Court Observer: Protect Human & Civil Rights in the Justice System

If you live in the Chicago Metropolitan Area, YOU are needed to observe and document civil and human rights conditions in courtrooms.

Due process in justice is not possible without language access. Deaf and limited-English speakers have had their rights ignored, and too often people are targeted for the languages they speak. If you care about neighbors with language barriers, we need your help.

The right to due process and equal protection for people with language barriers is both a civil right and a human right. It is protected by the U.S. Constitution (Amendments V and XIV), the Civil Rights Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the Court Interpreters Act. These guarantees are only real when they are enforced; otherwise, they are only words on paper.

Tens of millions of people in the United States use a language other than English at home or face language barriers. Our linguistic diversity creates logistical hurdles that cannot be ignored and too often results in people being denied the due process and equal protection they deserve.

AALB’s Language Access Watch trains courtroom observers to attend proceedings and assess whether courts provide required language access. Observers transform what they witness into accountability by producing reliable, actionable records that can power investigations, policy fixes, and enforcement. We will observe federal and state civil and criminal courts, immigration courts, and more.

In October we are launching in Cook County, Illinois, home to one of the largest court systems in the world. We need dozens of in-person volunteers across Chicagoland to generate the evidence needed to drive change. Based on what we learn, we plan to expand to at least three additional U.S. cities in 2025 and ten more in 2026. Where we go next will depend on volunteer interest, so please apply and list your city.

The work volunteers do is crucial to making change. Our leadership team will meet quarterly to review findings, and the LAW Leadership Committee will decide next steps. Actions may include compiling evidence and reporting to the U.S. Department of Justice, conducting targeted follow-up observations, and publishing findings to inform the public and media. All volunteers will be invited to observe these meetings.

Join us to protect justice and due process for everyone. Volunteer as a Courtroom Observer in October if you are in Chicago, tell us what city you are from, and step up as a LAW Leader if you already understand your local courts and want observations to begin in your city.

We will be having a launch event with a special guest on October 5, 2025, from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM Central Time. Register: https://lnkd.in/gg7G9jcb

Learn more: https://www.aalb.org/law