The location of the courthouse says a lot about the value society places upon the building and the work that is done there. Many issues and criteria enter into the equation:
- Availability of public transportation and parking
- Proximity of other governmental buildings
- Relationship to other civic and government buildings
- Impact on surrounding residential neighborhoods
- Prominence of the site in terms of image and identity
- Architectural compatibility with surrounding buildings
- Availability and cost of the site
- The site's potential for expansion
- Site amenities such as views, vistas, and landscaping potential
- Physical constraints such as topography, soil conditions, and utilities
- Use restrictions by codes, easements, and ordinances
It is important that people living near a potential courthouse site be allowed to participate in the decision to decrease the possibility of public confrontations later.
Two related issues that have a great impact on the location of judicial services are the use of satellite court locations for specialized judicial functions (Consolidation vs. Separation of Court Facilities) and the proximity of criminal court functions to detention facilities (Consolidation vs. Separation of Judicial and Detention Facilities).
Consolidation vs. Separation of Court Facilities
Consolidation vs. Separation of Judicial and Detention Facilities
