Utah Judicial System Master Plan for Capital Facilities
Section II - Judicial Design Guidelines
Planning and designing a Courthouse is a very special process. First, it is special because it is so infrequent. Only occasionally does a community face the necessity or undertake the challenge of providing a Court facility.
Second, the planning and design process is special because it has such great community significance. The Courthouse is among the most important and symbolic of public buildings. It represents the government of the people and the ideals of the American system of justice: the rule of law, equal justice and the peaceful resolution of disputes. It gives tangible form to the community's respect for law and order. The Courthouse has great significance as a place of public service. It is here that disputes are resolved and justice pursued. It is here that important records are kept and made available for public use. It is here that judges and responsible citizens consider together the difficult questions of guilt, innocence, responsibility and equity.
Third, the Courthouse planning and design process is special because it bears unique responsibilities. It must create a building that will be practical and functional, meeting the needs of the Courts and agencies that will be in it. It must create an appropriate image: an image that will reflect the honor of the Court and engender respect for its rulings. It must also be economical, making wise use of limited resources, and not be seen as wasteful or extravagant.
The guidelines provided in this section are intended to support this special process and to further the interest of the development of high quality courthouse facilities that are accessible, functional, flexible, secure, economical and dignified.
1.1 Courthouse siting is an issue of great public importance and should not be made without careful consideration of all relevant issues including the following:
- Ease of public access
- Availability of public transportation and parking
- Proximity to other government buildings and programs
- Relationship to other services such as restaurants, office supplies, libraries, copy centers and attorney offices
- Relationship to civic center
- Impact on surrounding neighborhoods
- Prominence of site
- Availability and cost of site
- Expansion potential
- Site amenities
- Physical constraints of the site
- Site use restrictions
1.2 Courthouse siting decisions should be made on the basis of a balance of interests rather than on single-issue considerations such as prisoner transport, parking or land cost.
1.3 Priority consideration should be given to civic center sites.
1.4 Where possible, local governments and citizens should be included in the site selection process.
2.1 Where feasible, Courthouses should include all levels of trial courts including District, Juvenile and Justice Courts. Collocation of Courts will allow economies of scale and will enable the shared use of courtrooms, judges, court administrative personnel, clerk of court staff and security personnel.
2.2 Courthouses should include all organizational and functional units falling under the administration of the Courts including Judicial Officers and staff, Court Administration, Clerk of Courts, Guardian ad Litem, Court attached mediation and Juvenile Probation.
2.3 Courthouses should provide flexible space for the accommodation of Court Program and court annexed initiatives such as those related to Domestic Violence and to Pro se Assistance and Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR). These spaces should allow for multi-use meeting facilities with telephone, teleconferencing, audio recording and visual and sound display equipment.
2.4 Other Court related organizations may be considered for location within the Courthouse provided that they have adequate funding resources and their presence in no way infringes on the integrity of the judicial process or the security of the Court facility. Additionally, provision of space to other court related organizations will be contingent upon the availability of space and assignment of that space will not preclude subsequent relocation to permit court expansion within the facility.
2.5 The Court retains the right to review and approve all candidates for courthouse occupancy. Occupancies that cannot be accommodated within the Court's security envelope will not be approved.
3.1 Close proximity to other government agencies is not critical except with those offices and agencies with which theCourt interacts directly and frequently or where collocation is important to creation of easy public access to a rangeof governmental services.
3.2 In smaller facilities, preference should be given to the provision of general trial courtrooms as opposed tospecialized courtrooms. This will allow the greatest flexibility in assignment and usage.
3.3 Specialized courtrooms may be planned in multi-court facilities where judges have secure access to all types andsizes of courtrooms and where flexible assignment is possible. Sharing of courtrooms by judges should beaddressed in each courthouse planning and design.
3.4 Assignment ratios may be considered for Attorney/Client conference rooms, prisoner holding facilities and jurydeliberation rooms in multi-court facilities. Ratios of jury rooms to courtrooms should be less than one to one andshould be developed on a floor-by-floor basis. Single Courtroom facilities shall have at least one jury deliberationroom.
3.5 Courtrooms should be used for all formal court proceedings. Hearing rooms may be used for informal activities,case conferences or other case management activities. These rooms are also well suited to alternative disputeresolution activities such as arbitration and mediation.
3.6 Alternative hours of operation (evening sessions) may be considered for certain types of court functions and proceedings.
3.7 Courtrooms should be designed with enough space to accommodate ADA provisions, even when lifts are notprovided. In larger court facilities a reduction of ADA sized courtrooms can be provided at a ratio of onecourtroom in three being ADA.
OBJECTIVES
4.1 It is the stated objective of the judicial system to make maximum use of technology to enhance court operations andefficiency. (See Section I, 2.3)
4.2 All technology planning for court facilities will be consistent with the Judicial System Technology Master Plan aspromulgated by the Judicial Council Standing Committee on Technology and will be subject to review and approvalby technology staff at the Administrative Office of the Courts.
4.3 Court facilities should be planned and designed to flexibly deploy and integrate a high level of office automation(including e-mail, word-processing, spread sheets, etc.), case management systems, video (CCTV) proceedingsand conferencing with remote locations, evidence presentation systems, audio/video court reporting (CIC-Computer integrated courtroom), legal research, public access systems and imaging/records managementsystems. Applicable new technologies should be incorporated whenever possible including video arraignment.
4.4 Court buildings, floor plans, furniture layouts, and fixed millwork should be designed for easy access to facilitatemaintenance and flexibility of use.
INFRASTRUCTURE
4.5 Courthouse infrastructure should be designed to serve multiple computer platforms in the building's core (includinga wide range of LANS, WANS and other systems) and provisions for wireless applications.
4.6 Courthouse infrastructure should permit the interface of the following systems through the use of communicationsprotocols over connected wiring and cabling systems:
- Office automation
- Management information systems
- Security management systems and access control systems
- Generator or standby power systems (as needed to support emergency lighting and evacuation and continued operation of data processing systems and uninterrupted power units. Refer to state and national guidelines as necessary)
- Uninterrupted power supplies (to support Data Processing, Building Controls, Security equipment and communications equipment)
- Emergency lighting
- Lighting control systems
- Telecommunications systems
- Energy management systems
- Temperature monitoring systems
- Fire management systems
- Maintenance management systems (Building Control)
- Elevator control systems
- Lightning protection systems
- Other building systems
4.7 Infrastructure should support widespread distribution of multimedia applications including video technology forremote proceedings and conferences as well as staff training and public education.
4.8 Infrastructure should support the increased use of remote access to court computer systems for case/documentfiling, fine payments and public information. Off site connections to other court facilities, law offices and libraries orpublic assistance centers should be possible.
4.9 Infrastructure should support the staged integration of new and expanded systems including courtroom evidencepresentation and communication systems.
4.10 Infrastructure should support the deployment of assistive listening systems, TDD (Telecommunication Device forthe Deaf) and non English language interpreter services in courtrooms, offices and public use areas such as juryassembly and hearing rooms.
