Get Involved
Court Watch LA organizes volunteers to observe criminal court proceedings and analyzes and reports out their findings in order to transform the public’s understanding of the criminal legal system. Much of what happens within criminal courtroom walls is not recorded and published officially. Without this information, efforts to enforce accountability are limited. By documenting court proceedings, we hope to educate ourselves and others and gather information that we can use to advocate for changes to the criminal legal system.
Since the program’s initiation in July 2019, Court Watch LA has trained over 200 volunteers, who have collectively observed over 800 cases in Los Angeles criminal courts. Through our observation program, we have been able to expose practices by prosecutors and the court system that impose serious burdens on low-income individuals, including the many unhoused people who are regularly tried in the courts for charges directly related to their poverty. In addition, our observers have documented racial disparities and an egregious lack of empathy that some judges and prosecutors have displayed towards people caught in the criminal legal system.
Our project is already achieving its goal of informing the public and transforming our collective understanding of the criminal justice system, and we are growing. Court Watch LA continues to actively train and recruit volunteers, and is establishing more forms of outreach and alliances.
To get involved and be part of this movement, sign up for a training, and come volunteer with us.
Since the program’s initiation in July 2019, Court Watch LA has trained over 200 volunteers, who have collectively observed over 800 cases in Los Angeles criminal courts. Through our observation program, we have been able to expose practices by prosecutors and the court system that impose serious burdens on low-income individuals, including the many unhoused people who are regularly tried in the courts for charges directly related to their poverty. In addition, our observers have documented racial disparities and an egregious lack of empathy that some judges and prosecutors have displayed towards people caught in the criminal legal system.
Our project is already achieving its goal of informing the public and transforming our collective understanding of the criminal justice system, and we are growing. Court Watch LA continues to actively train and recruit volunteers, and is establishing more forms of outreach and alliances.
To get involved and be part of this movement, sign up for a training, and come volunteer with us.
Court Watch Fellowship / 2022 - 2023 Term
NLG-LA FELLOWSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
NLG-LA seeks to sponsor candidates for Skadden, Equal Justice, school-based, and other fellowships for the 2022-2023 term. Specifically, NLG-LA seeks a fellow to lead Court Watch Los Angeles, a volunteer-driven court observation program that monitors the region’s criminal court system and pursue their own related project.
Court Watch Los Angeles
Working with community partners—including Ground Game LA and ACLU SoCal, as well as criminal defense attorneys—NLG-LA trains court watchers and brings them into misdemeanor courts throughout Los Angeles to observe and report about proceedings. The purpose is to monitor and expose exorbitant fines and fees, criminalization of poverty/homelessness, as well as disparate impacts of criminal punishments on communities of color.
Goals of Court Watch Los Angeles:
● To create accountability & transparency by bringing people into the courtroom to observe, report out, and collect data about the behavior of public officials in court.
● To raise awareness about the mechanisms used to criminalize poverty and homelessness in the misdemeanor court system, including the use of fines and fees and bail setting practices.
● To expose the disparate treatment and punishment of BIPOC Angelenos.
● To hold law enforcement and elected officials accountable to public commitments, laws, and settlement agreements.
● To support and connect with organizing efforts outside the courtroom fighting to limit the reach of the criminal legal system and dismantle mass incarceration.
To see some of the work of Court Watch Los Angeles in real time, see http://twitter.com/CourtWatchLA
NLG-LA
The National Lawyers Guild (NLG) was founded in 1937 as the country’s first racially-integrated bar association of progressive lawyers and jurists who believed that they had a major role to play in the reconstruction of legal values to emphasize human rights over property rights. The Guild is the oldest and most extensive network of public interest and human rights activists working within the legal system.
NLG works tirelessly towards our mission of uniting lawyers, law students, legal workers and jailhouse lawyers to function as an effective force in the service of the people, to the end that human rights shall be regarded as more sacred than property interests. Our aim is to bring together all those who recognize the importance of safeguarding and extending the rights of workers, women, LGBTQ+ people, farmers, people with disabilities and people of color, upon whom the welfare of the entire nation depends; who seek actively to eliminate racism; who work to maintain and protect our civil rights and liberties in the face of persistent attacks upon them; and who look upon the law as an instrument for the protection of the people, rather than for their repression.
