Kentucky Court of Justice
Lawrence County to break ground for $18.2 million judicial center June 27

FRANKFORT, Ky., -- The public is invited to a groundbreaking ceremony for the planned Lawrence County Judicial Center on Monday, June 27, at 1 p.m. EDT. The event will take place at the construction site at 20 Riverbend Drive in Louisa.
 
The Kentucky General Assembly authorized the Lawrence County judicial center project and approved its funding in 2008. The total project cost is $18.2 million. The building will be approximately 40,612 square feet.

New judicial centers replace older, inadequate facilities, greatly enhancing the delivery of court services. All new judicial centers support the latest data, computer, video and networking technology. The facilities also provide the highest level of Kentucky court security through a single-point entry with magnetometers and security personnel.

Chief Justice of Kentucky John D. Minton Jr. said he appreciates the legislators and county officials who support this project for Lawrence County.
 
“Kentucky citizens generate more than 1 million court cases each year,” Chief Justice Minton said. “Our citizens deserve safe, efficient facilities in which to conduct their business before the courts.”

Sherman Carter Barnhart architectural firm of Lexington designed the Lawrence County Judicial Center. Codell Construction Co. of Winchester is the construction manager for the project and C.D. Bowling & Associates of Lexington is the financial agent.
                                                      
Chief Justice Minton and Lawrence County Judge-Executive John A. Osborne will be among the speakers at the ceremony. Other state and local officials expected to attend include judges, attorneys and the Lawrence County circuit court clerk. For more information, contact Judge-Executive Osborne at 606-638-4102.      

Process for Constructing Judicial Facilities
The Administrative Office of the Courts oversees the construction and maintenance of Kentucky court facilities in accordance with House Bill 734, which was passed by the 2000 General Assembly. As a result of this legislation, the AOC created a process that would fairly and objectively determine court facility needs. The AOC’s Facilities Management System has earned the Kentucky Court of Justice a national reputation for being able to identify facilities with the greatest needs for new construction, renovation, expansion and adaptation.
      
Once funding for a judicial center is authorized, the AOC Division of Capital Construction works with local communities to assemble a Project Development Board. This board ensures that county and court officials have input on all aspects of the project, including decisions on the site, architect and contractor. The PDB consists of the county judge-executive, a fiscal court representative, the chief circuit judge, the chief district judge, the circuit court clerk, a citizen at large, the AOC director or designee and a Kentucky Bar Association designee.
         
As the operations arm for the state court system, the AOC in Frankfort supports the activities of nearly 3,300 court system employees and 403 elected justices, judges and circuit court clerks. The AOC also executes the Judicial Branch budget.