3 minute read
Conclusion
It is highly expected that court processing innovations, which can increase efficiencies in providing access and justice to the public, will impact future courthouse planning. Future court facilities should continue to be planned with robust integrated technologies and the expectation that not all customers will need to come to the courthouse to conduct business without losing sight of the needs of self-represented litigants and those with limited access to technology. Implementing remote service alternatives while increasing self-help and justice navigation services will dramatically change the configuration of public service space in the future.
In the future, it will be necessary to carefully weigh all innovative opportunities against the fundamental principles/practices observed in the U.S. judicial system of open court hearings, individuals' rights to appear before a judge, and trial by a jury. Incorporating these innovative practices into future space planning and operation may require further review by the courts and may be subject to approval by the state Supreme Courts. As courts, counties, and architects continue to consider innovative ways to provide service and access to justice, the courthouse itself will remain an integral part of our communities.
reFormation
AUTHORS
Allison McKenzie, AIA
Allie is a registered architect and Associate member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA), where she is co-chair of the Academy of Architecture for Justice’s Sustainable Justice subcommittee. She has worked for many years as an architect on master planning, programming, planning, and design projects of various types nationally and internationally. She holds a Bachelor of Architecture degree from the University of Arkansas, 1997.
In 2017 Allie began working with the NCSC as a Senior Architect and court facility planner. The experience has provided the unique perspective of working as an architect on courthouse projects and as a consultant to architects, the court, and county governing agencies. She is particularly interested in helping courts, architects, and planners incorporate innovative and forward-thinking court services into their design projects. In their Denver office, Allie is currently working with Gensler, a global architecture, design, and planning firm.
Allie’s projects have been featured in publications including Architectural Record, Architecture and Urbanism, and Interior Design magazines. Most recently, she coauthored What Will Shape the Future of Courthouse Design?, which was published in the NCSC's Future Trends Publication.
David Sayles
David is a Senior Court Consultant at the National Center for State Courts in the Consulting Services division. Mr. Sayles is a graduate of the University of Colorado, Boulder, and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Design and Planning. At the NCSC, he has 15 years of experience assessing court facility needs and assisting in the delivery of court planning projects.
Additionally, over the past 15 years, Mr. Sayles has worked on a variety of court process and governance projects including: information technology strategic planning, state level judicial and staffing workload assessments, case management functional requirements, and case flow management studies throughout the country.
As a planning analyst, David specializes in the statistical and data analysis of court workloads and court systems. He assists the court in projecting their future needs through statistical and evidence-based findings. The information David collects and analyzes is used to determine space needs and the operational requirements in the court system. Mr. Sayles routinely has served the role of project manager facilitating client and user idea development, engaging court-system stakeholders, and assisting local communities envision the future of their justice system.
CONTRIBUTORS AND DISCUSSION PARTICIPANTS
Many conversations, debates, presentations, brain storming sessions, research, and hard work went into creating this publication. The authors would like to thank the following people for their contributions.
David Slayton, Vice President, Court Consulting Services, NCSC
Nora Sydow, Principal Court Management Consultant, NCSC
Nathan Hall, Principal Court Management Consultant, LEED AP, NCSC
Chang-Ming Yeh, Principal Court Management Consultant (retired), NCSC
Paula Hannaford-Agor, Director, Center for Jury Studies, NCSC
Danielle Hirsch, Interim Court Services Director, NCSC
Emily Glavey, RA, AICP, Division of Capital Asset Management & Maintenance Office of Planning Design & Construction, State of Massachusetts
Danny Rhoades, Department of Facilities Administrative Office of the Courts, State of Kentucky
Captain Michael McHenry, Captain, Orange County Sheriffs Department Court of Operations, State of California
Justin Mammen, Emergency Response and Security Services Manager, Superior Court of California, County of Orange
Andrea O’Brien, Deputy Court Administrator, 16th Circuit, Kane County, Illinois
Marcus Reinkensmeyer, Director of Court Services for the Administrative Office of the Courts, Supreme Court of Arizona
Jagan Singh, Principal Manager Facilities Services, Administrative Division, Judicial Council of California