NLG-LA is unique in that our work spans a broad cross-section of issues areas. We are willing to work with dedicated fellows to develop multi-project fellowships that align with the applicants’ skill set and interests.
Fellowship & Application Details
Fellowships are tailored to the unique skillset and interests of each applicant. Some possible responsibilities may include:
● Designing and leading court observer trainings, supporting volunteer court watchers
● Drafting policy papers and reports
● Media advocacy and public speaking
● Raising public awareness around the 2022 judicial elections
● Data analysis and synthesis
● Assisting with coordination of the court-watch schedule
● Facilitating meetings and webinars
● Drafting public records act requests
● Advocacy and monitoring to ensure the public’s right of access to the courts
● Other tasks of interest to fellow
Criteria for selection include:
● Demonstrated commitment to NLG’s mission
● Demonstrated relevant experience
● Excellent research and writing skills
● Ability to work in teams, exercise sound judgment and work independently.
Individuals with direct experience with the criminal justice system are strongly encouraged to apply.
NLG-LA also strongly encourages women, people of color, persons with disabilities, and LGBTQ+ individuals to apply.
Applicants must secure their own funding for this position through public interest fellowships.
To apply, please submit the following:
● Cover letter;
● Resume;
● Writing sample
● 2-3 references
How to apply:
Please send materials to Rebecca@NLG-LA.org with the subject “NLG-LA Fellowship Application” by August 1, 2021.
NLG-LA FELLOWSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
NLG-LA seeks to sponsor candidates for Skadden, Equal Justice, school-based, and other fellowships for the 2022-2023 term. Specifically, NLG-LA seeks a fellow to lead Court Watch Los Angeles, a volunteer-driven court observation program that monitors the region’s criminal court system and pursue their own related project.
Court Watch Los Angeles
Working with community partners—including Ground Game LA and ACLU SoCal, as well as criminal defense attorneys—NLG-LA trains court watchers and brings them into misdemeanor courts throughout Los Angeles to observe and report about proceedings. The purpose is to monitor and expose exorbitant fines and fees, criminalization of poverty/homelessness, as well as disparate impacts of criminal punishments on communities of color.
Goals of Court Watch Los Angeles:
● To create accountability & transparency by bringing people into the courtroom to observe, report out, and collect data about the behavior of public officials in court.
● To raise awareness about the mechanisms used to criminalize poverty and homelessness in the misdemeanor court system, including the use of fines and fees and bail setting practices.
● To expose the disparate treatment and punishment of BIPOC Angelenos.
● To hold law enforcement and elected officials accountable to public commitments, laws, and settlement agreements.
● To support and connect with organizing efforts outside the courtroom fighting to limit the reach of the criminal legal system and dismantle mass incarceration.
To see some of the work of Court Watch Los Angeles in real time, see http://twitter.com/CourtWatchLA
NLG-LA
The National Lawyers Guild (NLG) was founded in 1937 as the country’s first racially-integrated bar association of progressive lawyers and jurists who believed that they had a major role to play in the reconstruction of legal values to emphasize human rights over property rights. The Guild is the oldest and most extensive network of public interest and human rights activists working within the legal system.
NLG works tirelessly towards our mission of uniting lawyers, law students, legal workers and jailhouse lawyers to function as an effective force in the service of the people, to the end that human rights shall be regarded as more sacred than property interests. Our aim is to bring together all those who recognize the importance of safeguarding and extending the rights of workers, women, LGBTQ+ people, farmers, people with disabilities and people of color, upon whom the welfare of the entire nation depends; who seek actively to eliminate racism; who work to maintain and protect our civil rights and liberties in the face of persistent attacks upon them; and who look upon the law as an instrument for the protection of the people, rather than for their repression.
NLG-LA is unique in that our work spans a broad cross-section of issues areas. We are willing to work with dedicated fellows to develop multi-project fellowships that align with the applicants’ skill set and interests.
