North Texans brave heat for free legal help to get driver's licenses, IDs

DALLAS - Hundreds of people waited in the intense heat to get some free legal help Wednesday evening.

It was the first time this event had been held in person since the pandemic. But those providing the free help weren't expecting the high demand.

A Dallas County judge and non-profits have been holding clinics providing free legal help for people looking to reinstate their drivers’ licenses. But this was the first one in person.

Organizers expected up to 50 people. But when the doors opened at 5 p.m., more than 300 people had lined up willing to wait hours in triple-digit heat for just a few minutes with an attorney.

Hundreds lined up at St. Luke Community United Methodist Church in East Dallas for hours.

Dallas County Felony Court Judge Lela Mays partnered with Legal Aid Northwest Texas back in January 2020 in the hopes of helping people reinstate their driver’s licenses and state IDs. 

The pandemic forced their clinics to go virtual for two years until this Wednesday when more than 350 people showed up looking for help.

Judge Mays says they didn’t expect that many people.

"It’s the economy. It’s the economy," she said.

The stories FOX 4 heard outside just a sample of the hard choices many of these people have had to make.

"What we found is that individuals have tickets in so many jurisdictions. You then have to pay a failure to appear," Mays explained. "If you didn’t appear for your ticket, then you have fees fines and court costs that go along with that."

Mays says they were able to help roughly 50 people on Wednesday. So many more were turned away even after spending their afternoon in the heat- under the North Texas sun.

Judge Mays says she’s determined to figure out a way to help them out next time.

"Thank you for coming, and we will see you when we schedule the next clinic. That’s all we can do," she said.

That next clinic will hopefully be at the end of the summer.

Judge Mays says they need volunteer attorneys willing to help process paperwork and claims.