4.11 Communications requirements and guidelines for courtrooms shall be as provided in the standards published bythe Department of Administrative Services, Division of Information Technology Services, Facilities and WireManagement Group and the Administrative Office of the Courts. These requirements shall support the ComputerIntegrated Courtroom (CIC) operation and all related functions such as real time court reporting, on-line legalresearch, video court reporting, video conferencing, evidence presentation and records management.
GENERAL GUIDELINES
4.12 Courthouse design shall incorporate the following:
- Sufficient vertical chases to serve multiple communicating systems particularly support for multiple systems in the building backbone.
- Vertical alignment and appropriate locations and distribution of floor telecommunications and electrical distribution closets for appropriate building zoning and services distribution.
- Use of fiber optic and Category 5 cabling or more recent technology infrastructure.
- Provision of at least four Cat 5 (or better) outlets, a phone jack and a data jack to each workstation. Some areas may need two quads.
- Uses of access floor systems in office areas and cellular floor systems in courtrooms and other specialty areas as well as access floor for the Judge's bench, clerk's bench and other courtroom workstations.
- Use of a combination of up lighting and down lighting systems with task lighting to provide high quality, true color lighting in courtrooms, office areas and other areas with high computer use.
- Design of courtroom workstations and specialized work areas to logically, conveniently and comfortably support a wide range of systems and technologies.
- Computer network rooms should permit generous air circulation and should be no smaller than 200 SF regardless of the amount of equipment placed in them. This is to allow both access and expansion as the building reaches capacity.
- Water pipes should not be installed over computer rooms or telecommunications closet or other water sensitive areas. If substantial cause prevents implementation of this guideline, a close-looped water pipe system or equivalent must be used. As an overriding guideline water suppression systems are not to be installed over computer rooms, instead a gas extinguishing system or alternative system which meets building and state codes is to be installed.
4.13 Consideration should be given to the following:
- Conduit spaces under floors may need to be air-conditioned.
- Computer equipment may need its own power supply and the installation of an uninterrupted power supply is essential.
- Water and moisture detectors should be placed under the floor.
- Computer rooms require fire detection code compliant gas suppression systems.
- Computer and telecommunications rooms should be located in secure areas of the building.
4.14 The integration of technology into Courtroom and office environments should be sensitive to and in keeping withsound ergonomics.
5.1 Courthouse security is essential to the integrity of the judicial process and to the safety of courthouse occupantsand users.
5.2 All Court facilities in the State will have a written security plan on file with the Administrative Office of the Courts asrequired by the Judicial Council. These plans shall comply with Rule 3-414 of the Rules of Judicial Administration.
5.3 The required plan will address issues of security policy and responsibility, general procedures and staffing as wellas anticipated design and technology requirements. It should provide for the uniform training of security personnel.
5.4 Except under rare circumstances all courthouses should be planned with a single point of public entry to the facility.
5.5 The public entry of each courthouse should provide for the installation and operation of weapons screeningequipment in a way that is as unobtrusive as possible and in a way that promotes efficiency. Extended delays atscreening are not acceptable.
5.6 Dock and delivery areas should be secured and sized to permit the installation of screening equipment. Intercomand camera connection to the building security office should be provided. No one should be admitted withoutproper authorization.
5.7 Under normal circumstances, public parking should not be located under court buildings for security reasons.
5.8 Courthouses should provide separate circulation areas as follows:
- Judges and other court personnel should be able to access courtrooms, chambers, jury deliberation rooms and staff offices without interacting with the public. Separate circulation areas alleviate much of the potential for hostile confrontation.
- While members of the Bar and the public should have access to judges, and court staff, such access should be controlled through checkpoints where visitors can be identified and screened.
- The same principle of separate circulation applies to prisoner movement. Defendants in custody should be transported from their place of confinement to their court destination without passing through any public areas. Separate corridors in a court facility can achieve this goal. Shared or intersecting staff/prisoner corridors are advisable only with proper security staffing, training and procedures. Once in the courthouse, prisoners should be kept in secure areas, such as group or individual holding cells, until their appearance in the courtroom is required. Such holding areas must comply with all life-safety requirements, have secure space for attorney/client meetings, and should be sound proofed against prisoner disruptions.
- The principle of separate circulation areas can be best expressed in terms of "zones" which are as follows:
Public Zone - This includes jury assembly areas, attorney/client conference rooms, public corridors, food service areas, as well as spectator seating in courtrooms and waiting areas.
Private Zone - This includes judge's chambers, access to judicial parking areas and the courtroom, jury deliberation rooms, staff offices, copier/work rooms, conference rooms and libraries.
Prisoner Zone - The prisoner zone requires a holding area adjacent to the courtroom, attorney/detainee conference areas, prisoner circulation (including a secure sally port) to and from the jail, and security officer support areas.
Interface Zone - The principle interface zones are courtrooms. These zones also include those spaces where attorneys and the public meet (e.g. public corridor conference rooms), and space where court staff and the public interact. In general, these zones require access from two different kinds of circulation patterns.
5.9 Courtroom Security will incorporate the following features:
- If a security checkpoint is not provided at the building entrance, courtrooms must have a single public entry from a public corridor. This entry vestibule should accommodate a security checkpoint for spectator identification and metal detection.
- Entrance for the judge should be adjacent to the bench. If jurors have a separate entrance, this should be adjacent to the jury box. Prisoner entrances from holding cells should be directly into the courtroom well near the attorney tables or witness box.
- Any other access to the courtroom should be designed to inhibit unauthorized entry or exit. These include maintenance access, windows, and skylights.
- The courtroom design should reflect a clear separation between the spectator area and the well. No spectator should be able to make physical contact with an attorney, defendant or juror from this area. This separation should also be sufficient to permit private conversation between attorneys and their clients.
- It has long been recognized that judges are at risk while sitting on the bench during open court. They are the most likely targets of hostility as they symbolize the justice system and have primary involvement in the punishment phase of trials and pleas. For these reasons, judges should be afforded greater protection than other courtroom participants.
- This protection should commence with a bench of a size and height adequate to deter physical attack from defendants. The bench should also be bullet resistant so that handguns or shoulder-fired weapons cannot penetrate.
- Each judge's bench should be equipped with a silent duress alarm connected to an outside security station or a staff office of trained personnel. Duress alarms may also be installed in judge's chambers and the clerical stations where the collection of fees and fines occurs. A video camera installed in each courtroom for monitoring of courtroom emergency situations (at a security control station) has been incorporated into recent courthouse designs, and should be considered. This security capability can also potentially be tied into the video arraignment and video recording components.
- Throughout the courtroom, furniture should be designed without hidden recesses. This will make the placement of explosive devices or weapons more difficult during periods when the courtroom is unattended. It will also contribute to the observation of suspicious packages or objects in the courtroom and enable speedy searches in response to bomb threats.
5.10 Parking for judges should be in an area that is secure and protected from public access. Judges should havepassage to and from this parking area through a secure entryway directly into the secure or private zone of thebuilding, and accordingly should not pass through public areas for ingress and egress to parking.
