May 28th: Community Center closed for Memorial Day

May 31st: Public Defenders’ Meeting 9:30am at St. Vincent de Paul

June 15th: Homeless and Caring Court 1:00pm at St. Vincent de Paul

July 4th: Community Center is closed for Independence Day

July 5th: Last day to hand in applications for August Court

August 9th: Public Defenders’ Meeting at St. Vincent de Paul 9:30am

August 24th: Homeless and Caring Court 1:00pm at St. Vincent de Paul

September 6th: Last day to hand in applications for October Court

October 11th: Public Defenders’ Meeting at Berkeley Food and Housing 9:30am

October 18th: Last Day to hand in application for December Court

October 26: Homeless and Caring Court at Berkeley Food and Housing 1:00pm

November 29th: Public Defenders’ Meeting at St. Vincent de Paul 9:30am

December 14th: Homeless and Caring Court 1:00pm at St. Vincent de Paul