This report summarises findings from CourtWatch London, a mass court observation project where citizen volunteers observed magistrates’ court hearings and reported what they saw.

From July to December 2023, a diverse group of 82 volunteer members of the public
(courtwatchers) visited their local London magistrates’ courts armed with a booklet of observation forms and a small amount of training. Between them they observed over 1,100 hearings, reporting on the treatment of defendants, the decision-making of magistrates and district judges, and their experiences of attending magistrates’ court as a public observer.

This report focuses on courtwatchers’ observations of the court process and the court’s decision-making. There are separate reports (also in the publications section of this website) on their experiences of being a public observer trying to access and understand the courts ‘Why are you here? Open justice in London magistrates’ courts’, and reflections on how young adult defendants are treated ‘Our Sons and Daughters – is maturity considered in the magistrates’ courts?’.