5.11 Perimeter Security, defined as detection systems in staff and equipment used to monitor and safeguard publicentrances, staffing, and monitoring security control rooms, and patrolling of interior and exterior areas ofcourthouses, shall be budgeted and included as part of the ongoing operations and maintenance costs (O & M) ofa courthouse.
6. Juvenile and District Courts
The following courtroom and support space guidelines for the State of Utah reflect optimal standards for court set configuration. Various elements of the court set may be modified in accordance with local courtroom practices in recognition that there is no single courtroom design that is best suited for every jurisdiction. In general, however, the courtroom design must contribute to the effective administration of justice, convey an appropriate sense of decorum and be sufficiently flexible to accommodate future changes in practice and procedure.
THE COURTROOM
6.1 The design of a courtroom should express the serious nature and function of the court. The courtroom should bedignified and business-like, although attractive and in conformance with the building in which it is housed.
6.2 The physical dimensions of the courtroom should be sufficient to promote the appropriate formality of theproceedings. In order to accommodate state and local codes regarding proper fire exiting requirements, allcourtrooms must have two public entry/exits accessible from a public circulation corridor, each located from the other at least half of the diagonal distance of the courtroom's length. Ceiling heights should be proportional to roomdimensions and allow bench elevation. In a standard 1,800/1,600 square foot courtroom the appropriate ceilingheight is approximately 12 feet in the well and no less than 10 feet in the spectator area.
6.3 All courtrooms should be adequately lighted, particularly in the well. Lighting should be designed so that thecourtroom cannot be completely darkened from access to light switches at public entrances to the courtroom. Thejudge and court clerk should have access to light switches at their respective entrances to the courtroom. Heatgenerated from incandescent lamps should be taken into account in designing lighting over the judge's bench. Flourescent lighting fixtures should be selected to reduce possible ballast noise. Electronic ballasts should beused.
6.4 Air handling equipment must be silent in the courtrooms. All courtrooms should have individual climate controls. The design of electrical and mechanical systems should be able to handle future needs as well as presentdemands. This is particularly important with regard to communications and security equipment.
6.5 No mechanical systems (air handlers or other machinery) will be installed immediately above courtrooms, juryrooms or Judge's chambers, where deliberations occur.
6.6 All courtrooms should be designed to accommodate installation of equipment for audio and/or audio/videorecording of court proceedings. At least one courtroom, usually the courtroom(s) to be used as the arraignment courtroom(s), should be designed to accommodate video arraignment equipment.
6.7 The courtrooms should ideally be situated so that public and private circulation areas are separated and secureroutes for defendants in custody can be established. Courtrooms in multi-story buildings should be located onupper floors, which can provide quieter and more secure space. Courts, which generate a high volume of fines orprobation traffic, should have necessary support offices nearby.
JUDGE'S BENCH
6.8 The judge's bench should be the focal point of the courtroom. It should be designed and constructed to impart anappropriate sense of authority and dignity to the judicial office. The bench must also facilitate the judge's control ofcourt proceedings and the interaction of the judge with courtroom participants. The judge should have anunobstructed view of the witness, jury and Counsel. The bench should be situated either in a corner orientation orcentered at one end of the courtroom as has been traditional in many courts. The corner orientation will, particularlyin smaller courtrooms, utilize available space more efficiently than centered benches. The bench should bedesigned to inhibit direct public access to the judge.
6.9 The height of the bench should be at least three risers, (18 to 21 inches is standard for 1,800 and 1,600 square footcourtrooms) or at a level so the judge's line of sight is not obstructed.
6.10 Judges must also have sufficient leg room under the bench. The sides of the judge's bench may be symmetricallylowered to facilitate the transfer of documents and verbal communication with the court reporter and clerk. It shouldalso be configured to permit bench conferences out of the hearing of the jury.
6.11 The front of the bench may be surrounded by a chest-high shelf approximately 12" in width. This will allow attorneysto refer to files and documents during a bench conference and will prevent attorneys from resting their arms andelbows on the top of the bench.
6.12 It is recommended that the space between the judge's desk and the opposing wall be at least five feet. This willallow the judge to easily move his or her chair for bench conferences and to reach for reference books.
6.13 The judge's desktop should be spacious. A minimum of 6' x 3' is recommended.[1]* Several drawers should beprovided for forms, supplies, and personal items, as well as adequate shelving for volumes of the code of laws. A
microphone for sound reinforcement should be provided and should have an on-off switch on the unit. It is
recommended that sound system controls be accessible from the judge's bench. A light switch should be locatedat the judge's entrance to the courtroom. Computer screens should be flush mounted.6.14 The front of the bench, clerk's station and witness stand should be constructed of bullet resistant materials. Eachbench should have a concealed duress alarm for foot or knee activation. The alarm should alert the courthousesecurity station, or if none exists, an employee station (e.g. in the Clerk of Court's office) that is staffed withoutinterruption by personnel trained in emergency notification procedures.
THE COURT REPORTER'S STATION
6.15 The court reporter or electronic recording monitor must have an unobstructed view of the entire well area. This fieldof vision should include the judge, witness box, jury box, and attorney's tables, all within a 180-degree arc. This willallow for rapid eye and head movement necessary to identify exchanges between speakers and accuratetranscription of verbal and non-verbal (e.g. head nods, hand gestures) communication.
6.16 The court reporter or electronic monitor station should be mobile and portable with access to multiple electricaloutlets and space for electronic recording equipment (tape recorders) and sound reinforcement equipment. Newcourtrooms should comply with the requirements established for the Computer Integrated Courtroom (CIC).
THE COURT CLERK'S STATION
6.17 The Court Clerk requires immediate physical and communicative proximity to the judge. The clerk handles asubstantial volume of documents and files and frequently must pass them to or receive them from the judge. Inaddition, preparation of forms and other papers requires staples, stamps, inkpads, and other office supplies. Thesize of the workstation should accommodate two clerks, have at least a six foot desk area, have sufficient space fora computer terminal and audio recording machine, accommodate lockable drawers, cabinet or shelves forsupplies and forms, and counter space for case files. The station should be made cable-ready for in-courtroomcomputer terminals and have multiple electrical outlets. Controls for the courtroom sound system should be locatedat or near the clerk's desk. A light switch should be located at the clerk's entrance to the courtroom. The clerk'sstation should be elevated one or two risers.
WITNESS BOX
6.18 The witness box should be placed between the jury and the judge. The box should be elevated one or two risersand be in clear view of the judge, jury, attorneys' tables and spectators. The box should be enclosed on two orthree sides depending upon whether the entrance is from the side or rear. A desk area should be provided for thewitness and a shelf should extend from the front of the box for attorneys to rest files or evidence and to ensure anadequate non-encroachment distance. The width of the box should be at least three feet and the height should
shield the witness only from the waist down so that all non-verbal gestures can be easily viewed.6.19 A moveable microphone should be mounted unobtrusively in the box, and be able to clearly receive the testimony ofchildren and soft-spoken witnesses.
