How it works
From leaving the courtroom to seeing the result takes about a minute. Here is every step, and what happens behind it.
1. Tell us who you were
Choose one: part of the case (defendant, victim, witness, family), watching, juror, or attorney or court staff. A defendant, a juror and an observer see different things, so we show their ratings side by side and never blend them.
2. Pick the courthouse
Your phone can suggest the nearest courthouse, or you can search. If you allow location, it is used once to check that you were near the courthouse (within 1,000 feet). We keep only “near” or “not near”, never where you were.
3. Pick the judge or prosecutor
Choose the courthouse, then the judges or the prosecutors tab, then the person.
4. Answer five short questions
- Each question is a tap from 1 to 5. If you did not see something, tap “I didn’t see this”. You need to answer at least three of the five.
- Add an overall star rating.
- Optional: how it went for you (I won, I lost, mixed, I only watched). This helps readers see whether low scores come from the process or only from losing.
- Optional comment, typed or spoken. A spoken comment is turned into text and the recording is deleted right away.
- If you were a victim or witness and are rating a prosecutor, two extra optional questions appear. Their answers are shown separately.
5. See the result right away
You see the overall score, each question, the scores by group, a note on how people who lost their case rated, and the trend over recent weeks.
How scores are counted
- Each question’s score is the plain average of the 1 to 5 answers, counting only people who answered that question.
- Every rating counts the same. We mark the ratings made near the courthouse and show how many there are, so you can judge for yourself.
- No score is shown until a person has at least 5 ratings, so a score can never point to one rater.
- Scores are shown by group (in the case, watching, jurors, attorneys and staff). We do not hide a secret formula that mixes them.
- One phone can rate the same judge or prosecutor once every 30 days.
How comments and moderation work
- Every comment is read by a human moderator before anyone else sees it. Until then only the person who wrote it sees it, marked “waiting for a moderator”.
- Once a moderator approves it, it becomes public.
- People who have rated someone can report a published comment. When two different people report it, it is hidden until a moderator decides again.
- Moderators remove insults, threats, private details, accusations of crimes and things that are not about the courtroom. They do not remove harsh but factual criticism.
- Every moderator decision is public, with the moderator’s name and the reason, on the moderation log.
Every situation
Choose “part of the case”, then “Defendant or family”. You answer the five questions. Say if you won or lost.
Two extra optional questions appear: whether the prosecutor listened and kept you informed, and whether you felt safe and treated with dignity. They are shown separately.
Pick that role. Skip anything you did not see.
You are counted as your own group. You know the most, and you may also have a stake, so your scores are shown on their own.
Tap “I didn’t see this” on what you missed. Answer at least three.
You can say so. Your rating counts, and readers can see how people who lost rated the judge.
It works. Your rating just isn’t marked as made near the courthouse.
It is blocked for 30 days from your last rating of that person. You can rate other people right away.
Tap Report and choose a reason. Two reports hide it until a moderator decides again.
Tap Share on the profile. The link opens that profile with a preview.
Tap EN/ES at the top right. The site also follows your phone’s language.
You see a clear message and a Try again button. Nothing is sent twice.