Travis County marks one year of Counsel at First Appearance amid staffing and facility upgrades

Travis County officials on July 23 told the Commissioners Court that the county's Counsel at First Appearance (CAFA) program has completed a year of full implementation and is serving more people than originally forecast. "We were originally forecasted to see 80 people per day. We routinely see about a 100 people per day," said Kristin Jernigan, Chief Counsel for the Office of 1st Defense, summarizing daily throughput and operational scale.

County staff traced the program's rapid build‑out: pilots began in April 2024 after the county acquired a courtroom; by October 2024 CAFA launched a B shift and by March of the next year an A shift was added. Presenters said approximately 39,000 CAFA magistrations have occurred since the pilot. Jeff Burkhart, the county executive for Community Legal Services, said Travis County's model goes beyond the narrow magistration representation used elsewhere, adding county judges, interpreters, case managers and other infrastructure into the first‑appearance process.

Officials emphasized staffing and access improvements made during the first year: case managers were added to shifts to connect people to services in real time, a Spanish‑speaking attorney is scheduled for every shift, and the program has moved client files onto tablets to reduce paperwork. "We're operating, as Rita said, 7 days a week, 365 days a year," Jernigan said regarding expanded coverage.

Staff also said additional interview and holding space has been permitted and construction is being done overnight to avoid disrupting court operations. Commissioners asked staff to document processes and decisions for difficult cases and to continue working with community partners and external researchers evaluating the program.