6.20 The witness box should be stationed no closer than four to five feet from the jury box, so that the nearest juror isseven to eight feet away from the seated witness, to lessen any feelings of intimidation jurors may have due to theirproximity to a criminal defendant or other witness.
6.21 The witness chair should be stationary to prevent witnesses from backing away from the microphone. Chairs withswivel seats should be of a quality to prevent squeaking and other distracting sounds.
JURY BOX
6.22 Jurors are temporary "officers of the court" and should be accorded the comfort and courtesies appropriate to theirimportant role in the trial process. Although jury service is a civic duty required of all eligible citizens, many jurorsserve at great personal sacrifice of wages and time. Further, many are completely unfamiliar with the judicialprocess and find it intimidating, confusing, and mentally taxing. The prominent position of a well-appointed jury box
in a courtroom should serve to facilitate their understanding of court proceedings. The first row of juror seatingshould be elevated one riser and the second row at two risers.6.23 The jury box should be situated so that the attorneys' tables, witness box, judge and audio-visual area are in fullview. The jurors themselves should be in view of the court as well as the spectators to ensure the perception of anopen and public trial. However, the jury box should be sufficiently distanced from the spectator area to inhibit anyphysical or verbal contact. Seven feet from the center of the first juror's chair to the rail is adequate. This leaves anadditional 2-3 feet from the edge of the rail to the center of the nearest spectator's seat.
6.24 The standard jury box should accommodate 14 jurors so as to provide maximum flexibility for present and futuretrial courts. Fewer than 12 seats would limit courts that need a full jury. Space should also be provided for adisabled juror. The disabled Juror space can occupy one of the 14 required seats. Seating placement can vary,but a two-tiered configuration with the front row on one riser and the back on two risers is preferred. In anyconfiguration, however, the jury box should not extend past either the witness box or the attorney's tables. Thisaffords at least a 90-degree view of all participants. The entrance to the jury box should be opposite to thespectator seating. Jury chairs should be medium to medium-high backed and provide good back and seatsupport. Theater fixed-seating type should swivel left to right but not tip front to back and should be designed sothey do not create distracting noise when swivelled. The small courtroom (1300 to 1500 square feet) should accommodate eight individuals (six jurors and two alternates). Depth of jury box from inside courtroom wall toinside of rail to be no less than 90" inches.
6.25 In multi-use courthouses where juvenile court is co-located, it is not necessary for all juvenile courtrooms to have ajury box. The Facility Program may determine the appropriate number.
ATTORNEY'S TABLE
6.26 Attorney tables and their placement should facilitate attorneys' in-courtroom work and movement throughout thewell. The tables' positioning should insure that litigants are in full view of the judge, court reporter and jury. Thetables' distance from each other, the spectators, and the jury should be such that private conversations cannot beoverheard. This usually requires at least five feet between tables and eight feet from the nearest juror or spectator.
6.27 The tables should be at least six feet in length and eight feet if multiple litigants or attorneys are common. The wellshould accommodate a third table in all juvenile courts and in cases which involve Guardians ad Litem andunusually large numbers of attorneys and litigants. For security reasons, the tables should not have drawers or arecess underneath the tabletop. Microphone floor jacks should be located under tables. A portable microphoneshould be provided for each courtroom.
6.28 The distance between the back of the table's chairs and the spectator's railing should be sufficient to comfortablyaccommodate a row of chairs along the railing for staff, paralegals, etc. The space at each end of the tablesshould permit easy movement to and from the tables. District Courts should accommodate at least two tables,while Juvenile courtrooms should be able to accommodate up to four tables in the well area.
BAILIFF
6.29 The bailiff is principally responsible for maintaining order. The bailiff typically escorts witnesses to and from thewitness box, escorts jurors to and from the jury box, handles heavy or hazardous evidence, and announces the entryof the judge. As such, the bailiff has multiple stations in the courtroom depending upon the type of proceedings atany given moment. The jury box entrance should provide space when defendants in custody are testifying. Otherwise, a chair can be provided near the defendant's table in criminal trials, or by the jury box nearest to thespectator seating.
6.30 In non-jury trials where defendant security is a concern, the bailiff should be stationed between the clerk of court andthe spectator rail. However, this may depend on the design of the well and the discretion of the judge.
CHARTS AND EXHIBITS
6.31 After exhibits are introduced into evidence and marked by the clerk, they should be displayed on a shelf in full viewof the court. Hazardous exhibits, such as firearms, drugs, toxic substances and objects that could be used asweapons should be placed away from the witness and jury boxes, and the defendant's table. Usually, the clerkstation or an adjacent bailiff's station is the most suitable location and adequate shelving should be provided fortheir display.
6.32 It is recommended that each courtroom have an evidence storage box or locker where the clerk during recessesmay secure items. The location of the locker should be out of any traffic patterns, away from the spectator's rail andinconspicuous. The locker should be able to accommodate a variety of documents upon shelving and have severalsmall compartments to safeguard weapons or drugs. The storage box must be sturdy, lockable and immovable.
6.33 Charts and displays are best presented either between the witness box and the jury box, so those addressing thecourt may point to them or across from the jury box if their detail is large enough to be seen at a distance.
6.34 Electrical outlets for projectors and video screens should be provided in these locations. A wall screen or portablescreen should be available for use in these spaces.
JUDGE'S CHAMBERS
6.35 Judge's chambers must be conducive to efficient work practices. This includes the reception of visitors, legalresearch, in-chamber hearings and conferences, and private telephone conversations. This office should bespacious to accommodate a small conference area, shelving for legal texts, filing, an appropriate desk area, arobing closet, and toilet facilities.
6.36 The location of the chambers should be adjacent to or near the courtroom. All judges' chambers should have extrasound insulation. If the chambers enter directly from the courtroom, the door and adjoining wall should be soundinsulated. If on a corridor, the area should not be directly accessible by the public, but be convenient to clerks,secretaries, law clerks and court attaches'. If possible, the chambers should have some natural lighting, but not sothat the chambers can be directly viewed from the building's exterior. A duress button placed inconspicuouslybeneath the desk is also recommended. If the chambers are at ground level, one-way observation glass should beused for outside windows, and bullet resistant and shatter resistant glass should also be considered.
JURY DELIBERATION ROOMS
6.37 Jury deliberation rooms should be near the courtroom in a private or semi-private area.The rooms should be soundproofed to prevent people in adjacent areas from hearing the deliberations. This is particularly true when theroom's walls are adjacent to a courtroom or a public area. The room should comfortably accommodate 12 to 14jurors. Long and sometimes emotional deliberations can increase feeling of claustrophobia and general unease,interfering with the decision-making process. If windows are provided they should not allow jurors to view publicevents outdoors. Because exhibits may be placed on the table, its finish should be scratch resistant and durable.
6.38 A vestibule area with two restroom facilities should be provided, designed for men and women (for reasons ofprivacy, the jury restroom should not open directly into the jury room). A drinking fountain is recommended for thevestibule area.
6.39 A telephone must not be provided, but a telephone jack and electrical outlets should be installed. This permits flexible use of the room during the frequent periods that juries are not using it.
