Court Watch LA - A Project of La Defensa

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Goals and Guidelines

Courtwatch LA
Goals & Values

  1. To create accountability & transparency by bringing people into the courtroom to observe judicial behavior, collect data, and report out the findings to the general public.
  2. To raise awareness about the criminalization of individuals experiencing poverty and houselessness, including the use of fines and fees and bail setting practices.
  3. To expose the disparate treatment and punishment of Black, Indigenous, Latine, gender marginalized folks including, women, LGBTQIA+, and other marginalized Angelenos.
  4. To document any influence from law enforcement and elected officials and hold them accountable for advancing mass incarceration and criminalization.
  5. To support organizing efforts outside the courtroom

Courtwatch LA Values

  1. We are abolitionists. We court watch as a harm reduction practice to hold judges accountable and reduce the size and scope of the judiciary
  2. We believe power belongs to the people and the judiciary is no exception. Every courtroom belongs to the public.
  3. We are bold to critique the system. Our lived experience makes us experts.
  4. We seek to use our community power because we aren’t free until we’re all free.

To create accountability & transparency by bringing people into the courtroom to observe judicial behavior, collect data, and report out the findings to the general public.

To raise awareness about the criminalization of individuals experiencing poverty and houselessness, including the use of fines and fees and bail setting practices.

To expose the disparate treatment and punishment of Black, Indigenous, Latine, gender marginalized folks including, women, LGBTQIA+, and other marginalized Angelenos.

To document any influence from law enforcement and elected officials and hold them accountable for advancing mass incarceration and criminalization.

To support organizing efforts outside the courtroom

Courtwatch LA Values

We are abolitionists. We court watch as a harm reduction practice to hold judges accountable and reduce the size and scope of the judiciary

We believe power belongs to the people and the judiciary is no exception. Every courtroom belongs to the public.

We are bold to critique the system. Our lived experience makes us experts.

We seek to use our community power because we aren’t free until we’re all free.

Expectations of Court Watchers

  1. Participate in a Court Watch LA training.
  2. Sign up to observe courtroom sessions at specified locations and times.
  3. Complete court watch intake forms during courtroom sessions.
  4. Submit court watch forms and data within 48 hours.
  5. Show up on time and plan to observe for roughly 3 hours per shift.
  6. Communicate with the La Defensa CourtwatchLA team if any issues arise. You can email cwlainfo@ladefensx.org directly if you are experiencing any issues.
  7. Uphold La Defensa’s abolitionist, intersectional, and gender justice values in all public interactions, including social media presence.

Participate in a Court Watch LA training.

Sign up to observe courtroom sessions at specified locations and times.

Complete court watch intake forms during courtroom sessions.

Submit court watch forms and data within 48 hours.

Show up on time and plan to observe for roughly 3 hours per shift.

Communicate with the La Defensa CourtwatchLA team if any issues arise.

You can email cwlainfo@ladefensx.org directly if you are experiencing any issues.

Uphold La Defensa’s abolitionist, intersectional, and gender justice values in all public interactions, including social media presence.

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Poli-Ed Resources

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We’re thrilled you’ve signed up to be a court watcher with our program. Check back in the coming weeks as we continue to add powerful and informative poli-ed material here.