It is a familiar scene in many older courthouses. Just outside a courtroom door, an attorney leans in close to a client, speaking in hushed tones while people stream past. Another attorney is doing the same thing a few feet away. Conversations overlap, and sensitive details are exchanged within earshot of strangers. Anxiety is already high because of the stakes involved in court proceedings, while crowded hallways can create distractions and compromise security sightlines and circulation patterns.
These conditions highlight why attorney conference rooms remain an important component of modern courthouse planning and courtroom operations.
Most courthouses I visit are older facilities that lack attorney conference rooms, and adding them is often high on the list of improvements for a new courthouse project. However, during a series of meetings with one court that were unrelated to courthouse planning, the judge and facilities personnel indicated that their attorney conference rooms were rarely used. Based on their experience, they believed only one or two rooms were needed per courtroom floor, even though their building had six courtrooms per floor. Each courtroom was originally supported by two conference rooms, but many had been repurposed as storage areas for equipment and excess furniture.
This perspective surprised me. I would welcome the opportunity to return to that facility in a planning capacity to better understand the culture and operational dynamics of a court that does not actively use its attorney conference rooms.
Most modern courthouse design standards recommend two attorney conference rooms per courtroom, typically located adjacent to or very near the courtroom. These spaces serve a simple but critical function by giving attorneys a private place to meet with clients, witnesses, and colleagues throughout the day.
Court proceedings are dynamic. Cases are negotiated, clarified, and sometimes resolved at the last minute. Attorneys need space to review testimony with witnesses, discuss plea agreements or settlements, explain proceedings to clients, and coordinate strategy with co-counsel. Without dedicated rooms, all of these conversations spill into public circulation areas.
From a planning perspective, attorney conference rooms are not simply an amenity. They are part of the operational infrastructure that allows courts to function efficiently and professionally.
Across multiple state and federal guidelines and courthouse best practices, attorney conference rooms are typically recommended at approximately 120 to 150 square feet.
This size generally supports:
On occasion, I have seen attorney conference rooms equipped with technology, including display monitors and power access at the at tables with the ability to connect a laptop or tablet.
The goal is efficiency and turnover rather than large, reservable meeting rooms. These are short-duration, high-frequency spaces designed to support the rhythm of courtroom operations.
Most attorney conference rooms that I encounter during courthouse planning have thick wooden doors and soundproofing designed to protect confidentiality. However, there is rarely an easy way to determine whether the room is occupied before opening the door. Over the years, I have opened attorney conference room doors and encountered more than a few surprises, including a messy break room, a sleeping courtroom deputy, and even a dog. Experiences like these raise an interesting design question for courthouses: should attorney conference rooms include a better way to indicate occupancy?
Some facilities have incorporated glass sidelights or small vision panels into conference room doors, allowing staff and attorneys to quickly determine whether a room is in use while still maintaining acoustic privacy. These viewing panels can also enhance security by allowing court personnel to confirm that no threatening behavior or inappropriate activity is occurring inside the room.
If there are concerns about visibility into the room from adjacent public areas or courtroom entrances, one possible solution could involve frosted or shaded glass combined with motion activated lighting that indicates occupancy without revealing who is inside. It is a small design consideration, but one that could improve both functionality and the occasional embarrassment that comes with unexpectedly opening the wrong conference room door.
It should also be noted that courthouses handling confidential or vulnerable witnesses should include a small meeting room located within restricted circulation areas and out of public view so that witness identities and movements can remain protected.
Where attorney conference rooms are located can significantly affect how well they function.
Rooms located adjacent to the courtroom generally provide the best operational outcome. Attorneys can quickly step out to confer with a client or witness and return to proceedings without delay. These nearby rooms are also more visible and intuitive to use, which tends to increase utilization.
Some courthouses instead cluster conference rooms on courtroom floors. This approach can work when space is constrained and may improve flexibility in certain layouts. However, clustered rooms often require longer travel distances and may reduce convenience during active proceedings.
In practice, adjacency usually produces the highest utilization and operational benefit. When rooms are out of sight, they are often out of mind.
The court referenced above, which suggested eliminating attorney conference rooms because they “never get used” is the exception rather than the rule. Even in that case, the conclusion deserves careful scrutiny.
Are the rooms:
These are common reasons why rooms appear underutilized. Removing them entirely risks solving the wrong problem and reinforces the hallway conditions that many courts are trying to avoid.
In a well-designed courthouse, the difference is noticeable.
An attorney steps out of the courtroom with a client, walks a few feet into a nearby conference room, and closes the door. They review testimony, clarify next steps, and return to the courtroom prepared. A witness is briefed calmly and privately before taking the stand. A last- minute agreement is reached without disrupting proceedings. By moving these interactions out of crowded hallways, the courthouse becomes calmer, more secure, and more efficient for everyone using the facility.
These moments happen dozens of times a day in busy courts. They are quiet, routine, and largely invisible, but they are essential to keeping the justice system moving. Attorney conference rooms help reduce unnecessary interaction between opposing parties, improve privacy for sensitive discussions, and minimize congestion around active courtrooms.
Attorney conference rooms may not be the most prominent feature in a courthouse, but they play an outsized role in supporting operational efficiency, professionalism, security, and the overall public experience. Designing appropriately sized and properly located rooms is a relatively small investment that can deliver significant operational value.
Perhaps most importantly, these rooms move critical conversations out of crowded hallways and behind closed doors where they belong.