A person arrives at the courthouse early, having taken unpaid time off for a hearing expected to be brief. As the morning unfolds, small delays quietly stack up—information moves slowly between offices, schedules drift, and no one can say exactly when the case will be called. When the matter...

Parking is one of the most common—and most contentious—issues raised during courthouse planning. Judges, jurors, staff, and the public experience parking very differently, but one thing is consistent: when parking does not work, it quickly becomes a visible symbol of operational inefficiency and...

As a court planner, I always pause when beginning a project with a new architectural firm. One of the first questions is whether we’ll be able to conduct stakeholder interviews in our usual way—or whether the firm plans to rely on questionnaires.

Not long ago, I was presenting to a Board of Commissioners about the need for a new courthouse. After the presentation, one of the commissioners asked a question:

“Given all the new courthouse projects you’ve worked on, what are some of the lessons learned—things that the courts later regret about...

Courthouses are evolving to meet the demands of modern justice systems, community needs, and technological advancements. No longer defined by rigid layouts or single-purpose spaces, today’s courthouses must balance flexibility, efficiency, and innovation to remain functional and future-ready.