Fundacja Court Watch Polska

Description

Court Watch Poland is a foundation that monitors and evaluates how Polish courts operate. Founded in 2010, it sends volunteers to attend court hearings across Poland as independent observers. Volunteers sit in the public gallery, watch proceedings and record what they see without taking either side. The goal is to protect the public’s interest in a fair and respectful justice system.

Its volunteers have attended tens of thousands of hearings, and more than 3,500 people have taken part in the program. Up to 10,000 people in Poland benefit each year from having a volunteer observe their trial. The foundation has built what it describes as the world’s largest database of court hearing observations, drawn from this monitoring work.

Court Watch Poland shares its findings through reports and academic articles, made freely available online. It uses this evidence to advise judges on how to treat people appearing in court, aiming for fair treatment, careful listening, impartiality and clear communication. The organization says its work has helped reduce the frequency of many harmful courtroom practices by a factor of three.