ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – The Bernalillo County Metropolitan Court is launching a dedicated Friday docket for certain homeless-related citations.
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The weekly Friday docket will start on July 17 and will be specifically for individuals cited for nine homeless-related city violations issued by the Albuquerque Police Department. For these specific case types, the initial court date will be written on the citation issued to the defendant, so they will immediately be aware of when to appear for their hearing. They will also be handed a flyer with detailed information on how to access the court in-person or over Zoom, along with contact information for the Law Offices of the Public Defender.
“The goal behind the new scheduling practice is to get people to court,” said Judge Michelle Castillo Dowler, who presides over the Criminal Division of the Metropolitan Court. “Too often, bench warrants are issued because an unhoused person may not have a stable mailing address and may not receive notice of court dates. We hope it becomes common knowledge that Metro Court hears homeless-related citations on Fridays, leading to the timely resolution of cases and better use of our community’s resources.”…