Welcome to the Alabama Court Watch blog. Here you will find tools and resources that we hope will help you navigate your way through the Alabama judicial system should you ever, unfortunately, find yourself as a defendant. Our mission at Court Watch is multi-faceted.
We are a grassroots,judicial-reform, activist oriented group. It's no secret that the Alabama Judicial system is corrupt and anything but fair and just. In my own personal 4 1/2 year journey through the system as a defendant I saw violation's of citizens rights by judges, prosecutors and defense attorneys in every court session I ever attended. I came to understand that most citizens are unaware that their rights are being violated because they are unaware of what their rights are.
Alabama Court Watch will strive to educate every interested citizen of their rights in an Alabama court of law, of their rights during a police encounter, provide information on proper courtroom behavior, help you find an attorney, instruct you on how to make your attorney work for you, teach you how to file complaints against Judges, prosecutors and defense attorneys, should the need arise, and give you some important tips and tricks based on our first-hand experience in the Alabama judicial system.
Another aspect that we focus on here at Alabama Court Watch is monitoring the drug courts, with particular emphasis on tracking marijuana defendants on their journey through these courts. Why marijuana defendants, you might ask?
Because, we are convinced that the majority of the defendants that make up the bulk of drug court case loads are adult marijuana smokers who are not breaking any laws other than possessing small amounts of marijuana for personal use.
If that is the case then we will soon find ourselves facing a treatment crisis, not unlike the prison overcrowding crisis, where marijuana consumers, who are not addicts in need of intervention, take up all the treatment space and resources needed for those with real addictions to prescription narcotics, crack cocaine, methamphetimine and alcohol.
Court Watch is designed to collect and track that information in hopes of making the drug court system work properly. We also plan to use it in our future efforts to remove responsible, adult marijuana consumers out of the criminal justice system, thereby freeing up police and court resources which are better spent addressing serious crimes like murder, rape, assault, child molestation, robbery, burglary, auto theft and domestic violence. The average clearance rate for all reported crimes in the state of Alabama for 2005 was a lowly 19%.
As taxpaying citizens we are entitled to much better service from law enforcement and our judicial system. The only way to get it is through direct action.
If you would like to volunteer to be a court watcher in your area of the state, want to share your experience in drug court, or report and incidence or judicial misconduct please email us or call us at toll free 1-877-528-5647.
We are printing up booklets that will be used to educate citizen's of their rights in court, their rights during a police encounter, how to find an attorney, how to make an attorney work for them, and other critical information that any defendant needs to know. If you would like to reserve a copy email us with your name and address and we will mail one to you as soon as they are available.
Printing eats up a large portion of our small budget. If you would like to help offset the cost of printing these information booklets, which we will distribute for free, or if you think our mission of educating citizens of their rights in court and exposing judicial misconduct are important ones and you would like to help us further it in the state of Alabama please support our work with a monetary contribution.
You may also mail a contribution to us at:
PO Box 504
Alexander City, AL 35010
**Please Note: We are in the process of applying for tax exempt status. At this time your contribution will not be tax deductible.**
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12 comments:
Thank you so much for your blog. The more infotrmed the public is about this idiotic war, the sooner it might end.
I really wish someone would check out Etowah County. Every lawyer will tell you here Drug Court really helps people and CRO is a cash cow. The city Judges will not grant indigent status and they are introducing kids who get caught with beer to all the drug dealers and hard drug users. A lot of kids end up doing harder drugs after CRO through their new contacts.. The drug problem and the amount of people on CRO steadly climbed since its beginnings. They have recently doubled payment from 35.00 to 70.00.
Someone needs to check out a Clarke County Circut Judge. His court is a joke. How do you file ethics charges against a judge? I have proof that he volated Judical Ethics Cannon. Its time he answers to the people of Clarke County for not being a responsible judge. Of course it's the whole system down here, lawyers included.
My comment is the court system in chilton county. I have just spent 4 years trying to get divorced. Every court date we had would be continued. We had one day of testimony back in Dec 07. My ex was questioned. That was it. 1 1/2 years later we have court and the Judge decides we will dicuss matters behind closed doors.I end up losing custody of my children, about to lose the property I was awarded, and now he and his father are taking me back to court to get what little I was awarded, that is still in their possession.
