Travis County: First appearance, first chance at justice.

Travis County Commissions Court Votes to Provide Counsel at First Appearance, but Activists Say it’s Not Enough

The Travis County Commissioners Court took a tiny step towards progressive reform on Tuesday, voting to request an in-depth cost analysis for a permanent program to provide counsel at first appearance for the county's incarcerated population. This basic human right has been denied to those arrested in the county, despite the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas suing Travis County back in April for violating the constitutional rights of arrestees.

https://traviscotx.portal.civicclerk.com/event/3267/files/attachment/42228

Activists and defense attorneys have long advocated for this change, yet the county has dragged its feet, only now considering providing one nine-hour shift of legal counsel per day. The estimated cost of $6-6.5 million for the next fiscal year is a small price to pay for upholding the rights of those the county hasFailed thus far.

The county's own staff presented the proposal, estimating that 60-65 new staff members would be needed, including attorneys, case workers, IT staff, correctional officers, and service workers. The current system fails to guarantee a lawyer during magistration, the hearing where bail and jail release conditions are set, often leaving vulnerable people without representation.

Travis County claims it is committed to offering counsel at first appearance during bail hearings and hopes to begin this process in October. Yasmine Smith, Vice President of the Austin Urban League, rightly called for a timeline, stating, "a plan without a timeline is a wish."

However, the county attorney, Delia Garza, provided nothing but excuses, blaming the slow process on bureaucratic red tape and governmental inefficiency. Robert Lilly, an organizer for Grassroots Leadership, also called for a public spending plan, stating, "I heard vague outlines, but I didn't see a commitment to a timeline, structures, processes. That’s a lot of money to give to vague ideas.”

It's unacceptable that Travis County has taken this long to even consider providing legal counsel to those who need it most. The county's lack of commitment to a concrete plan and timeline is an insult to the very concept of justice.

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