PRISONER DETENTION FACILITIES
6.40 Temporary holding cells for prisoners awaiting court appearances should conform to Utah State Department of Corrections and current Federal correctional standards for lighting, ventilation, heating and cooling. Single cells should be a minimum of 60 net square feet and 15 net square feet should be allocated per person in group holding cells.
6.41 Each facility should provide a secure vehicular sally port for prisoner delivery with immediate and secure access to a centralized detention holding/staging area to accommodate prisoners in transit to and from courtrooms. This area will connect by a secure route to small clusters of holding cells located between pairs of courtrooms from which there will be direct entrance into the courtrooms.
6.42 Courtroom related clusters would typically contain 3 cells.
6.43 Each holding cell should have a combined toilet-wash basin and a shelf secured table and chair for writing and study. All fixtures shall be tamper-proof. All cells shall contain floor drains.
6.44 The ceilings and walls should have smooth surfaces that can be cleaned and disinfected easily.
6.45 All cell doors should have a glass panel installed so that prisoners may be viewed by security personnel. Ideally, multiple holding cells should have adequate sound separation to prevent inter-cell communication between prisoners.
6.46 Access to the holding cells should be convenient to attorneys and should not require travel through the well of the courtroom. The cells should be as close as possible to the courtroom, and the entire area must be soundproofed so that sound from the holding cell is not transmitted to the courtroom. If separate interview space is provided this must be within the secure envelope of the holding area.
6.47 Juvenile holding must be sight and sound separate from adult holding.
SPECTATOR SEATING
6.48 As a general rule, trials must be open and public. Persons, who wish to view trials and hearings, whether they are press or ordinary citizens, have a right to both see and hear the proceedings. Seating for spectators, in particular notorious criminal trials usually overwhelms even the largest courtrooms. Generally, the size of juror impanelments should determine the minimum number of spectator seats in a standard courtroom. All prospective jurors should be able to be seated in the spectator area, without overflow into the jury box or other area.
6.49 Multi-courtroom facilities should consider the feasibility of one large or "ceremonial" courtroom to accommodate unusual spectator demand. This courtroom can also be designed for high security trials and be equipped with audio-visual and news media features not normally required for most trials. The large courtroom is likely to be used as the arraignment courtroom (depending on local policy and preference) and should be equipped with a video arraignment capability. This courtroom could also have a judge's bench designed for three-judge appellate panels.
6.50 Seating may either be bench type or theater type. Moveable or stacking chairs rarely contribute to a sense of decorum or order in the courtroom. Usually bench seating with comfortable padding is preferred over theater s eats because benches can accommodate "more people per foot". They are also comparatively easy to maintain and show wear less quickly.
6.51 The seating must conform to tall building code regulations and allow for disabled movement to the well. The front row of seats should be distanced somewhat from the rail for sound and physical separation.
6.52 Public entry to the courtroom should be through a vestibule for noise control and security. The inner set of doors should have sufficient glass panels to permit visual identification of courtroom activities and participants without physical intrusion into the courtroom. As dictated by local needs, an observation room at the back of certain courtrooms, especially those intended to be used for domestic relations hearings has been used effectively in recent courtroom designs.
6.53 Planners of new facilities should consider ways for the public to hang winter outer garments in or near the courtroom. Without a designated area, wet coats will be draped across bench backs and other furniture, degrading their finishes and detracting from the room's overall appearance. However, the location of coatrooms or racks is problematic. Coat racks placed in courtrooms are rarely suitable due to the noise created by hangers when coats are hung up or removed. Coatrooms in a vestibule area have the same sound problems, and the coats are out of sight of their owners, inviting theft. Coat racks placed in public corridors do not create audible distractions in the courtroom but are easy prey to thieves. While there may be no ideal solution to this problem, one option is to provide small separate areas off the public corridor with coat lockers. The lockers should be equipped with key locks available for a nominal fee. Although there are some space, maintenance and security issues associated with public coat lockers, they do address the problem of theft and noise while removing the coats from the courtroom.
PUBLIC WAITING AREAS
6.54 It is important that the traffic patterns of the general public and persons having business before the court not be overlooked. When court is in session, persons will typically congregate in hallways by courtroom entrances while waiting for their cases to be called. These include defendants and their families (often with small children), the private bar, law enforcement officers, witnesses, the press and members of the general public. Most courts provide no waiting space for these persons, forcing them to mill about in congested hallways or compete for limited seating.
6.55 The problems of traffic congestion in narrow corridors, the noise this generates, and the debris which accumulates, can be remedied by providing a waiting area off the hallways. Waiting areas provide seating to draw this traffic out of the hallway and into a semi-enclosed area. This arrangement substantially reduces noise by removing it from the hard, reflective surfaces of a corridor and placing persons in a space with acoustically deadened walls, ceilings and furniture.
6.56 It is recommended that one public waiting area (250-500 NSF) be provided for every four courtrooms in large jurisdictions. If courtrooms are in clusters of fewer than four and are on different floors, one waiting area should be paired with each cluster. A single waiting area should be provided for smaller jurisdictions and be in sight of the courtrooms it serves.
VICTIM/WITNESS AREA
6.57 With the advent of victim's rights movements nationwide, there is now general consensus in the criminal justice system that victims of violent crime and witnesses in criminal trials deserve sensitive and compassionate treatment. One of the most traumatic aspects of court process for victims and witnesses are the numerous and prolonged appearances necessary in many cases. These proceedings normally require that all parties appear at the courthouse at the same time and congregate in the same public areas. This often results in victims having to physically associate with their alleged assailants and the defendant's family. The intermingling of defendants and witnesses for the prosecution always has the potential for intimidation and conflict. The opportunity for a mistrial due to improper communication is also increased.
6.58 In view of the recognized rights of victims and witnesses to be shielded from further intimidation and trauma, it is recommended that victim/witness areas be provided for their use while awaiting trial. These can be multi-functional rooms that can accommodate both victim/witness waiting and attorney-client conferences. These areas should provide sight and sound separation from public waiting areas and should be able to accommodate attorney/client conferencing functions. These areas should be adjacent to the courtrooms or in a non-public zone such as on a judicial staff corridor.
6.59 It is recommended that individual victim/witness areas be a minimum of 120 net square feet and larger for group and long-term waiting. The areas should be comfortably and attractively furnished with access to nearby restroom facilities and drinking water.
COURTHOUSE LIBRARY
6.60 A library/conference area to house legal reference books may be included in the planning for courthouse space.
7.1 Courts are encouraged to explore alternative approaches to specific case types or to develop new, more effective or efficient ways of conducting traditional proceedings.
7.2 Specialty courts such as Drug Courts may be planned to serve either Adult or Juvenile offenders meeting certain criteria.
7.3 While there are no special requirements or features applicable to a courtroom used as a drug court, it is advisable (when planning new facilities) to include a large conference room (approximately 400 NSF) adjacent to the courtroom projected to be used for Drug Court. The purpose of this large conference room is to provide for pre-session case and staff reviews and post-session case and staff coordination.
