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| Architectural rendering of new justice center |
Authorized by the Kentucky General Assembly in 2020, the new two-story, 20,040-square-foot facility will house all court services and is expected to be completed by fall 2026. The project will cost $20 million.
This new judicial center will replace older, inadequate facilities and enhance court service delivery with up-to-date data, computer, video, and networking technology. Designed to meet high standards of Kentucky court security, the center will feature a single-point entry with magnetometers and on-site security personnel.
Chief Justice of Kentucky Laurance B. VanMeter expressed appreciation for the state legislators and county officials who have supported this project.
“With more than 800,000 cases working through our courts each year, our facilities are busy places of justice and business,” VanMeter said. “Judicial centers should be safe and efficient for everyone who passes through their doors.”
The project team includes Sherman Carter Barnhart Architects as the building’s designer, Pinnacle as the general contractor and Compass Municipal Advisors as the financial agent. Each company has offices in Kentucky.
Among those speaking at the ceremony will be Chief Justice VanMeter and Crittenden County Judge-Executive Perry Newcom. Additional state and local officials are expected to attend.
Judicial Facility Construction Process
The Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) oversees Kentucky’s court facility construction and maintenance, following the guidelines of House Bill 734, enacted by the General Assembly in 2000. This legislation led the AOC to create a fair, objective process for assessing court facility needs.
After funding is authorized, the AOC’s Division of Capital Construction collaborates with local communities to form a project development board (PDB). The PDB ensures that county and court officials are involved in critical decisions, including the selection of the site, architect, and contractor.
The PDB includes the county judge-executive, a fiscal court representative, the chief circuit judge, the chief district judge, the circuit court clerk, a citizen-at-large, the AOC director or designee, and a Kentucky Bar Association designee.
Based in Frankfort, the AOC supports nearly 3,300 court system employees and 412 elected justices, judges, and circuit court clerks across the state and manages the Judicial Branch budget.
