Grand juries convene in specialized suites within courthouses to hear and review evidence of alleged criminal conduct to determine if an indictment should be issued. This differs from trial juries, sometimes called petit juries, that decide both criminal and civil cases once they go to trial.

Courtroom layouts are crucial in ensuring legal proceedings' proper and fair functioning and facilitating justice. A typical courtroom consists of a judge’s bench, an area for court staff, a witness stand, a jury box, counsel tables, an attorney lectern, and a public seating area. These different...

A secure parking area for police vehicles is an important aspect of any police station. It is critical to consider various components when providing a safe parking lot for a police station, but this article will focus on the access control gate. The access control gate can be the “Achilles heel” of...

The public can find courthouses to be an intimidating experience. Visitors to a courthouse are often there to support a family member, be a witness in a proceeding, or sometimes a plaintiff or defendant. They often need to spend a large portion of the day in the building, and amenities can help...

Proper maintenance is obviously important for the smooth operation of any building. But maintenance is also a key component of safety. As a certified practitioner in CPTED (Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design), I’ve had the opportunity to study how the security of people and property can...