South Texas Detention Center Announces New Accommodations for Pro Bono Cases
By Brett Goodman, Staff Attorney
October 13, 2016
San Antonio, TX – Thanks to the tireless efforts of members of the South Texas legal community like our very own Pro Bono Coordinator Priscilla Olivarez, the South Texas Detention Complex (“STDC”) in Pearsall, Texas, has announced the following two accommodations for pro bono cases that should make taking cases out of STDC much more convenient for attorneys:
- Access to the courtrooms for visitation and the use of the courtroom landline.
Pro bono attorneys can now request access to a courtroom for a scheduled visitation with a pro bono client, alleviating current frustrations with only having four pro bono visitation rooms at STDC. Three working days in advance of the desired visitation date, a pro bono attorney may simply request access to a courtroom for a visitation by emailing the Court Administrator, Marion Hicks, and the Supervisory Legal Assistant, Alex Quintana, with the client’s name and A number, the desired date and time of the visit, the expected duration of the meeting, and the names of anyone else accompanying the pro bono attorney. The pro bono attorney will then receive an email response with possible dates and times when a courtroom will be available and can confirm the appointment. The Court will notify STDC staff at the appropriate time that the client needs to be brought to the courtroom, and the telephone will be available for interpretation services (provided by the attorney, not the Court).
- Filing in San Antonio.
A pro bono attorney may file documents (including the E-28) for pro bono cases only at the window for the San Antonio Court rather than needing to file at STDC. The filing must be accompanied by the approved cover sheet when filing in San Antonio. This accommodation only applies to pro bono cases; an attorney may not combine both pro bono and non-pro bono documents into the same filing. Any attempt to do so will result in all documents, pro bono and non-pro bono alike, being rejected. Documents relating to non-pro bono cases must still be filed at STDC.
If you would like to volunteer as a pro bono attorney in San Antonio or would like more information about the new accommodations, please contact Pro Bono Coordinator Priscilla Olivarez at priscillao@americangateways.org.
