Where should the clerk`s office be located within the courthouse?
Courthouses attract large volumes of public and employee traffic. The location of functions within the facility has a lot to do with how well it operates and how it is perceived by courthouse occupants and the public. Issues of public and special access, basic functionality, security, and image all influence the location of court operations within the facility. Activities that involve large numbers of people, such as the clerk’s office, should be located near the front entrance, or on the lower floors of the courthouse (in multistory buildings). Locating high-volume service functions and jury assembly on lower floors reduces demands on the building’s public-circulation system and reduces congestion and overcrowding. Trial courtrooms generally work best when located away from the noise and traffic associated with public entrances, lobbies, and high-volume, short-duration transactions. This promotes a quieter and more business-like environment for litigation, and ensures that only those