Fellowship & Application Details
Fellowships are tailored to the unique skillset and interests of each applicant. Some possible responsibilities may include:
● Designing and leading court observer trainings, supporting volunteer court watchers
● Drafting policy papers and reports
● Media advocacy and public speaking
● Raising public awareness around the 2022 judicial elections
● Data analysis and synthesis
● Assisting with coordination of the court-watch schedule
● Facilitating meetings and webinars
● Drafting public records act requests
● Advocacy and monitoring to ensure the public’s right of access to the courts
● Other tasks of interest to fellow
Criteria for selection include:
● Demonstrated commitment to NLG’s mission
● Demonstrated relevant experience
● Excellent research and writing skills
● Ability to work in teams, exercise sound judgment and work independently.
Individuals with direct experience with the criminal justice system are strongly encouraged to apply.
NLG-LA also strongly encourages women, people of color, persons with disabilities, and LGBTQ+ individuals to apply.
Applicants must secure their own funding for this position through public interest fellowships.
To apply, please submit the following:
● Cover letter;
● Resume;
● Writing sample
● 2-3 references
How to apply:
Please send materials to Rebecca@NLG-LA.org with the subject “NLG-LA Fellowship Application” by August 1, 2021.
Fall 2021 Internship
Court Watch LA is seeking interns and volunteers for the spring 2021 to support its ongoing efforts to bring transparency and accountability to criminal courts in Los Angeles County.
Responsibilities
Responsibilities may include the following:
Responsibilities may involve some travel to courthouses and volunteer training locations across LA County.
Experience and qualifications
Applicants should possess the following:
While not required, the following qualifications are preferred:
To apply, please submit the following:
How to apply:
Please send completed application to courtwatchlosangeles@gmail.com with the subject “Court Watch LA Internship Application.”
We strongly encourage women, people of color, persons with disabilities, and LGBTQ+ individuals to apply.
For those interested in pursuing a full time internship over the summer, Court Watch LA will support applications for law school or other external funding. For students, arrangements can be made for course credit.
Court Watch LA is seeking interns and volunteers for the spring 2021 to support its ongoing efforts to bring transparency and accountability to criminal courts in Los Angeles County.
Responsibilities
Responsibilities may include the following:
- Observing court proceedings to record data on prosecution, bail, and sentencing patterns
- Analyzing data, preparing visuals, and drafting reports to communicate key findings
- Drafting social media posts and website content to inform the public of Court Watch LA’s observations and to provide updates on related political and legal matters
- Assisting with volunteer trainings and presentations
- Communicating with Court Watch LA volunteers to collect observation notes, coordinate shifts, and receive feedback
- Supporting the day-to-day logistics of running a volunteer court watch program
Responsibilities may involve some travel to courthouses and volunteer training locations across LA County.
Experience and qualifications
Applicants should possess the following:
- Attention to detail
- Excellent written communication skills
- Demonstrated interest in Court Watch LA’s mission or criminal systems reform/abolition
- Experience with the criminal legal system or working with system-involved individuals
- Ability to work in a team, exercise sound judgment, and work independently
While not required, the following qualifications are preferred:
- Expertise in data analysis, website design, or legal research
To apply, please submit the following:
- Cover letter (must relate to Court Watch LA mission and your relevant experience);
- Resume;
- 2-3 references;
- Optional: College or law school transcript (unofficial transcript acceptable)
How to apply:
Please send completed application to courtwatchlosangeles@gmail.com with the subject “Court Watch LA Internship Application.”
We strongly encourage women, people of color, persons with disabilities, and LGBTQ+ individuals to apply.
For those interested in pursuing a full time internship over the summer, Court Watch LA will support applications for law school or other external funding. For students, arrangements can be made for course credit.
*Let us know if you'd like to get involved in other ways.
If your schedule prevents you from Court Watching as much as you would like to, or you simply would like to get more involved, you can help us outside of court with data analysis, research, trainings, writing, design and logistics.
Email us!
If your schedule prevents you from Court Watching as much as you would like to, or you simply would like to get more involved, you can help us outside of court with data analysis, research, trainings, writing, design and logistics.
Email us!