7.4 CCTV courtrooms are designed specifically to conduct remote proceedings. The courtroom must be able to link with other locations such as a jail, another courthouse, another office building or even attorney's offices.
7.5 The size of a CCTV courtroom may vary depending on what proceedings are anticipated to occur but in general (assuming that the proceedings will be non-jury) an area of approximately 1,000 NSF would be sufficient.
7.6 Ideally all courtrooms should be CCTV compatible and should be linkable by either fixed or mobile equipment. However, if cost considerations preclude the general approach, then a single room, fully prepared makes sense. It should be located in the interface zone (like any courtroom). It should provide a studio arrangement with careful attention to lighting and sound. A minimal number of public seats (approximately 10 -15) should be provided and full display screens located throughout to allow viewing from any position. Cameras should be mounted to cover all participants in the process. The Judge should have master control capability.
Utah Justice Courts handle a very high volume of cases . With this magnitude of cases, it is likely that any contact an average citizen will have with the Utah Judicial System will be through the Justice Courts. In many instances this contact will be a citizen's only impression of our system of justice and, even in minor cases, is likely to be lasting and profound. Regardless of the gravity of a matter before the court, citizens take their appearances as a defendant, witness or juror very seriously and form judgments on the entire judicial system on the basis of their personal experience. In view of this, it is essential that Justice Courts convey a sense of justice, dignity and concern for the citizens who interact with it. The facilities which house the courts play an instrumental role in forming these opinions and it is incumbent upon the judicial system to provide appropriately appointed forums in both the largest urban courts and the smallest rural communities.
The following space standards recommend courtroom designs that promote these goals. The courtroom sizes and support staff space are intended to allow for the expeditious administration of justice. They also allow for growth in judicial workloads and unforeseen changes in practice and procedure.
In general terms, there are great similarities between the higher courts and Justice Courts in courtroom configuration and space dynamics. For example, the principles of bench elevation sight lines, witness-jury-judge proximity, and spectator-well orientation are all consistent between courts. Therefore, most of the design recommendations suggested for District Courts apply to Justice Courts. The following discussion emphasizes these similarities and notes exceptions due to statutory and procedural differences as well as resource limitations.
GENERAL COURTROOM DESIGN
8.1 As stated above, Justice Court courtrooms should convey the same impressions of dignity, justice, and authority as those serving the court of higher jurisdiction. The appearance of the courtroom should reflect the fact that they are forums for justice, rather than only governmental office space. In applying design principles of the higher court to Justice Courts, the absence of court reporters and full-time bailiffs should be noted. Therefore, the following guidelines are presented in areas that are materially affected by the unique nature of the Justice Courts.
8.2 It is recommended that courtrooms be 800 NSF in Class I cities, 1100 NSF in Class II cities and 1300 NSF in Class III cities. Walls and ceilings should have appropriate finishes and the well should be illuminated to prevent reading eye strain. The room should be sound insulated from outside noise. All courtrooms should be fully carpeted and adequate ventilation and temperature controls should be installed.
8.3 The judge's bench should be elevated at least one riser.[2] Sufficient space should be provided on the bench for legal tests and files. Urban or other high volume courts should be cable-ready to accommodate a computer terminal.
8.4 The witness box should be placed adjacent to the judge's bench. All courtroom participants must have a clear line of sight to the witness box. A chalkboard or magnetic display board should be built into the wall between the jury box and the witness stand.
8.5 The jury box should be placed near the witness box and also have a clear line of sight to all participants. The size of the jury box is recommended to be five seats (four jurors with an option for an alternate juror and space for a disabled juror). The jury box should consist of a single row of stationary swivel seats.
8.6 A" modesty rail" should be placed in front of the jurors with enough depth to rest documents and files.
8.7 A court reporter's station is not required for these courtrooms as they are not courts of record, however, a clerk's station should be provided by the judge's bench opposite from the witness stand. This will accommodate different in-courtroom practices and procedures. It should also have shelving for files and forms.
8.8 Tables for the defense and prosecution should be provided to comfortably seat three persons each and should be at least four feet apart for sound separation. A rail should separate spectator seating so that the closet spectator is no nearer than 6 feet to persons seated at the attorney's tables.
8.9 Judges chambers should be approximately 120-160 NSF with access directly to the judge's bench and to the clerk's area. Chambers should be equipped with adequate shelving for law texts, a desk and chair for the judge and visitor seating for small meetings or conferences.
8.10 It is recommended that a small jury room be integrated into each Justice Court. This space can serve as a conference room for attorneys and clients or as flexible space when not in use by a jury. A table and chairs should be provided and a telephone outlet should be installed for conference use. The minimum recommended size is 150 NSF.
8.11 The Clerk's area should include a reception area for visitors and a counter to receive people with business before the court. It is recommended that the reception area be no less than 150 NSF and the counter space comprise 60 NSF (e.g. a seven-foot counter with a depth of three feet and approximately three feet of open area on each side).
8.12 A restroom for the public and a separate restroom for the judge, staff and jurors should be provided.
8.13 Clerical staff should be afforded 75 NSF per person to accommodate a desk, chair, terminal (if applicable), and perimeter space. Staff space should be open landscape type. A small storage or copier area should also be provided.
8.14 Generally, medium to high caseload courts requires ten to fifteen five drawer file cabinets or equivalent open files.
8.15 The needs of less active courts vary. Lateral filing, open shelf, sliding shelf, or rotary shelf systems are almost always more space efficient than file drawers. Whenever possible they should be used in lieu of file cabinets. It is recommended that each jurisdiction utilize county storage space and statewide document retention schedules to the fullest.
COLLOCATED JUSTICE COURTS
8.16 Collocated Justice Courts offer significant savings in shared space and staffing opportunities. Paired courts may share a central clerk's area and other spaces, which enhance each court's ability to conduct business with limited resources.
8.17 Consideration of collocation should commence with an evaluation of the proposed site in relation to public access, parking, disabled accessibility, adjacency to law enforcement and other criminal justice agencies and expansion capability. The relative workloads of the courts should be assessed in terms of their historical growth and forecasted workload. Courts with rough equivalence in filings and staff support may usually share the same courtroom or use identical paired courtrooms. Dissimilar caseloads should weigh facility design towards the needs of the larger court in courtroom size and staffing space.
8.18 If it is found that collocated courts could share a single courtroom, an evaluation of future growth should be undertaken to confirm the suitability of this arrangement for future needs. Again, it is recommended that a collocated facility requiring two or more courtrooms should be designed to identical size keyed to the largest court, thus offering maximum flexibility during periods of peak demand.
8.19 Serving the courtroom(s) should be paired judge's chambers (unless courts will never be in session simultaneously). A single jury deliberation room can be supplemented with a conference room of equivalent size to allow for dual jury trials in multi-courtroom facilities. Restroom facilities, storage space, copier areas, and filing space can be shared to maximum advantage in a collocated facility. Attorney/witness conference rooms can also be used in this fashion.
