Monitors had further regular meetings throughout the project implementation period to discuss and agree on work ethics and receive specialized training on court monitoring techniques. A group was also created on social media among project staff, making it possible for them to exchange information in real time and consult others on issues and difficulties encountered in their work. With the help of a statistician, an electronic software was created enabling court monitors to enter data collected each day directly into a database. Dedicated software was developed using electronic forms on a tablet, ensuring that the forms are entered correctly. A comprehensive automated cleaning data rules were developed between questions at the level of the form to ensure consistency of questions and answers. While most data contained in the report is based on direct observation of cases by ISTIQLAL monitors during the reporting period, some quantitative data was obtained directly from the court system. Data was extracted through the “Al-Mizan” software accredited by the Higher Judicial Council. Monitoring methodology Prior to starting the monitoring activities, the project team devised a number of indicators relevant to the monitoring goals. The indicators were then shared and discussed with relevant counterparts, including judiciary representatives, human rights organizations and all ISTIQLAL members. In order to collect data in a streamlined fashion, ISTIQLAL developed five questionnaires that were used by court monitors to collect data and input it into the database. Both quantitative and qualitative approaches were used to collect data. Monitored courts The Courts that were the object of monitoring are all First Instance Courts in the Gaza Strip (Gaza City and Khan Yunis), all First Instance Courts in the West Bank (Hebron, Bethlehem, Ramallah, Jericho, Nablus, Jenin, Tulkarm and Qalqilya), and the Serious Crimes Court branches in the same West Bank governorates. The team also monitored cases pending before the Corruption Crimes Court, the study community was limited to the Corruption Crimes Court and a conducted a pilot monitoring of the juvenile courts in Ramallah, Al Bireh, Bethlehem, Nablus and Gaza. These courts are not included in the present report and will be the object of separate thematic reports. Timeframe and number of hearings monitored Monitoring of trials before the Serious Crimes Court took place between 1 April and 19 June 2019, when Presidential Decree no. 14 of 2019 repealed the Decree Law no. 9 of 2018 that had created the Serious Crimes Court. The team monitored 1.348 hearings spanning over 83 court days Monitoring of trials before First Instance Courts in the West Bank took place between 19 June 2019 and 15 February 2020. The team monitored 7.846 hearings spanning over 506 12