Child support in Baldwin County has probably the worst judge in the state. She is condisending and degrading to people that appear before her and there are no human rights or even two sides to a case to her. You can bring information showing reasonable and acceptable proof and she doesnt even look at it. Its a kangaroo court in the first degree. If I could aford a good lawyer I would sue the county without a doubt. I almost lost my wife and newborn son without being able to be with them. There was no cause or reasonable decision for this. Why is this put up with? How do these people get jobs like this? It is no wonder the State of Alabama is still a joke and consider backwards.
My daughter left her livein spouce of 20 yrs.We went to get her belongings.He had a fit and called police.So did i.He was making up lies about that day and he filed charges.One was harrising communications which he was guilty of too.The second was domestic violence which he later told kim that he was just mad and none of that happened.He said he was going to drop charges.At court he went back first after judge maloney told the people to plea guilty or not guilty and if they needed CAA.She plead not guilty and no att.She thought they dropped charges.The prosocuter said he couldnt drop charges altho they didnt have any proof of anything.She didnt even have a chance to tell her side.I was in the car.He came outside and got the popo while i was put on hold he did 911.They gave her 2Years probation not to have contact with him.She has a daughter by him and just had a new grandbaby by there older daughter.She is disabled no money no car waiting on SSI and needs surgery.The judge is very mean and didnt even tell her she could appeal.We went to clerk to get the court papers we were the only ones at the desk.The lady was very rude.Told us we would have to come back another day.When i finally got the papers it said she pled guilty not true.She was completly innocent.Oh yea Tthe rude lady said i have two people behind you.What happened to first come first served.Jville Al court system treats people like dods and all of them act like they can do whatever and get by and they do.Something needs to be done about this city court and jail system.Can anyone help us or know of a good lawyer?.Please let me know.They have certain that i know for a fact that they just let get off like for dui and have dropped charges on people that have committed rape.It is all WRONG.
Anon on Oct. 25, 2009....What county are you in?
Loretta
Likewise, someone needs to take a close look at Talladega County, also.
My grandson was recently arrested for 3rd degree burglary. He and 2 others entered a storage building down the road from our home.......one of the others pushed a torn up 4-wheeler outside with the intent to steal, I suppose, but upon finding out it was torn up....just left it. The owner did not want to press charges but the city police pursued it. Several weeks later my grandson was picked up and charged with 3rd degree burglary and his bond was set at a whopping $30,000!!!! He is 19 years old, this is his 1st offense other than traffic violations and he is not a flight risk (has lived at the same address since birth!). He is currently in the Talladega County Jail because we have to have 3 people to sign his bond......even though we own several pieces of property in Talladega County, we were told we could only be 1 signer....we would need 2 more!
In my opinion, setting his bond so high is EXCESSIVE! I have done some research and everything I have found has said that for 3rd degree, bond should be set at $5000 - $15,000, depending on the circumstances. Our new Judge, Mr. Fannin....has chosen to DOUBLE the MAXIMUM amount.......for what reason, we don't know....he won't talk to us! He has his prelim. hearing Nov. 3rd.....maybe we can get some answers then.
My question is, who can we complain to that will look into this situation?? This is our first encounter with anything like this so we are lost. Thanks!
I had heard in Clay County that Judge Rochester himself is in trouble with violations of the law and many court cases will be turned over. Is this true? I saw US Marshalls in town the other day. Is this just gossip or the fact?
Hey anon...that's fascinating information. A contact of mine at the Associated Press called Rochester last week and he denied that he had been suspended. No mention was made of an investigation being conducted. You actually saw US Marshalls in town?
Let me dig around and see what I can find out. Please feel free to email me privately at lorettanall@gmail.com so we can talk. or you can call me at 256-625-9599 or 1-877-528-5647
Anon...after looking at the duties of the US Marshalls I don't think they would have been in town for anything to do with Rochester. Their duties are protecting federal courthouses, chasing down federal fugitives and transporting federal prisoners. The FBI would be in charge of arresting a judge should they find out that any federal law has been violated.
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