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Court News Ohio
Renewed Justice
January 7, 2016
Many of the state’s original courthouses were constructed in the late
1800s or early 1900s. Some of these architectural treasures have fallen
into disrepair, and to endure, they often require steep investments.
Ohio’s court officials have grappled with a dilemma — renovate or build
new?
In Madison County, officials embraced both approaches — create a home
for the municipal court in downtown London and preserve and renovate
the nearby 125-year-old majestic courthouse. In a Columbus Dispatch
article, Judge Eric Schooley said the century-old structure exhibits
water dripping down the walls, mold clinging to the ceilings, and
cracks damaging the floors. Privacy for attorneys and clients was hard
to come by because space in the courtroom was so tight. Juries had
varied locations for deliberations over the years. Most recently, they
gathered in a small meeting area outside the judge’s office to decide
cases.
Late last summer, the municipal court’s operations and employees moved
to a newly constructed one-story brick building across the street.
Tammy Terpening, the municipal court’s clerk and a longtime court
employee, said the facility is modern, but displays formal touches —
dark woodwork, archways, and pillars — that are common sights in
traditional courthouses. The space includes a main courtroom and a
separate space for a magistrate, plus a designated jury room. The full
and well-lit basement has made it possible to centralize the court’s
files, which used to be housed in three separate areas, including an
attic, Terpening said. Not only was it difficult to get a good view of
the records in the attic’s dim lighting, “you also had to deal with the
birds flying around,” she noted.
Judge Schooley described the new space as “functional and efficient.”
“This one serves its purpose — providing access to justice — and that’s
as it should be,” he told the Dispatch.
Now the county’s commissioners plan to begin renovations of the older
courthouse, which is included on the National Register of Historic
Places and still home to the common pleas court and several other city
offices. The Madison Press reported that county commissioners plan to
tackle the project section by section, top to bottom.
Courthouses Held Prominent Place for Early Residents
According to the state’s County Commissioners Association, 69 Ohio
courthouses have been listed on the national register, which identifies
historic properties worthy of preservation. In a video presented at the
Ohio County Courthouses Symposium in May 2014, then-Judge Charles
Steele of Van Wert County explained that courthouses became community
centers when built. He said that local residents relied on court clock
towers to tell time because they didn’t own watches and they looked to
courthouse weather vanes to gauge the wind.
Bob Parrott of Union County echoed that the “temples of justice” served
as symbols of the county government established as pioneers settled in
the area. The video points out that the monuments helped create a civic
identity and tone, and supporters of restorations believe the buildings
can foster a connection to that history for people today.
Courts Explore Varied Solutions
Like Madison County, Delaware County has also opted to start from
scratch while preserving the old. County officials razed a building to
construct a new common pleas court. According to ThisWeek newspapers,
construction of the Delaware County Judicial Building is expected to
begin in early 2016 with an anticipated completion in summer 2017.
Envisioned is a three-story building spanning 82,000 square feet above
two levels of parking. The Delaware Gazette reported the architects
plan a design that reflects the surrounding buildings and storefronts
and has a modern look with touches of Italianate architecture in
certain features. Once the common pleas court relocates, the county
expects to restore and expand the current 140-year-old facility for the
juvenile and probate courts.
Seneca County chose to start fresh. The prior courthouse, built in 1884
and torn down in 2012, will be the site for a rebuilt common pleas
court, the Toledo Blade reported. Tiffin’s municipal court may also be
headquartered at the new location. The proposed joint justice center is
slated at 36,000 square feet and four stories. The county commissioners
think construction will begin sometime in the spring or summer.
In Lancaster, county and court officials decided to revive a historic
building for the Fairfield County Municipal Court. In late February or
early March, the court expects to leave its city hall offices for the
renovated Columbian, which was a department store for many decades. In
November, a turret designed to mirror an earlier version was set atop
the 19th-century brick structure.
Last summer, Licking County’s commissioners announced plans to renovate
its 139-year-old courthouse, the Dispatch reported. The two-year
project set to start this year will replace windows, restore the
exterior, and replace the roof, among other fixes.
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