Tuesday, January 20, 2026 | 3:00 – 4:30 p.m. 
Online

Across the country, community members are stepping into courtrooms – physical and virtual – to observe, document, and expose what actually happens inside the criminal legal system.

Court watch programs shine a light on the everyday practices, decisions, and injustices that shape people’s lives. By collecting firsthand observations and aggregating data, Court Watchers help build the public record needed to advocate for transparency, accountability, and meaningful change.

This session in honor of the legacy of Dr. Marin Luther King, Jr. will feature court watch organizations as well as organizers using court watch to advocate for more just outcomes for people across the country. ALC Court Watch is hosting panelists from East Baton Rouge Parish Prison Reform Coalition in Louisiana, Community Defense of East Tennessee, Freedom Community Center in St. Louis, MO and More Than a Hashtag of Las Vegas and Mass Lib Nevada.

Together, they’ll share how court watching manifests as a powerful movement tool–not only giving voice to the people–but also transparency and accountability to the systems that seek to ensnare and enact violence in our communities.

Register at bit.ly/mlkdaycw