Documenter Debrief is a space for Documenters to come together, reflect, and make sense of what we’re witnessing inside Cook County courtrooms.

With our court watching pilot complete we will like to reflect on our learnings. Documenting Cook County detention hearings had Documenters stepping into spaces where decisions are made quickly and where the impact on people’s lives is immediate and profound. We captured moments that often go unseen, by documenting not just outcomes, but narrative, process, access, and experience.

This event brings us together to step back from our individual experiences and look at the bigger picture.

What patterns are we noticing across courtrooms?

What moments stayed with us after we left?

Where are we seeing barriers, inconsistencies, or moments of care?

Through conversation, shared observations, and collective reflection, this Documenter Debrief will help turn court watching into deeper understanding of our justice system.

Together, we’ll connect what we’re seeing, surface what matters most, and make sense of a system that can often feel complex and opaque.