Community Court

Downtown Austin Community Court (DACC) is a problem-solving court established in 1999, and was the first community court in Texas and the seventh in the United States. The mission of DACC is to empower people to thrive by providing impartial justice and compassionate community-based services.

Downtown Austin Community Court Fiscal Year 2024 Annual Report

DACC Homeless Services

Intensive Case Management and voluntary walk-in services are available for individuals experiencing homelessness. Appointments are not necessary to access walk-in services, which can include (but are not limited to):

Assistance with identification and vital documents to include the scheduling of DPS appointments
Assistance with applying for reinstatement or renewal of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance (SNAP) benefits
Linkages to medical, mental health and substance use treatment services
Linkages to a Medical Access Program (MAP) Mobile Eligibility Specialist
Assistance with applications for unemployment benefits
Linkages to employment services
Assistance with community resource navigation
Linkages to Coordinated Assessment providers
Coordination and linkages to other social service providers
Assistance with court docket searches for upcoming Community Court legal cases and information on warrants (Individuals will not be arrested for outstanding citations or warrants when voluntarily appearing at DACC)
Referrals as appropriate to help a defendant complete judicial requirements
Assistance with storage of vital documents
Use of DACC’s telephone
Assistance with storage of personal belongings at Violet KeepSafe storage program
Use of DACC’s mailing address

DACC Location

One Texas Center
505 Barton Springs Road, First Floor
512-974-4879

Open regular business hours*

Monday through Friday
8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
*Hours subject to change

DACC Community Service (CS) Program:

DACC’s CS Unit enables defendants from the Downtown Austin Community Court and Austin Municipal Court to meet community service hour requirements through graffiti abatement, right of way maintenance, public space management through safe space, underpass, and restoration cleaning, and other municipal purpose jobs. CS Crews deploy from DACC’s building located at 505 Barton Springs Road, First Floor at 7:30am, seven days a week, and complete work each day at 2:30pm. Defendants from the Downtown Austin Community Court or Austin Municipal Court needing to complete community service hours may show up at 505 Barton Springs Road, First Floor by 7:30am, no advance appointment is necessary. In order to participate on a CS Crew, an ID or Driver’s license is required and all participants must wear full-length pants and closed toed shoes. It is also recommended that participants bring a sack lunch. For more information about the CS Program, please call 512-974-4879.

Violet KeepSafe Storage (VKS) Program:

The VKS Program provides individuals experiencing homelessness a safe and secure place to store their belongings. VKS was launched by Austin Resource Recovery in 2020, and DACC took over operation of the program in 2021. Any individual experiencing homelessness may access storage through VKS, which is centrally located and enables individuals to store vital documents, family memories, clothing, bedding, and more. These services are available at no cost to program participants. Following a program expansion in July 2021, VKS is operational seven days a week, from 7:00am-7:00pm. Individuals interested in accessing VKS services can call 512-974-1294, or may bring the items they want to store to VKS and sign up in person. The VKS program is in the former Municipal Court building, located at 700 E. 7^th Street.

DACC Court Services:

We have resumed normal docket scheduling. All cases that were pending a setting during COVID-19 have been reset and defendants have been notified, by postal mail, of their court date. If you failed to appear for a court date or would like to resolve a warrant, you may walk in and see the Judge Monday through Friday between 9:30am-11:15am or between 1:30pm-3:45pm.

Court cases that were extended due to COVID-19 are now due. These include:

Payment dates (fines, payment plans, extensions, etc.)
Deferral dates (extensions, etc.)
Community Service (extensions, etc.)

Virtual Dockets

If you live more than 25 miles from Austin, we offer online virtual hearings every Wednesday at 9:30am and 1:30pm. If you would like to handle your case without seeing a judge and prosecutor virtually, we also offer an option to handle your case through electronic correspondence. For more information, or to submit a request for an online hearing or correspondence packet, please email comcourt@austintexas.gov and include your case or citation number in your request.