1998: High-Rise Halls of Justice.

Faced with the burgeoning growth of Central Florida and the spiraling demands on the judicial system, Orange County commissioners in 1994 agreed to build a new courthouse that would bring court functions together in a central location. The goal was to construct a massive structure that would encompass almost a million square feet of office and courtroom space. Construction of the $183 million building began March 15, 1994.

Even though the building was monumental in scale, the Architects at HLM Design of Charlotte, N.C., had the individual citizen in mind when it was designed. “It has a great interplay of scales from large to small,” said architect Michael LeBoeuf of HLM Design. “If we didn't make the attempt to do things that adjust to the person, the building would become very foreboding.”

Like early 20th-century skyscrapers, the courthouse was designed with a distinct bottom, middle, and top. The complex includes a 23-floor tower, two five-story office buildings housing the State Attorney and Public Defender, and a 3,000 space parking garage. The building’s use and pedestrian traffic were priority in the design with the most frequently used courtrooms and offices located on the first 5 floors. It was also built with future technology in mind having over 680 miles of wiring through 193 miles of conduit. The Roger A. Barker Memorial Courtroom on the 23rd floor is still today, one of the most technologically advanced courtrooms in the country and is often toured by court officials from around the globe interested in learning about the courtroom of tomorrow.

Click here to see the Roger A. Barker Memorial Courtroom

Click here to see the Roger A. Barker Memorial Courtroom

Security was also a major factor in the design of the Orange County Courthouse. Holding cells can be found in the back areas of numerous floors and the courthouse basement houses a 170 person daytime jail supported by a sally port for secure transfer of inmates to and from the Orange County Jail. Three separate elevator systems transport judges, public and inmates to the various floors of the building. In fact, judges can enter the building by car, go to their chambers or enter any courtroom without leaving a secured area. The building’s massive limestone face was intended to evoke more traditional halls of justice, such as Orange County’s 1927 courthouse (now the Orange County Regional History Center). These traditional designs were modeled after Greek temples, seen as symbols of democracy.

The courthouse was completed in late 1997 and fully occupied and open for business after the New Year’s holiday. Opening festivities on January 23, which took place inside because of the threat of rain, had all the pomp and circumstance of the ceremony to break ground for Orange County’s first major courthouse in 1892, more than a century before.

Cheif Judge Belvin Perry Jr. At least 50 judges in robes, the Orange County Sheriff’s Color Guard, and U.S. Sen. Connie Mack were part of the procession of dignitaries that also included a fife and drum corps playing “Yankee Doodle Dandy.” Other officials included County Chairman Linda Chapin, Orlando Mayor Glenda Hood, state Supreme Court Justice Charles T. Wells, and Chief Judge Belvin Perry Jr.

“Today is a great day in the history of Orange County,” said Judge Perry. “This day we dedicate and consecrate this hallowed place of justice. The chairman, the commission, and the judges of this circuit saw a vision of a facility that was not only stately and dignified, but also a place of justice as a centerpiece for this community,” Judge Perry said in his remarks.

Click to see interesting facts about the Orange County Courthouse.

Ninth Judicial Circuit Court of Florida

1998: High-Rise Halls of Justice.