Version 1.2

May 16, 2016

Courtroom	Technology:	

Infrastructure	for	Audiovisual	

Systems	in	New	Spaces

					

 
 

1. Introduction......................................................................................................................... 2

2. AudioVisual Infrastructure Components.............................................................................. 2

3. Infrastructure Scalability...................................................................................................... 3

4. Identifying Design Disciplines .............................................................................................. 3

4.1 For the Design Architect .......................................................................................................... 4

4.2 For the Mechanical Engineer ................................................................................................... 4

4.3 For the Electrical Engineer ....................................................................................................... 4

4.4 For the Interior Designer.......................................................................................................... 5

5. AudioVisual Driven Architectural Items ............................................................................... 6

5.1 Spaces..................................................................................................................................... 7

5.1.1 Equipment Rooms....................................................................................................................... 7

5.2 Floors ...................................................................................................................................... 8

5.2.1 Access floors................................................................................................................................ 8

5.2.2 Other Floor Types........................................................................................................................ 9

5.3 Walls....................................................................................................................................... 9

5.3.1 Block, Drywall or Plaster.............................................................................................................. 9

5.3.2 Wood........................................................................................................................................... 9

5.3.3 Stone............................................................................................................................................ 9

5.4 Ceilings.................................................................................................................................... 9

6. AudioVisual Driven Mechanical Items................................................................................ 10

6.1 Types..................................................................................................................................... 10

6.1.1 Heating and Cooling .................................................................................................................. 10

6.1.2 Cooling units.............................................................................................................................. 10

6.1.3 Specialized Applications............................................................................................................ 10

6.1.4 Ducting and Diffusers................................................................................................................ 11

6.1.5 Noise.......................................................................................................................................... 11

7. AudioVisual Driven Electrical Items.................................................................................... 11

7.1 Spaces................................................................................................................................... 11

7.1.1 Equipment Rooms..................................................................................................................... 11

7.1.2 Floor Terminations.................................................................................................................... 12

7.1.2.1 Trench‐Duct....................................................................................................................................12

7.1.2.2 Access Floor....................................................................................................................................13

7.1.2.3 Poke‐Through Devices.................................................................................................................... 15

7.1.2.4 Flush‐mount Floor Boxes................................................................................................................ 16

7.1.3 Low Voltage Conduit and Raceway ........................................................................................... 17

7.1.3.1 No Raceway ....................................................................................................................................17

7.1.3.2 Electrical Metallic Conduit Raceway (EMT) Raceway ..................................................................... 18

7.1.3.3 Flexible Metallic Conduit Raceway (FMC) Raceway ....................................................................... 18

7.1.3.4 Special Conditions in the Jury Box .................................................................................................. 18

7.1.3.5 Open Cable Trays and Ladders ....................................................................................................... 21

7.1.3.6 AudioVisual Equipment by Electrical Contractor............................................................................ 21

8. AudioVisual Driven Interior Items...................................................................................... 24

8.1 Surfaces................................................................................................................................. 24

8.1.1 Carpet........................................................................................................................................ 24

8.1.2 Wall Materials ........................................................................................................................... 26
i 

8.2 Furniture ............................................................................................................................... 27

8.2.1 “Smart” Tables........................................................................................................................... 27

8.2.2 Presentation Lectern ................................................................................................................. 28

10. Appendix A ............................................................................................................... 32 

11. References......................................................................................................................... 33

 
1 

a. Forward 

The Office of Facilities and Security, Space 

and Facilities Division (SFD) recognize CTA 

Architects Dickson Stewart, CTS-D Design 

Engineer for leading the development effort 

of the document. Thank you to the Assistant 

Circuit Executives for Space, the Facilities 

Program Managers, and Matt Wright, 

Courtroom Technology Specialist, 

Department of Technology Services, 

Technology Solutions Office for their input 

and feedback to the document. 

The document provides reference points and 

best practice guidance in understanding the 

complexities of developing audiovisual 

supportive infrastructure requirements United 

States courthouse space. 
2 

1. Introduction 

This portion of the Courtroom Technology 

document set describes the essential facilities 

and provisions needed in the Courthouse for a 

successful installation of the requisite 

AudioVisual systems. 

For the purposes of this portion of the 

document set, it is necessary that we 

segregate what is to be provided by the 

AudioVisual contractor vs. GSA or a general 

contractor. In this manner, the reader will 

better understand what type of information is 

provided to each trade. 

The current nature of AV technology suggests 

that the passive cable and cable termination 

plant associated with the AudioVisual 

equipment should be installed directly by the 

AudioVisual contractor or a direct 

subcontractor to them. 

Primarily, this is due to the varied equipment 

types that dictate the needed cable types. The 

cable types and quantities needed vary with 

each system design. Because of its relatively 

old age, the AudioVisual Industry does not 

have a Structured Cable system that the IT 

Industry adopted early in its history. 

Therefore, for this section, we will not 

consider the “infrastructure” to include 

passive cabling or cabling terminations since 

the “equipment” contractor will provide them. 

Infrastructure provided by other trades such 

as carpenters, electricians, furniture makers 

and heating and cooling technicians would be 

our primary focus in that section. 

This document also focuses on new 

construction whether that is an all-new 

courthouse, a building addition or a new 

courtroom within an existing courthouse. 

Future sections will address the unique 

complications found in retrofitting older 

facilities with new technology. 

