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COVID RESPONSE
“Today the market for donations for the local fund is JUVENILE ADVOCATES URGE
local and not global. Everybody globally has their own
COVID-19 fallout.” MONITORED RELEASE OF YOUTH
Valerie Maher, the lead economic development specialist OFFENDERS AMID COVID-19
for the U.S. Small Business Administration in Houston, PANDEMIC DURING UHLC SEMINAR
provided a number of programs and resources available to
small businesses that have been impacted by the pandemic.

Maher said an available financial option for businesses is
the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act,
which was signed into law on March 27.
“Businesses are given two loan choices, and they can pursue
both the Economic Injury disaster Loan and Paycheck
Protection Program,” Maher said. “The business needs to
be in an affected area, which everyone is, and needs to meet
size standards as well as other eligibility criteria.”
Koby Wilbanks ’13, a senior associate at Murrah & Killough,
PLLC, discussed options for businesses when considering
contractual considerations under COVID-19. The primary
focus of her presentation was force majeure, defined as A continuing legal education session hosted by the University of
Houston Law Center’s Center for Children, Law & Policy informed
unforeseeable circumstances that prevent the fulfillment of attorneys of the current challenges youth in detention face because
a contract. of COVID-19.
“Force majeure is generally considered to be an act of God, Members of the Juvenile Division in the Harris County
something outside the party’s control. Some case law states Public Defender’s Office said current detention conditions
that acts of God are considered natural disasters, and some are not appropriate for the confinement of youthful
case law is more broad in definition.” offenders amid the spread of the coronavirus.
“What matters is the terms of your contract, because there
is no common law force majeure. You only get the defense Their remarks were made at the “Youth Advocacy in
of force majeure if it is included in your contract and it is COVID-19” event in April presented by the University of
defined according to the contract.” Houston Law Center’s Center for Children, Law & Policy
via video conference on Zoom.

“We hope the program “It’s really a horrific situation, and the Constitutional
rights of young people are definitely being violated,” said
provided helpful information Ellen Marrus, director of the Center for Children, Law &
Policy and Royce Till Professor of Law. “That means more
when addressing the challenges pressure has to be applied to insure the physical and mental

small businesses face during health safety of our youth and the community.”
“As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to develop, the
this public health crisis.” Center for Children, Law & Policy will continue to host
more events like this and other CLEs during the summer to
help defenders.”
Rebecca Baker a partner in the Houston office of Bracewell Assistant Public Defender Christopher Sailer shared his
LLP and chair of the firm’s labor and employment practice
group, described the impact that recent legislation will have thoughts on the issue.
on small businesses. “What we’re really trying to focus on going forward is
“What we witnessed in March was really an unprecedented presenting to judges that the Harris County Juvenile
action by the federal government to pass legislation that for Detention Center by its design and the facts of its operation
the first time mandates employers provide certain forms of is not capable of preventing the spread of the illness,” Sailer
paid leave,” Baker said. said. “Any time you have a kid in JDC, they are at risk of
contracting and spreading COVID-19. That’s why we really
“The really interesting aspect of all of this legislation was it want to get every kid possible out of JDC.”
affects only employers with fewer than 500 employees. It’s
a very significant change for small employers, particularly “When our society is essentially on a lockdown, it promotes
those with less than 50 employees.” public health and safety in many ways to get kids out and

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