Court Watch NOLA was established in June 2007 as a result of a citizen-recognized need for greater accountability, transparency and efficiency in the New Orleans criminal justice system. Its establishment was a collaborative effort between Business Council of New Orleans and the River Region, Citizens for 1 Greater New Orleans and Common Good. The formation of Court Watch NOLA was also driven by the New Orleans Crime Coalition, to which the aforementioned entities unite for common purpose of reducing violent crime and restoring safety in New Orleans.

The court watch model adopted was developed by researching various court watch programs operating in other jurisdictions in the US. It is tailored to our specific system and objectives.  

It is unique in the US in two ways: (1) the mission of Court Watch NOLA is judicial system efficiency, not victim advocacy, and (2) it is managed by a paid professional: very experienced, successful former prosecutor, Karen Herman. Having a full time dedicated professional lead, brings a level of expertise and acumen not generally seen in court watch models, as well as long-standing professional relationships with Judges, prosecutors, defense attorneys and police officers. 

Court Watch NOLA now has 82 volunteers and monitors 375 cases as follows: all homicide, all crimes of violence and the 120 oldest cases. With volunteers continuing to increase, we will commence monitoring high-weight cocaine possession and felon in possession of a firearm cases. 

Our volunteers represent virtually every neighborhood in New Orleans, all ages from 20 to 80, men and women, black and white, sharing a commitment to New Orleans and recognizing the importance of a transparent and efficient criminal justice system and the vital role citizens play in helping to support the recovery of New Orleans.

We provide training to our volunteers on the second Saturday of every month. These training sessions will be located at the Latter Library, located at 5120 St. Charles Ave.  Please call 994-2694  for further details. The week following the initial training, our Coordinator and other experienced volunteers take small groups of newly trained individuals to Criminal District Court to observe court proceedings in the twelve sections of court. We also provide our volunteers with the relevant statutory law that will be applicable to the cases they will be monitoring. This training allows our court watchers to become familiar with the Justice System and to properly monitor these cases in a consistent manner. Our volunteers are also instructed as to courtroom decorum and protocol.
Unlike other court watch programs in the area, we are not victim advocates nor are we in court to ensure convictions.

The Court Watch NOLA volunteers currently involved in the program are enthusiastic about this endeavor and share the same sentiment – “We are making a difference!”

Court Watch New Orleans is excited to announce Graham da Ponte as our new Executive Director.  Please see the below letter from the Chairman of the Board, Andrea St. Paul Bland