Court watching is the act of bringing community members into our city's courtrooms to observe court proceedings and record their observations. The purpose of court watching is to hold courtroom actors (judges, attorneys, bailiffs) accountable and promote a just process for those facing eviction through community involvement in the court system.

Q: Do I have to be familiar with the court process to volunteer?

A: Not at all! The purpose of court watch is to bring everyday community members into the courtroom. Before you court watch, you can attend one of our in-person trainings on Tuesdays at 9am. Before we enter courtrooms to observe, you will have any necessary info.

We ask that volunteers be available from 9AM to 12PM--a court watching day will generally wrap up between 11 and 12. Lastly, there's always an PATHE staff member or volunteer court watch leader on the premises to answer any questions.