File photo
File photo
Houston residents facing financial and medical issues due to the COVID-19 pandemic will now be able to get assistance in paying legal fines and fees through the city's recently launched Safe Harbor Court.
The City of Houston Municipal Courts have established a Safe Harbor Court that will work with those unable to pay penalties so that their judgments and cases are not escalated through the court system.
“I intend to have two designated judges for this court and these will be the judges that I will deploy into the various communities to meet with the citizens in their communities where they can speak freely with the judges about their indigency/inability to pay issues," MCD Director and Presiding Judge Elaine Marshall said. "This will provide them an opportunity to see a judge who will listen to their issues and give options of how to move forward. This will relax their fears of arrest and will help them understand that the Safe Harbor Court is designed to assist."
The public will be required to follow CDC guidelines when at the courthouse including wearing a mask or face covering and having temperatures taken prior to entering.
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