Upcoming Event
What: Fresh Start
When: May 3, 2025
Time: 10 a.m. to noon
Where: Harris County Jury Plaza
1201 Congress St,
Houston, TX 77002
Parking:
Metered street parking, surface lots, and garages are available in the surrounding area. Standard rates apply. Participants should follow all parking signs. Harris County Criminal Courts at Law and its partners are not responsible for parking tickets or towed or booted vehicles.
Screening:
Security screening required for entry.
Resources:
- Record Screening & Sealing
- Housing Rights Workshop for Landlords & Tenants
- South Texas College of Law Legal Clinics: Civil Matters.
- Consulate General of Mexico in Houston: Support for Mexican citizens.
- Harris County Public Health: Register for ACCESS Harris County & On-site lead testing
- Harris County Voter Registration
Fresh Start Record Screening & Sealing
Fresh Start is a second-chance program that helps eligible community members change course after experiences with the criminal justice system.
We do this by helping people seal their eligible criminal records and connecting them to vital community resources. Our goal is to help people meet their basic needs, reduce recidivism, and make communities safer.
Fresh Start is offered by the Harris County Criminal Courts at Law and BAYOU City Community Court in partnership with Harris County’s Public Defender’s Office, Criminal District Courts, Community Supervision and Corrections Department, and Constable Precinct 1.
| 2025 EVENT DATES |
2025 PRE-REGISTRATION DATES (pre-registration opens at noon) |
EVENT LOCATION |
|---|---|---|
| Feb. 1, 2025 | Jan. 13, 2025 |
Harris County Jury Plaza 1201 Congress St. Houston, Texas 77002 |
| May 3, 2025 | April 14, 2025 | |
| Aug. 2, 2025 | July 14, 2025 | |
| Nov. 1, 2025 | Oct. 13, 2025 |
Fresh Start Criminal Record Screening & Sealing Guidelines
- Online pre-registration is required. You must You must complete and submit the online pre-registration form to be screened. Walk-ins are not accepted. Waiting lists are not available.
- Pre-registration opens at noon on specified days. Space is limited: 300 screening slots are available, and they fill quickly.
- When pre-registration opens, click the below ‘REGISTER’ button. Once you submit the form, you will receive a confirmation number. Please save this number as you may need it to access services.
- Legal staff will review your criminal history to determine your eligibility. You will be notified of the results by email prior to the event. Ensure the email address you submit is accurate. (You may be notified as late as the week of the event. Check your inbox and junk mail regularly.)
- Eligible participants must attend the coordinating Fresh Start in person to receive assistance. Bring your confirmation number and/or eligibility email with you as you may need to reference them to access services.
- Record sealing eligibility is determined by state law. We do not have discretion to admit you into the record sealing program if you do not qualify under state law.
- Only Harris County criminal records will be reviewed. Out-of-county and out-of-state criminal records do not qualify for this program and will not be reviewed.
- Juvenile criminal records do not qualify for this program. You must be at least 17 to pre-register.
- Questions: Email FreshStart@ccl.hctx.net