Carroll County Courtroom #10
The Carroll County Courtroom #10 project consisted of significant interior renovations to the lower level of the existing courthouse facility in order to provide space for an additional circuit court judge. The existing 12,000 square feet of space, previously utilized for records storage, was renovated to make room for a new ceremonial courtroom and associated support spaces in order to support todays larger and more technology-dependent judicial proceedings. The renovated areas consisted of a new courtroom with a large 100 person gallery and court well, lobby, jury deliberation rooms, attorney conference rooms, prisoner holding, judge’s chamber, staff offices, toilet rooms, and record storage. The project required careful consideration of the circulation patterns of the judge, defendant, jury, and public to ensure the sanctity of trial and each group’s security. The entire work area was fitted out with high quality finishes, including custom cherry millwork and wainscoting, LED lighting, card access control readers, security cameras, an automatic sprinkler system, and state of the art courtroom recording and audiovisual equipment.
The project also required careful coordination with Maryland Courts and Carroll County to ensure functions elsewhere in the courthouse remained undisturbed during construction. Such coordination consisted of ensuring no disruption to utilities, mechanical system, or network infrastructure during regular operations hours and limiting construction noise to a level that would not be recorded within other courtrooms. As such, the vast majority of the construction work was performed after hours. The completed project stands as one of the premier circuit courtrooms within the State of Maryland and has since been used as an example for other jurisdictions to follow. The once dungeon-like records storage space was transformed into a well-lit, inviting, and formal space where a dynamic range of ceremonial, civil, and criminal legal proceedings can take place ranging from a wedding to a murder trial.
