Court Watch Montgomery

MOBILIZED CITIZEN ENGAGEMENT AND COLLECTED DATA IN DOMESTIC VIOLENCE COURT HEARINGS. PROVIDED RAPID FEEDBACK TO COURT ADMINISTRATORS ON PRIORITY PROBLEM AREAS. In 2020, Court Watch mobilized 70 community members, providing them with extensive initial and/or ongoing training that empowered them to collect detailed information in court that highlighted roadblocks to justice for victims and promising practices. Volunteers donated hours of time to tasks like gathering and processing data on the adjudication of protective orders and criminal cases in Montgomery County, Maryland. Volunteers collected data on various protective order topics, such as outcomes for cases, whether judges ordered supervised visitation, and whether or not judges told respondents to turn in their guns when they granted a final order. Volunteers collected criminal case data including prosecution rates, case outcomes, conditions of supervised probation, gun warnings upon conviction and other issues affecting victim safety. Staff regularly contacted court administrators at local and state levels, as well as coalition partners, to flag issues and troubleshoot problems.

ADVOCATED FOR AND EVALUATED IMPLEMENTATION OF SYSTEMIC CHANGE THAT EXPANDED DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VICTIMS' ACCESS TO JUSTICE. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Court Watch Montgomery has been vocal about the access to virtual hearings. In 2020, we published reports highlighting the concerns over protective order rates, both state-wide and Montgomery County, as well as breakdowns in transparency and accountability surrounding virtual hearings.

DEVELOPED DATA-INFORMED POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR COURTS AND COURT-RELATED COUNTY PROGRAMS. Court Watch Montgomery identified the most significant roadblocks to domestic violence victims receiving justice in Maryland courts by analyzing our extensive data collected in court and volunteer research teams. Court Watch Montgomery identified or developed model practices, procedures and policies that addressed each roadblock. Court Watch Montgomery recommended changes to court procedures and policies that would increase the number and quality of protective orders and improve the comprehensive community response to domestic violence in Montgomery County. In 2020, Court Watch Montgomery analyzed the devastating effects of COVID-19 on the court process and victim outcomes. Finally, Court Watch Montgomery further developed its proposal to increase accountability in Maryland's judicial system by legislatively establishing a formal statewide judicial evaluation program.