Harris County Commissioners Court unanimously approved a plan spearheaded by Commissioner Lesley Briones that will make critical investments in Harris County’s District Criminal Courts to advance the quality and efficiency of justice.  

Commissioner Briones, a lawyer and former judge, developed the comprehensive reform package in collaboration with judicial stakeholders to address challenges impacting victims, defendants, lawyers, and court personnel. The reform package will modernize outdated courtroom technology (some of which has not been upgraded in over 10 years); address barriers that prevent people from appearing for their court date; increase mental health support services for competency cases; expand the number of associate judges and support staff to further decrease the case backlog; and use a data-driven approach to create a more efficient case management system.  

 "We are taking action to keep advancing justice in Harris County. By investing in much-needed resources for criminal district courts ranging from technology enhancements, improved procedures, and enhanced services, we will make our justice system more just and efficient for victims, defendants, and their families,” said Commissioner Briones.  

These targeted investments aim to improve processes throughout the life cycle of a case, which can be upended by a variety of factors ranging from missed appearances by defendants, competency case challenges, or lack of cohesive case management systems and practices – all leading to a delay in advancing justice for all involved. These crucial funds will help improve the administration of fair and timely justice – providing judges and other court staff the support they need to move through cases and ensuring victims, defendants, and their families get their day in court. 

Upgrade Outdated Technology 

• State-of-the-art upgrades to all audio/visual equipment and evidence presentation systems in Harris County’s District Criminal courthouse. 
• Urgent and critical technology upgrades such as:  
• Server replacements 
• Disaster recovery replacements 
• Essential office technology updates 
• Courtroom video equipment 

Improve Court Appearance Rates  

• Expansion of bilingual text message reminders to felony defendants 
• Expansion of Community Assistance Referral Program (CARP) pilot initiative that assists with mental health, transportation, and other needs, to increase court appearances 

Increase Mental Health Support Services 

• Streamline operations related to competency restoration 
• Enhance therapeutic services for individuals incarcerated in Harris County jail 
• Reduce court’s backlog related to competency evaluations 
• Increase resources to support the Jail Based Competency Restoration program 

Sustain Associate Judges and Support Staff 

• Expand the Associate Judge Program until October 2025 to sustain the reduction in court backlog and support in-custody cases 

Streamline Case Management 

• Resource support to the district court administration to: 
• Improve the flow of cases to ensure timely hearings and minimize inefficiencies in the judicial process 
• Implement a system to track delays, continuances and inactive cases 
• Incorporate Case Management enhancements/dashboards to improve internal communications related to a case  

The total investment is approximately $10 million to $13 million. 

“Harris County’s Criminal Justice System is a complex machine with many moving parts. If any single element falters, it can cause the whole structure to collapse and break down. I will be proud to support former judge and now Commissioner Briones’ thoughtful proposals to improve the efficiency of the operation. I am optimistic that these measures will help alleviate our backlog by making strategic investments and streamlining operations. Thank you to Commissioner Briones and her team for their hard work on this effort,” said Harris County Precinct 2 Commissioner Adrian Garcia. 

“Imagine sitting in a trial and having to ask a child victim testifying to yell so the jury can hear because the microphone doesn’t work. That's why the technology advancement section of this package is so important. I want to thank Commissioner Briones for not only recognizing the problems in our justice system but also coming up with solutions to address them,” said Harris County Criminal District Court Judge Te’iva Bell. 

“I’d like to thank Commissioner Briones and all of the teams who've worked so hard to bring us where we are today. Expanding mental health support in Harris County with the Jail Based Competency Restoration Program will address current system challenges and result in a reduction in recidivism, jail population, wait time, and most importantly become a real resource to our community,” said Harris County Criminal District Court Judge Lori Gray. 

"I support reforming our courts to ensure resources increase efficiency for all involved in our justice system and promote public safety. Thank you to Commissioner Briones and the entire Commissioners Court for your commitment to improving access to justice," said State Representative Ann Johnson. 

“Timely access to justice is an important part of healing for our clients here at the CAC. The initiatives proposed by Commission Briones will mean that cases get to trial sooner, and important evidence can be presented in a clear way so that all victims can get the justice they deserve,” said Kerry McCracken, Executive Director of the Children’s Assessment Center.  

Public safety and justice are Commissioner Briones’ top priorities. Since taking office in 2023, she has:  

• Worked with the Texas Legislature to secure six additional criminal district courts and one additional probate court in Harris County, with the goal of improving the quality of justice by delivering a quicker, fairer court process  
• Successfully advocated for the expansion of the Holistic Assistance Response Teams (HART) program into Harris County Sheriff’s Office District IV, located primarily in Precinct 4. HART deploys trained clinicians and EMTs to respond to non-violent, mental health-related 911 calls, connecting individuals to services and freeing up law enforcement to focus on violent crimes.  
• Increased law enforcement officer pay, granting 7% raises over the past two years to all law enforcement officers and detention officers receiving 12% raises to improve the safety of all within the Harris County jail  
• Advocated for the increase in juror pay from $6 to $20 on the first day of service and from $40 to $58 on subsequent days to ensure affordability of participation for low-income residents 
• Partnered with the City of Houston to host a gun buyback and gun safe and lock distribution event to promote violence prevention 
• Contracted with nonprofit legal service providers through the Survivor Services in Immigration Law program to support immigrant victims and witnesses of crime through the legal process 
• Partnered with Lone Star Legal Aid and Neighborhood Defender Services to provide legal services to renters facing eviction 
• Helped bring resources, including an Associate Judge, to Harris County Civil Courts at Law to support eviction appeal cases  
• Led the expansion of TeleDeputy Program in partnership with the Harris County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO), an effort to reduce wait times for emergency calls  
• Founded and Co-Chairs Indigent Defense Committee with Commissioner Rodney Ellis to improve and establish an effective indigent defense system in Harris County 
• Supported Violent Persons Warrant Task Force, a multi-agency task force led by HCSO in charge of tracking and arresting violent offenders 

“Harris County leadership will keep strategically investing to improve our justice system. This is a very complex issue, and we cannot do it alone. We will continue collaborating and fostering dialogue with our judges, law enforcement officers, community members, and other agencies as we continue to deliver progress," said Commissioner Briones.