NEWS RELEASE

Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts

Judiciary Urges Congress to Fund Courthouse Construction

Aging and obsolete court facilities, inadequate space, and yet another fiscal year with no funding to continue the courthouse construction program are creating an intolerable situation for the federal courts, a representative of the Judicial Conference of the United States told a House subcommittee today. Judge Norman H. Stahl (1^st Cir.) appeared before the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Subcommittee on Public Buildings and Economic Development, to express the Conference's concerns and urge Congress to reprioritize the President's FY 1999 budget submission to free up funding for courthouse construction. Judge Stahl is the chair of the Judicial Conference Committee on Security and Facilities

"Most existing court facilities were built over 50 years ago and are now seriously obsolete," Judge Stahl testified. "It is usually impossible to modify these facilities to provide the additional space needed for the increasing numbers of judges and staff. Moreover, many of these antiquated buildings pose serious security risks for jurors, witnesses, court employees and judges. . . Finally, many of these old buildings cannot be equipped with the technology now necessary for the functioning of the modern-day federal court." Judge Stahl also pointed to the enormous increase in the workload of the federal courts in recent years, and the need for additional judgeships to handle the work, which in turn has increased the need for more space.

Any expectation by the Judiciary, however, that the General Services Administration would be able to supply the space has been disappointed, he told the subcommittee, by the sudden policy reversal of the President's Office of Management and Budget (OMB). "We now find ourselves in the intolerable situation of a projected second year with no funding for courthouse construction." Judge Stahl outlined to the committee the steps the Judiciary has taken to reduce overall cost and increase the efficiency of new courthouses.

United States Courts Design Guide

Over the past two years, the Judiciary conducted a comprehensive review of the U.S. Courts Design Guide. The new Guide resulting from that review emphasizes cost control and budget constraint and is expected to reduce building construction costs by about 5 percent ($2 million) for an average-size ($40 million) project. These savings are in addition to the estimated $1.5 million per facility construction reduction effected by previous changes.

Courtroom Sharing Policy

A Judicial Conference policy adopted in March 1997, requires a courtroom for each active district judge. This policy allows judges to set firm trial dates because courtroom availability is guaranteed, which in turn encourages settlement in civil cases and pleas in criminal cases. It also ensures that the cases that go to trial are disposed of expeditiously, and that emergency matters are handled in a timely manner. The Conference has encouraged every judicial council to develop a policy on courtroom sharing by senior and visiting judges, and these policies should be available by the middle of this year.

Five-Year Plan of Courthouse Projects

The Judiciary continues to review and update project priorities, using a weighted scoring methodology.

Judge Stahl told the subcommittee that the Judiciary welcomes the opportunity to work with Congress. Said Stahl, "In view of the current impasse on courthouse construction funding, the costs of courthouses will needlessly increase unless steps are taken to ensure a viable future construction program."