Volunteer courtwatcher
Transform Justice
Become the eyes and ears of your community in your local magistrates' court
CourtWatch London is a mass court observation project, where citizen volunteers observe the daily hearings in court and write down what they see. The real-time data and stories volunteers collect will shine a spotlight on what really happens in our local courts, expose shortfalls and highlight systemic injustices.
Administration,Community Work,Legal,General and Helping
Admin
Anyone can courtwatch! You do not need any knowledge or expertise in law or criminal justice to be a courtwatcher. You just need to be passionate about justice and equality, and keen to create positive change in your community. We will provide you with all the training you need on what happens at court, what to look out for and how to document what happens. Training will be a mixture of in-person and online and likely take place over two sessions. There will also be regular check-ins and debriefs where you can talk with the CourtWatch London team and other volunteers about what you saw and heard.
Benefits of being a courtwatcher: - learn about what happens in the magistrates’ courts - develop new skills including research, attention to detail, observation, insight - help build a picture of what’s happening in your local magistrates’ court, expose systemic injustices and help make courts fairer and more compassionate - be part of community of people who share a passion for justice
Criminal hearings take place on weekdays between 10am and 5pm, with a break for lunch c1-2pm, and Saturday mornings 10am - 1pm. Within the times above, and once you’ve completed the training, you can go to court when it is most convenient to you. You might want to buddy up with another volunteer for your first visit while you learn the ropes; we can help arrange this. You can courtwatch any time from February 2025 to July 2025 – we hope you’ll become a regular!
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You can CourtWatch at any magistrates' court in London, or visit multiple courts!
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