Judging the judges: Watchdog groups see spike in interest after Rittenhouse trial

A few weeks after the verdict in the Kyle Rittenhouse trial, Michelle Garra signed up to volunteer with Court Watch PG, a Maryland-based organization that trains people to monitor trials to keep judges and prosecutors accountable.

Following the proceedings closely, Garra was particularly disturbed by how the judge operated, she said.

"It was surreal watching the judge coddle him like that. I've been in court, and they don't treat people like that," she said.

Garra, 50, asked herself before she reached out to become a court watcher, "If a high-profile case could play out this way, then what are judges doing when no one is watching?"

Rittenhouse was acquitted of fatally shooting two people in Kenosha, Wisconsin, during racial justice protests last year. While they were not considered misconduct, the temperament and behavior of Circuit Judge Bruce Schroeder, who presided over the trial, drew scrutiny, mainly because some said he appeared to have a soft and lenient stance toward Rittenhouse.

Interest in organizations like Court Watch PG, which train volunteers to observe both real and virtual court proceedings and report problematic practices by judges and prosecutors, has risen since the Rittenhouse trial as more people cite concerns about bias in courts. While the methods of reporting vary by organization, most use the compiled data to alert the public about issues and sound the alarm to officials, among other things.