Tenants braved freezing temperatures and packed courtrooms yesterday as Harris County eviction proceedings resumed with over 500 cases.
The eviction docket at Harris County Justice of the Peace Court Precinct 5, Position 1, saw the lobby packed to capacity, with lines wrapping around the building as tenants braved the cold to plead their cases. An additional 100 cases were scheduled for the afternoon session, bringing today’s total to over 500 evictions.
During the morning session, many tenants had their cases reset and were told they would receive more information about their next court date in the mail.
This marks the first eviction docket of the year under newly elected Judge James Lombardino, who assumed office on January 1, 2025, after defeating the previous judge in the November election. Lombardino, a former Harris County District Court Judge and Texas Supreme Court-appointed Senior Visiting Judge, inherits a court facing significant backlog.
The backlog stems from numerous cases reset during the transition between judges, leaving tenants and landlords with unresolved disputes. Many tenants criticized the process, noting the lack of seating in the courtroom while tenants stood in freezing temperatures.
KPRC 2 spoke with several tenants outside the courthouse, many of whom expressed fear and frustration.
