Courtwatch 101

Be on time for the hearing, otherwise you may not be allowed in.

Dress appropriately for court. If you are on zoom, a short sleeve shirt is acceptable; avoid tank tops.

Look respectful and attentive; stay muted if on zoom; absolutely no chat room comments.

 If on zoom, try to have your zoom name start with “court watcher” followed by at least your first name. 

 Try to take notes; this helps you remember what was said and done. When they see people taking notes, the professionals know they are being observed.  If you received a link to an official FACTS court watch report form for that specific hearing, you are encouraged to submit a report but it isn’t mandatory. 

Refrain from eating, making faces, and chewing gum; do not whisper during the hearing itself—pass notes if you want to share a comment with another court watcher. Of course, no interaction with the litigants or their lawyers during the hearing itself.

 Phones should be turned off or at least silent. Note that some phones produce audio alerts even when on silent. Do not text litigants or have your phone in camera view during the hearing. 

 Do not record hearings.

 If the judge asks you specifically why you are there, you should be brief and state that you are an observer. If the judge asks for more information, you can say you are there out of concern for the child(ren) involved, and you are following the protocols of FACTS Court Watch, which is an organization which conducts courtwatches to lend support to children in high conflict cases.

If the judge insists that courtwatchers leave, you must be respectful and leave the courtroom or zoom. It doesn’t help the litigants if the judge is irritated!