Kansas City, Missouri – More than 600 people are expected to walk into Kansas City Municipal Court on Friday with something important to resolve. For some, it may be an outstanding warrant or traffic case. For others, the bigger challenge may be finding legal help, housing support, job resources or treatment services.
That combination of court access and community assistance is at the center of this year’s Court Connect, which returns October 2 as the largest edition of the annual event so far. Eight area courts and more than 50 community partners are participating, giving attendees a single place to address court matters while also learning about services that could help with problems beyond the courtroom.
The fourth annual Court Connect will run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Kansas City Municipal Court, 511 E. 11th Street. More than 600 people have already registered, with the event surpassing last year in the number of registrants, participating courts and agencies.
“Court Connect is about removing barriers and giving people an opportunity to address their court matters while connecting with resources that can make a difference in their lives,” said Judge Martina Peterson.
“By bringing courts and community partners together in one place, we can help people take care of outstanding cases and identify their next steps forward.”
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Participants will be able to receive warrant and case reviews, along with free legal assistance from volunteer attorneys. The event will also connect people with information and referrals covering employment, education, vocational training, utilities and housing.
Other participating organizations will provide access to resources involving substance use and mental health treatment, veterans services, domestic violence assistance and additional community needs.
The scale of the event is also reflected in the number of courts taking part. Kansas City Municipal Court will be joined by Grandview Municipal Court, Lee’s Summit Municipal Court, Raytown Municipal Court, Jackson County Municipal Court Division 301 and Riverside Municipal Court.
North Kansas City Municipal Court will participate for warrant reviews only, while Clay County Associate Circuit Court will handle traffic cases only.
This year, the activity will extend outside the courthouse as organizers make space for additional mobile service units. From 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, 11th Street in front of Kansas City Municipal Court will be closed to accommodate those units and the expanded services connected to the event.
The growth of Court Connect gives participants access to more than a court hearing or case review. By placing judges, legal assistance and community providers in one location, organizers are creating a setting where people can work through immediate court issues while also connecting with services related to the circumstances affecting their lives.
For hundreds of registered participants, Friday’s event could therefore involve several steps in a single visit, reviewing a warrant, speaking with an attorney and finding the community support needed to decide what comes next.
