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| - OK, ok, I'll admit it, I spend some quality time here on a weekly basis. While most folks try and avoid this place if at all possible, I come here weekly on purpose.
Rather than try to explain all the inner-workings, let me lay out what to expect for folks coming here for the more common reasons.
At the outset, I'll note this building is a vast improvement over the old courthouse complex that was divided between different buildings and was harder to navigate than a autumn corn maze.
The building is designed so that as many folks as possible could do their business without ever getting on an elevator or deciphering a building directory. The busiest criminal courts (traffic and first appearances) and most clerk's offices are all on the first and second floors, accessible from the street or via escalator. The cashier and a very sufficient and clean cafeteria (no joke!) are also on the first level. For everyone, you have to clear security before getting to any office or court- so leave all metal and weapons at home, metal detectors and luggage scanners catch people all day long- sorta like clearing the TSA at the airport.
For jury duty- well good news guys, the jury lounge is open and spacious with free wi-fi and big screen movies played throughout the day. There is also free popcorn. If you are lucky, you'll just sit there for the one day and never leave. If you are unlucky, a deputy will come and escort you to a courtroom so you can be potentially screened to sit as a juror in a real trial. If you really don't think you can sit as a juror in a particular case, you should speak up to the Court- you may be able to have your service deferred for up to 60 days. If you do get selected for a jury the back rooms have some of the nicest views of uptown and they are very spacious, you could have done at lot worse.
For traffic court- just follow the line if you get there early enough. Assistant DA's will walk the line outside the courtroom to try and clear folks thru as fast as possible, offering reductions on speed and (sometimes) dismissals for folks with compliance issues. If you do make it into the courtroom just know it's actually a staging room with only benches in the first room where they sort you out and then a back room with mini courtrooms where you will actually face a DA and a judge. Sometimes it can take all morning (or afternoon), sometimes you can get out pretty fast- the pacing varies according to the case load, which changes wildly each day.
Now there's a lot more business conducted at the courthouse daily, and the building divides each floor by function, so there is some logical layout here. If you only have a couple floors to move between, do check out the 8 story spiral staircase in the southwest corner, it's much faster than the elevator. The upstairs courtrooms are pretty open and spacious, even if the lone window is behind the judge's bench.
Also, parking can be a mess down here, but the public parking deck on the corner of 4th and McDowell is the biggest and easiest. It's also the cheapest for shorter stays. Other lots close by charge a flat rate that's a rip unless you are there for more than a few hours. Jurors do get parking validated in this lot.
On a parting note, in case there was any doubt, this isn't legal advice. You should seek professional counsel to address any specific legal situation. This is just a review of the physical place where you can have your legal rights and obligations addressed. Job complete.
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