8.20 Clerk staffs can be cross-trained to serve the docketing, fine collection, and filing functions of each court. Uniform procedures in this area must be established and agreed upon by the presiding judges to avoid confusion and mis-communication. This is particularly important in the area of form uniformity, caseload reporting, and financial management. The public can utilize a common reception area, restroom facility and counter space. The staff may share word processing equipment, supplies, general office space, and even shared workstations if practical.
8.21 In summary, collocated courts can offer substantial opportunities for both space savings and staff efficiency. Great care must be taken, however, to accurately estimate peak workloads and future growth. Judicial personnel and support staff must operate as an integrated unit in order to maximize the benefits of collocation and avoid redundancy.
8.22 Justice Courts space standards are provided in Section III.
CLERICAL/SUPPORT SPACE
8.23 The clerical and support space listed in the general court standards can also be applied to the Justice Courts. Actual Justice Court staff will vary widely depending on location, workload and county support.
PLACEMENT AND ACCESS
9.1 The Clerk of Court serves the public, the courts and the bar. As such, the Clerk's Office should be located near a high traffic area in the courthouse to provide rapid public access. Design of the courthouse entrance (including security function), clerk's office entrance and counter work area is important to having traffic flow efficiently and orderly. The office should also have adjacency to private zones for access to judges, staff and routine functions. This provides separation between the public and the clerk's work area, yet does not inhibit the transaction of business. Because this is a high traffic area, public seating should be provided near the clerk's reception area, and this area should have writing surfaces available.
9.2 The Clerk's Office should have access to judicial corridors and other private courthouse zones. This access will enable the staff to transport files, evidence and funds without intersecting public areas.
WORKSTATIONS
9.3 Typical clerk workstations in large offices are usually best suited for open landscaping designs. This allows for frequent communication, ease of movement to files and public counters and effective supervision of employees. Administrative staff should have private or semi-private offices as appropriate. The individual workstations, with open landscaping, should be approximately 75 net square feet each, in addition to internal circulation space between stations. The workstations may be clustered by division and each major area should be afforded as much natural light as possible. Counter workstations should provide between five and seven running feet of counter per workstation depending on function. Seven feet is recommended for all but cashier functions.
SECURITY
9.4 Because the Clerk's Office has the responsibility to safeguard the records of the court, as well as evidence, fees and fines, security concerns should receive careful attention. The single most important security feature of the Clerk's Office is its ability to separate the public from vulnerable zones and to maintain a secure envelope for the transportation of documents, money, or evidence. This can be accomplished through counter separation and private corridors.
9.5 Semi-public circulation within the Clerk's Office should also be designed to inhibit unauthorized contact with confidential files or funds. This can be accomplished through the use of a dedicated area for public document inspection (e.g. title searches). Court evidence should be secured in a separate, locked area with limited key access. Evidence room walls should extend through interstitial space to the structure above. Lockable compartments should be used for the storage of dangerous evidence such as weapons, drugs or toxic substances.
FILING TECHNOLOGY
9.6 Filing and retrieval is a primary activity of the office, and filing systems typically consume a great deal of space. Each office should be evaluated to determine filing demands so that sufficient space will be allocated to this function. The use of lateral filings, flat files, microfiche and document retention schedules can significantly impact the square footage necessary to store active documents. As a general rule, pigeonhole filing is the least space efficient system, followed by file cabinets. Open shelf, sliding shelf and rotary shelf systems are almost always more space efficient, and are now used almost exclusively in new court facilities. These space efficient systems (particularly sliding shelf and rotary type systems) when filled with files generally place considerable weight load on the floor structure in the areas of the building where these systems are in operation. Especially, where the clerk's office area is above grade or where there is basement or sally port area below the clerk's office, it should be determined whether additional structural support to the floor of the clerk's office is required to accommodate these space efficient filing systems.
9.7 Because it is uncertain what role technological advancements will have on information management in the courts, prudent design of new facilities and renovations should allow for maximum flexibility. It is unlikely that the "paperless courthouse" will become a reality in the near future, but the increased use of computers and electronic data storage are broad based trends likely to extend far into the future. Many courts employ microfiche systems, imaging, computerized indexing of files, and advanced word processing systems. New facilities should be made cable-ready to interface with rapid technological development. Because such development can outdistance planners ability to anticipate during the life of a project, it is crucial that flexibility in function be designed into the Clerk of Court work areas.
10.1 All new Court facilities should include space designated for Mediation. Typically this will be a small cluster of conference rooms with an attendant waiting area. In a small facility, two conference rooms of 240 NSF each may be sufficient with waiting sized at another 300 NSF. In larger facilities more rooms and larger waiting may be required particularly if child custody mediation is anticipated.
10.2 All new facilities should include space designated for Pro se Assistance. This is intended to provide an area where members of the public who are seeking to represent themselves can find information and assistance. The space may include form racks, public computer access terminals and some minimal staff workstations. It may also provide a small conference room where staff can hold private interviews if necessary. A minimal area of 240 NSF for the open area is recommended in the absence of a fully defined program statement.
10.3 All new facilities should provide space for a Domestic Violence Assistance Center. This will be a centralized area that will provide work space for Domestic Violence Teams composed of representatives of cooperating agencies and where victims of domestic violence can report to receive services. This space will be defined on a project by project basis.
10.4 All new facilities will provide space for the Guardian Ad Litem Program.
10.5 Attention shall be given to providing specific child waiting accommodations in connection with all court programs. This waiting should have a scale and appearance that is suitable to small children and may be simply a section of a larger waiting area. Closed rooms are to be avoided. All child-waiting areas should be clearly observable from adult waiting.
10.6 It is widely recognized that drop-off childcare is an important new service component for courts. Single parents (for example) coming to court cannot always find qualified and affordable childcare and find it difficult to cope with the child during the court process. The Courts have also found that they are doing a considerable amount of informal child supervision. It is recommended that the Judicial System investigate the opportunities to provide this service on a contract basis as has been done in other states. If feasible a minimum of about 1,500 NSF should be included to provide a minimum level of service for up to 12 children. This would include a small reception space (200 NSF), a staff office area (260 NSF), child toilets (60 NSF each, total 120 NSF), staff toilets (60 NSF each, total 120 NSF), break room (600 NSF) and rest area (200 NSF).
10.7 Employee Child Care is an important concern of Court System employees. If possible, provisions to address this concern should be made in concert with other government offices.
11.1 General office space standards are provided in Section III.
11.2 Clerical spaces shall be planned as much as possible on an open concept utilizing open office workstations to maximize flexibility.
11.3 Workstation sizes will be assigned on a functional basis as opposed to a pay grade basis, however, planners will make every effort to see that similar positions are assigned similar standards.
12. Supreme Court and Court of Appeals
FACILITY DESIGN AND SPACE GUIDELINES
12.1 Separate Courtrooms will be provided for the Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court.
12.2 It is recommended that the courtrooms be collocated and that all supporting space (e.g. chambers, staff offices) be clustered in the same facility adjacent to or nearly adjacent to the courtrooms.
