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...

Before a courthouse becomes a symbol or a skyline feature, it is first experienced as a place. As human geographer Yi-Fu Tuan observed, space becomes place through lived experience—through movement, memory, meaning, and use over time. 

Imagine a statewide courthouse portfolio spanning dozens of facilities including urban courthouses operating at or beyond capacity, smaller rural buildings with aging security infrastructure, and historic facilities carrying years of deferred maintenance. Each courthouse has a legitimate need, yet...

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.

I recently attended a gala at the historic Surrogate’s Court in New York City—a stunning Beaux-Arts landmark that, for an evening, transformed from a courthouse into a space for celebration and community. Standing beneath its grand arches and marble columns, I couldn’t help but think: why shouldn’t...