My understanding is that our Katie Cool Lady felt a deep connection to this family, having went through what they are going through, due to her sister being murdered and having to sit through the painful trial, etc. She did not know the family before the trial and is NOT PAID to go and be with them. She works and has a full busy, other life and tries to go be with them whenever she can. She IS NOT PAID , and just acting on the goodness of her heart. She is a longtime member here, so she began posting her notes. More and more people got hooked on her wonderful, witty writing and it became something to tune in for , or look for Katie's posts. She deserves to be highly paid, and then some, but she and some of our other members are there, and post here, because they are such good, good people.
There is such a thing as Victim's Advocate that is may be a paid position, and may be a volunteer, it depends. T to the best of my knowledge, this is not the case with Katie or Pasa, or Katie DJJ, the one you often see on Dr. Drew. All the more reason you will see folks gushing with thanks to them, in awe of how they do it, and hold down their jobs, families, other life.
I hope this helps. I just realized I did not answer your basic question, yes they wait in line with everyone else to get in. Sometimes the guard or family can rather wink and get them in, I trust. Other times, they have reported, "I was not able to get in, so I am posting from the hallway". God bless these women!!
Many of Travis' friends have taken turns coming to the trial to stand in unity with his family who are there every minute, of every day of trial.
The court reporters that work for news stations, of course that is their job to observe and opine on air and in print. Other folks in there are authors writing books. Some are just mom and pop from the community who want to go watch the trial. Then there are the Jodi supporters who I do not even know how to comment on, and that is being overly generous of me. :seeya: