Report on the 2004-2005 Pilot Phase of the
Champaign County Courtwatching Project: A Collaboration of The League of
Women Voters of Champaign County and The University of Illinois College of Law
There was a time in our country when "going courting" meant being at the
courthouse to watch local courtroom drama unfold. Citizens kept track of the
judges and lawyers, observed all the important civil and criminal trials and
often were entertained by the persuasive advocacy presented in the local courtrooms.
Unfortunately, those are times gone by. It is now clear that unwatched courts
can lead to poor advocacy, poor decisions and even at the worst, corruption.
For many years the League of Women Voters of Champaign County (LWVCC) has
organized a courtwatching program to assure the citizenry that its courts
are functioning properly and with all necessary resources. For over 15 years,
the LWVCC has partnered with the University of Illinois College of Law to
provide a constant presence in the state and federal courts in Champaign County.
Each of the students enrolled in the Trial Advocacy course at the College of Law
(approximately 130 students in the Fall 2004 semester) is required to spend 12
hours courtwatching for educational purposes related to their enrollment in
the course, with the League providing training for the law students.
This Report on the 2004-2005 Pilot Phase of the Champaign County Courtwatching
Project summarizes the primary findings of the pilot phase of this initiative.
We intend to continue this collaboration with the aim of collecting a larger
sample of data and conducting a longitudinal study.
In summary, the primary findings from analysis of 1,657 hours
(more than 69 days) of courtwatching are:
- In the sample size observed during the pilot project, the statistical
analysis shows no evidence of bias in the selection of jurors from among
those available in the jury pool.
- In the overwhelming majority of observations, our courtrooms were
perceived as places where judges and other participants in proceedings
observed decorum and treated one another with respect.
- There is a significant discrepancy between the demographics of Champaign
County and the demographics of those citizens reporting for jury service.
For example, while census data indicate an 11% African-American population
for Champaign County, and a 15% African-American population for the cities of
Champaign and Urbana, the observed African-American representation in the
jury pools at the Champaign County Courthouse is about 6%.
This means, for example, of 17 observed jury trials in the pilot observation
period in which the defendants were African-American men, only 4 African-American
men and 10 African-American women jurors (out of 252 jurors and alternates for each jury)
were seated. Nine other African-American potential jurors were excused in the
jury selection of those trials.
Observers reported instances of perceived unfairness in our courts on matters
that some procedural adjustments could address and correct.
For example:
- Many observers reported instances when it was questionable whether the defendants
could hear, understand, and participate meaningfully in their proceedings via the
video arraignment system currently in use in the Champaign County Courts. Observers
noted circumstances in which defendants could not hear proceedings and did not
understand remarks addressed to them. In addition, defendants sometimes had not
met their attorneys before arraignment and did not appear to understand the
proceedings or the ramifications of their participation.
- Observers reported many instances when, after being asked "Do you understand?"
by the judges, defendants would answer in the negative without any follow-up by
the judges to ensure the defendants' understanding. In other words, proceedings
continued under these circumstances on several occasions regardless of the defendants' responses.
- Observers noted occasions when court proceedings were interrupted and continued
to a later date to obtain the presence of an interpreter.
Courtwatching Data Analysis
Report Credits
Download the complete report
If you have any questions about the project, please contact either:
If you are interested in becoming a courtwatcher, please contact Ms. Miller.
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