Court Debt Relief and Driver’s License Reclamation Clinic with Driver’s License Reclamation Project

Volunteers will assist individuals with driver’s license holds related to unpaid criminal justice debt. Volunteers will meet with low-income drivers, research the cause(s) of license suspensions, and explain the steps drivers must take to recover their licenses. In most cases, the first step to driver’s license recovery will involve obtaining a fee waiver, fee reduction, or alternative payment plan from the municipal court. In those cases, volunteers will help individuals complete financial affidavits that volunteer attorneys will present to on-site Austin Municipal Court judges in support of requests for fee relief. Volunteers also will help individuals prepare application for Department of Public Safety debt-relief programs in appropriate cases.

Organization

Driver’s License Reclamation Project, Mithoff Pro Bono Program

The Driver’s License Reclamation Project is a student-led internal project of the Richard and Ginni Mithoff Pro Bono Program dedicated to addressing how driver’s license suspensions contribute to a cycle of incarceration for debt and create significant employment barriers in low-income communities. The Driver’s License Reclamation Project is supporting the Court Debt Relief and Driver’s License Reclamation Clinic in collaboration with the Texas Fair Defense Project, the Austin Municipal Court, and Vinson & Elkins.

Project Details

Project Date

Friday, September 21

Project Time
2:00pm-8:00pm
Approximate hours of work requested
7.5 hours, including training
Training
Tuesday, September 18, 12pm-1:15pm (TNH 2.123) OR Wednesday, September 19, 6pm-7:30pm (TNH 2.123)
Skills used
Client communication; records research; document preparation/review
Project location
Austin Rutherford Lane Campus, Building 1 Auditorium, 1520 Rutherford Lane
Number of student volunteers requested
30
Class year preference
1L, 2L, 3L, LLM
To Apply
Register at https://dlreclamationf18.eventbrite.com