LA County's Court Commons exhibit brings education, resources to residents

The Los Angeles Superior Court on Friday unveiled Court Commons, a traveling exhibition designed to connect county residents with court resources and educate the public about the ins and outs of the legal system.

The exhibit was revealed in a public event outside the Stanley Mosk Courthouse in Gloria Molina Grand Park, with remarks by Presiding Judge Sergio C. Tapia II, Assistant Presiding Judge Ricardo R. Ocampo and Executive Officer and Clerk of Court David W. Slayton, among others.

"Today is not simply about unveiling a new initiative," Tapia told the crowd of onlookers on Friday. "It is about affirming a fundamental belief that justice works best when it is visible, accessible and grounded in the communities it serves."

Court Commons is a collaboration between the superior court and Half Sister Studio, a creative firm that designs immersive public exhibitions.

"We chose the name Court Commons with intention," Slayton said. "Throughout history, a commons has been a shared public space, a place where people gather, exchange ideas, solve problems and feel a sense of belonging. Our hope was to create a modern version of that for the court - a place where justice feels approachable, where the community feels invited in and where we meet people exactly where they are."

"Imagine a student seeing themselves in a judge's robe, a parent learning how to expunge an old record, a skeptic hearing a story that changes how they see the justice system," Ocampo said at the event. "That is the kind of impact we're talking about. This initiative fills a critical gap. It brings education, resources and human connection into spaces that need them most."

Speakers on Friday also included Dr. Frances Baez, chief academic officer for the Los Angeles Unified School District.

"We just hope that you scale this up more so that we have more in every single school," Baez said. "We have over 400,000 students. We have close to 1,000 campuses, many parents and communities. The challenge is, now give us more."

Remarks were also given by actor Simone Missick, who portrayed Judge Lola Carmichael on the CBS and OWN television show "All Rise."

"Like the character of Judge Carmichael, this initiative pushes boundaries," Missick said. "It reimagines how the courts connect with the people that it serves, not through summonses or courtrooms, but through conversation, education and presence in the community."

Court Commons will visit schools and communities across the county, according to a news release issued in conjunction with the event on Friday.