The National Center for State Courts has synthesized sustainable innovations to model future court service paradigms and the resulting space requirements in this new report, Court Space reForm.
As court leaders find innovative ways to push the boundaries of efficiency and service delivery, architects and planners continue to support and enhance court operations. The user experience is a priority, including how the built environment may influence its occupants’ behaviors and overall wellness. A connection to the community, its history, and its unique context expresses the importance and stability of our justice system and its significance in our society.
As the judiciary continues to expand access and respond to changing demands from the public, the courthouse, too, must reForm. Court facility planning must be flexible to accommodate operational changes. These changes warrant the need to reForm functional spaces to support new court service trends. A sustainable court environment that encourages and supports forward‐thinking operational practices will advance and institutionalize a successful judicial system.
NCSC has developed a courthouse self-assessment tool to help courts better understand where they are currently at and identify opportunities to improve or expand their courthouse space's serviceability. This self-assessment tool is designed to reexamine your existing building and learn about new courthouse space planning and design trends. The assessment tool asks several questions about the current courthouse and design topics that may be of interest to help define and a space reFORM plan so that the courthouse will continue to support and enhance court operations.
For more information, contact Principal Court Management Consultant Nathan Hall.