COURTROOM DESIGN
12.3 The dimensions and design of the courtrooms should reflect the dignity of the courts and the serious nature of the proceedings. The courtroom should be sufficiently spacious to impart an appropriate sense of decorum. The ceiling should be 12 to 14 feet in height and the back and sidewalls paneled with sound deadening material to make the room acoustically "soft".
12.4 Air handling and mechanical equipment should be silent. Both courtrooms should have independent temperature controls. Courtrooms should have an emergency lighting system, automatically activated during power outages.
THE BENCH
12.5 The Appellate Bench must accommodate the three-judge panel in a spacious and comfortable manner. It is recommended each judge/justice be afforded a minimum of 5 linear feet of desk space for a continuous length of 15 to 35 feet. This will allow each judge an adequate amount of space for documents and texts, but will still enable judges to pass documents to a colleague with no more than full arm extension. Depth of the desk should be at least 3 feet. Provisions for a time clock on the bench should also be made.
12.6 The bench itself should be centered in the well and elevated three risers. Each judge station should be equipped for microphones. The center seat should have a concealed duress button installed in the event an intruder gains access to the courtroom or a spectator becomes disruptive. The front panel of the bench should be bullet proof.
COURTROOM STAFF SUPPORT
12.7 Up to two stations for a clerk and additional staff to monitor electronic equipment should be provided at either end of the bench and elevated two risers. These two stations should be designed as a continuation of the bench for proximity to the judges. This will facilitate communication of instructions from the bench and the transfer of documents to and from the stations. Each area should be made cable-ready for the possible use of computer terminals. The clerk's station should have adequate shelving area for forms and supplies and a silent telephone. The monitor's recording station should accommodate the electronic equipment so it is unobtrusive and quiet.
12.8 A bailiff's station should be provided in the well.
THE COURTROOM WELL
12.9 The well of the courtroom should accommodate two large attorney's tables. It is recommended that they be approximately eight feet in length to allow for several attorneys at each table. The tables should be separated by approximately five feet to permit private conversations and each table should have unobtrusive microphones installed. Four chairs should be provided at each table.
12.10 A movable podium should be provided for placement between and in front of the attorney's tables. A microphone outlet should be installed in the floor to service the podium.
12.11 Provisions for a movable witness box may be provided for the rare occasion when the court accepts testimony. A microphone outlet in front and to the side of the bench should be provided for this situation.
12.12 Seating for staff assistants to the litigants should be provided along the rail behind the attorney's tables and should have at least four feet of clearance between the backs of the attorney's chairs and the staff seating. The rail behind these seats should be approximately 40 inches in height.
12.13 Electrical outlets should be provided to the right and left of the well to accommodate audio-visual equipment that may be occasionally necessary. A combined movie screen, x-ray viewer and chalkboard should be mounted on a sidewall between attorney's tables and the bench.
12.14 Access to the well should be from a single break in the rail from the spectators' area. Access to the bench should be from an entrance behind the bench. Staff entrances may be to one side of the bench. Access to the well from a holding area should be directly to the well and close to the attorney's tables.
SPECTATOR SEATING
12.15 It is recommended that spectator seating be balanced with the size of the well to maintain proper courtroom symmetry. It is suggested that each courtroom have 60 to 70 seats for press and spectators. Padded benches are most desirable since they do not show wear quickly, and accommodate more people per foot than theater seats.
CHAMBERS AND STAFF OFFICES
12.16 Judges/Justices chambers should be on a private, secure corridor with access to either courtroom and all staff offices. Each chamber should include seating for small conferences, a robing area, a private restroom and have natural lighting. It is recommended that outer offices be placed between the corridor and chambers for use by the| judge's law clerks. This area should be large enough to accommodate space for a judicial secretary.
12.17 Two conference rooms should be provided for each court, the first large enough to accommodate the full court and staff. The second should serve as a conference room/library. This should be large enough for a meeting of an appeals panel and staff and have wall shelving for texts and periodicals.
12.18 The clerk's office should contain a private office for the clerk and open landscaped workstations for the administrative clerks and secretaries. The office should be situated between the private and public zones of the court facility so that the public may have access to the office without intersecting secure judicial areas. Adjacent to the clerk's office should be a copier/work area, filing space and a storage area for supplies and equipment. Access to these areas should be convenient to law clerks' offices and attorneys' offices. Staff attorneys' offices should also be within the private zone of the facility and be near the clerk's office and chambers.
12.19 Provisions for a small holding cell may be included for prisoner detention. The holding cell should lead directly to the courtrooms and should be sound insulated. The cell should have a standard wash basin/toilet combination, floor drain, and be well lighted.
12.20 The space requirements of the Supreme Court and Court of Appeals are provided in Section III.
13.1 It is essential that all court facilities in the state be properly maintained. Experience has shown that incomplete and/or ineffective upkeep can lead to uncomfortable working conditions, unacceptable disrepair and unnecessary loss of dignity for both the facility and the judicial system.
13.2 All new court facility programs will include specific space provisions for maintenance and housekeeping functions. At a minimum, these will include general building storage, housekeeping supply storage (including approved chemical storage), recycling collection, maintenance shops and supplies and properly sized housekeeping closets throughout the facility.
13.3 Attention will also be given to the provision of appropriate storage for grounds-keeping equipment.
13.4 Representatives of the Department of Facilities Construction and Management, Facility Management and Maintenance Division will be contacted and included in planning and design of all court projects to insure that adequate life cycle provisions are made.
13.5 All structured parking must include a "roofing membrane" fully covering each overhead level to prevent leaking and seepage of water, chemicals, and pollutants to lower parking levels. The specified membrane must meet Utah State Division of Facilities Construction Maintenance (DFCM) requirements and include a warranty and maintenance service agreement.
14.1 It is the intent of the Judicial System to plan and design facilities that are efficient and cost sensitive. For this reason, every project should seek opportunities to develop as much shared or common use space as possible in order to minimize unnecessary redundancies.
14.2 The following types of areas should be considered for common use: training rooms, conference rooms, staff toilets, vending, food services, break rooms, media rooms and computer server rooms. Any smoking accommodations should be remotely located from the building in accordance with state law.
14.3 Facility programs should reflect this interest and specifically identify where such common use has been planned.
14.4 In each courthouse such spaces as may be needed should be set aside for public access, offices, conference rooms and public accommodation.
[1] The Utah Judicial Code (UCA 78-2a-5) states that "The Court of Appeals may perform any of its functions in any location within the state." This implies the need for new construction to accommodate three judge panels at the judge's bench in selected trial courtrooms throughout the state. Optimal bench size in a courtroom intended to accommodate the appellate court should allow for three chairs and sufficient desk space. The minimum desk size is 9-10' long by 3' deep.
[2] As in the District Court, judges' benches should be elevated above the eye level of persons who approach the bench, usually three risers. It is recognized however, those low ceiling heights in most Justice Courts do not allow for three-riser elevation. Benches elevated 18 inches or more in smaller courts can bring the judge too close to the ceiling when standing and puts the bench out of proportion to the room size. One riser should be the minimum standard and additional elevation is desirable as the dimensions of the room permit.