Texas Fair Defense Project
Texas Fair Defense Project
Want to make a donation using Daffy?
Lower your income taxes with a charitable deduction this year when you donate to this non-profit via Daffy.
Do you work for Texas Fair Defense Project? Learn more here.
By donating on this page you are making an irrevocable contribution to Daffy Charitable Fund, a 501(c)(3) public charity, and a subsequent donation recommendation to the charity listed above, subject to our Member Agreement. Contributions are generally eligible for a charitable tax-deduction and a yearly consolidated receipt will be provided by Daffy. Processing fees may be applied and will reduce the value available to send to the end charity. The recipient organizations have not provided permission for this listing and have not reviewed the content.
Donations to organizations are distributed as soon as the donation is approved and the funds are available. In the rare event that Daffy is unable to fulfill the donation request to this charity, you will be notified and given the opportunity to choose another charity. This may occur if the charity is unresponsive or if the charity is no longer in good standing with regulatory authorities.
About this organization
Mission
Texas Fair Defense Projects mission is to fight for a criminal justice system that respects the rights of low-income Texans. We envision a new system of justice that is fair, compassionate, and respectful.
About
We fight to make sure that people who are accused of criminal offenses arent stripped of their rights just because they dont have enough money to defend themselves, and that people who are convicted of crimes dont leave the criminal justice system with so much debt that they are unable to successfully reenter society and support themselves and their families.The following systemic impact cases were in litigation in 2018:ODonnell et. al. v. Harris County et. al., Civil Action No. 4:16-cv-01414: TFDP, along with co-counsel Civil Rights Corps and Susman Godfrey LLP, filed a class action lawsuit on behalf of Miranda ODonnell and all those similarly situated individuals detained because of their inability to pay a set money amount to secure their pretrial release from the Harris County Jail. A similar suit brought by Ryan Ford and Loetha McGruder and filed by the same counsel was joined to this suit. Defendants include Harris County, the Harris County Sheriff, Harris County Court at Law Judges and the Harris County Criminal Court Hearing Officers. Plaintiffs alleged that defendants have violated and continue to violate the equal protection and due process provisions of the U.S. Constitution by releasing individuals with the wealth to pay a set money amount required by the Harris County bond schedule while detaining those without the wealth to pay the fixed money amount and failing to hold individualized hearings on the question of ability to pay. In May 2017, the district court issued an injunction requiring that Harris County hearing officers conduct individualized bail hearings within 24 hours of arrest, including the question of ability to pay, and release of people who were held on unaffordable bail after 24 hours. In June 2018, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the district courts holding that it was unconstitutional to hold a person pretrial on bail they could not afford without considering ability to pay. The case was pending at the end of 2018.Hernandez et. al. v. City of Houston, Civil Action No. 4:16-cv-03577: TFDP, along with co-counsel Civil Rights Corps and Kirkland and Ellis LLP, filed this class action lawsuit on behalf of Juan Hernandez, DeQuan Kirkwood, Manuel Trevino, Kent Wheatfall and all those similarly situated individuals who had been jailed by the City of Houston for longer than constitutionally permitted without being provided a probable cause hearing. Plaintiffs alleged that the City of Houston has a policy and practice of jailing people for longer than forty-eight hours without providing their constitutionally required probable cause hearing. The case was pending at the end of 2018.Daves, et. al v. Dallas County, Civil Action No. 3:18-cv-154: TFDP, along with cocounsel at Civil Rights Corps, ACLU-TX and ACLU, filed this class action lawsuit in February 2018 on behalf of Shannon Daves, Shakena Walston, Erriyah Banks, Destinee Tovar, Patroba Michieka and James Thompson and all those similarly situatedindividuals who had been jailed in Dallas County jail because they could not pay afford money bail, and Faith in Texas and Texas Organizing Project Education Fund. The district court issued a preliminary injunction in September 2018 requiring bail hearings within 48 hours of arrest with consideration of defendants ability to pay bond. The case was pending at the end of 2018.In addition to the above-listed actions, TFDP provided direct representation in over 100 individual cases resolving Class C and related debt and held walk-in legal clinics serving hundreds of people.Texas Fair Defense Project also advocated locally in Austin/Travis County to start apublic defender office, expand its cite and release policy, repeal ordinances that criminalize homelessness and monitor and reform municipal court practices that result in the arrest and jailing of people for inability to pay court debt.
Interesting data from their 2020 990 filing
The purpose of the non-profit is listed in the filing as “Texas fair defense projects mission is to fight for a criminal justice system that respects the rights of low-income texans. we envision a new system of justice that is fair, compassionate, and respectful. through impact litigation, legislative advocacy, and education, we are working to end counterproductive, costly, and unconstitutional practices like jail time for traffic tickets and our broken money-bail system.”.
When discussing its operations, they were characterized as: “Texas fair defense projects mission is to fight for a criminal justice system that respects the rights of low-income texans. we envision a new system of justice that is fair, compassionate, and respectful.”.
- The non-profit's legally reported state of operation is TX.
- The filing states that the non-profit's address in the year 2020 is 314 E Highland Mall Blvd 108, Austin, TX, 78752.
- The form submitted by the non-profit for 2020 shows a total of 6 employees.
- Does not operate a hospital.
- Does not operate a school.
- Does not collect art.
- Does not provide credit counseling.
- Does not have foreign activities.
- Is not a donor-advised fund.
- Is not a private foundation.
- Expenses are between $250,000 and $500,000.
- Revenue is between $250,000 and $500,000.
- Revenue less expenses is $26,742.
- The remuneration plan for the CEO of the organization is based on a review and approval process by a neutral entity.
- The organization has 7 independent voting members.
- The organization was formed in 2006.
- The organization has a written policy that addresses conflicts of interest.
- The organization is required to file Schedule B.
- The organization is required to file Schedule O.
- The organization engages in lobbying activities.
- The organization pays $247,707 in salary, compensation, and benefits to its employees.
- The organization pays $28,921 in fundraising expenses.
- The organization provides Form 990 to its governing body.
- The organization has minutes of its meetings.
- The organization has a written whistleblower policy.