DURING THE FIVE MONTHS OF THIS PROJECT, FEBRUARY THROUGH JUNE OF 1975, SOME 130 TRAINED VOLUNTEERS MONITORED SIX LOWER CRIMINAL COURTS IN CHICAGO AND THE COOK COUNTY SUBURBS, VIEWING A TOTAL OF 43 DIFFERENT JUDGES. DATA ON MORE THAN 26,000 PROCEEDINGS, COLLECTED BETWEEN MARCH 3 AND MAY 16, PROVIDE THE BASIS FOR THIS REPORT. SPECIFIC PROBLEMS IDENTIFIED BY COURT WATCHERS WERE CONFUSION ON THE ASSEMBLY LINE, CONTINUANCES ON DEMAND, SOME INJUDICIOUS JUDGES, RUDE BAILIFFS, OVERBURDENED PUBLIC DEFENDERS, LACK OF INTERPRETERS, AND PROSECUTION OF VICTIMLESS CRIME. EACH OF THESE PROBLEMS ARE DISCUSSED IN DETAIL WITH REFERENCES TO INDIVIDUAL COURTS. MONITORS' REPORTS WERE ASSESSED BY THE PROJECT'S COOK COUNTY STEERING COMMITTEE AND ITS PROBLEM-BY-PROBLEM RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPROVING THE COURTS ARE ALSO PRESENTED, ALONG WITH COMMENTS FROM PRESIDING JUDGES AND THE CIRCUIT CLERK. APPENDED ARE SAMPLE PROJECT DATA SHEETS, PROFILE INFORMATION ON THE MONITORS, AND THE NAMES OF THE PERSONS SERVING ON THE PROJECT STEERING COMMITTEE.