2. AudioVisual Infrastructure 

Components 

There are very few aspects of a space – a 

Courtroom in this case – that are not affected 

by the AudioVisual systems’ needs. The 

following is a generalized brief list: 

 Location of building site related to 

Radio Frequency Interference and 

external noise 

 Understanding spatial impact of 

technology in courtroom planning 

 Sightlines 

 Sight distances 

 Structural column spacing 

 Types of Structural Floors 

 Slab thickness 

 Split-slab locations where recessed 

floor systems are used 

 Finished floors and covering types 

 Wall construction types 

 Recessed or hidden technology 

locations 

 Wall finishes 

 Wall color or patterns 

 Placement of glass or other reflective 

surfaces 

 Ceiling construction type 

 Above ceiling access 

 Ceiling finishes 

 Sightlines 

 Technology friendly casework 

 Modularity of casework 

 Cooling load requirements 

 24/7 Cooling requirements 

 Location of diffusers in the 

Courtroom 

 Venturi Effect noise of air diffusers 

 Fan noise 

 Low frequency rumble 
3 

 Quality of Power utility 

 Quantity, size, location and distance 

to IT and AudioVisual technology 

equipment support rooms 

 Availability of technology storage 

locations 

 Power load 

 Power locations 

 Power conditioning 

 Light fixtures type and placement 

 Lighting fixture zones 

 Lighting levels 

 Color Temperature of lamps 

 Lighting Control systems 

 Low Voltage raceway 

 IT Structured Cable systems 

 Electrical Grounding 

 Acoustic performance within the 

Courtroom 

 Acoustic performance between the 

Courtroom and surrounding spaces, 

including vertically 

 Technology friendly furniture 

3. Infrastructure Scalability 

The AudioVisual industry is rapidly evolving. 

Indeed, media and information technology in 

general will continue to evolve well past the 

lifetime of a courtroom or building design to 

last 50 years or more. 

It is therefore safe to assume that 

AudioVisual technology will change many 

times within the lifetime of a single facility. 

This means that infrastructure in that building 

or building addition will be reused each time 

an upgrade is performed. This may mean a 

dozen or more upgrades over the course of a 

50-year building lifespan- all of which will 

rely on the quality and flexibility of the 

infrastructure provided it. 

Ideally, new technology introduced into the 

building would require no infrastructure 

modifications. This will reduce costs and 

minimize the disruption of daily work after 

people occupy the building. 

One could argue that designing the 

infrastructure tailored around the 

requirements of the technology initially 

installed is foolhardy and bound to be 

outdated in a few short years. 

4. Identifying Design 

Disciplines 

Starting very early in the process and all 

through the course of developing the 

courtroom design, the AudioVisual Designer 

or Engineer will work with the various 

building and courtroom designers to 

coordinate the infrastructure needs. 

When one first considers AudioVisual 

infrastructure requirements, it is the various 

electrical provisions that first come to mind 

however, this is certainly not the only 

infrastructure that is needed to deploy a 

properly designed and integrated AudioVisual 

system. 

In simple terms, nearly all of the needs listed 

above ultimately become the design 

responsibility of one of four separate design 

specialists, or “disciplines”. These are: 

 The Design Architect 

 The Mechanical Design Engineer 

 The Electrical Design Engineer 

 The Interior Designer 

These professionals produce a product often 

generically referred to as the “AME” set. The 

Interior Designer is commonly a part of the 

Architect’s scope of work. 
4 

There are indeed many more specialists 

needed for today’s complex buildings. On 

any large project, it is not unusual to find 

specialized consultants for space 

relationships, LEED/energy-use, acoustics, 

lighting, elevators, security, IT cabling, 

roofing, kitchens, specialty woods, landscape, 

etc. In most cases, these consultants work 

under one of the major design disciplines if 

not all directly for the Project Architect. 

Since the AudioVisual Designer must provide 

very different sets of information to each 

discipline, we will segregate discussions 

targeted for each discipline. 

4.1 For the Design Architect 

From the above list, the following 

AudioVisual infrastructure needs will be 

adapted to the project space by the Design 

Architect or a consultant working for the 

Design Architect. 

 Understanding spatial impact of 

technology in courtroom planning 

 Quantity, size, location and distance 

to IT and AudioVisual technology 

equipment support rooms 

 Availability of technology storage 

locations 

 Sightlines 

 Sight distances 

 Structural column spacing 

 Types of Structural Floors 

 Slab thickness 

 Split-slab locations where recessed 

floor systems are used 

 Finished floors and covering types 

 Wall construction types 

 Recessed or hidden technology 

locations 

 Wall finishes 

 Wall color or patterns 

 Placement of glass or other reflective 

surfaces 

4.2 For the Mechanical Engineer 

The Mechanical Design Engineer in general 

is responsible for heating and cooling 

systems, plumbing, waste systems, life safety 

fire sprinklers, From the above list, the 

following AudioVisual infrastructure needs 

will be adapted to the project space by the 

Mechanical Design Engineer or a consultant 

working for the Mechanical Design Engineer: 

 Cooling load requirements 

 24/7 Cooling requirements 

 Location of diffusers in the 

Courtroom 

 Venturi Effect noise of air diffusers 

 Fan noise 

 Low frequency rumble including that 

from water movement 

4.3 For the Electrical Engineer 

The Electrical Design Engineer in general is 

responsible for electrical power, cable 

raceways and conduits, alarm systems, and 

lighting systems. In some cases, the Electrical 

Design Engineer will also provide the design 

of the Structured Cable Distribution System. 

The Electrical Design Engineer will be 

involved to varying degrees with any 

technology that will be in the building that 

uses any type of power or inter-room cable 

connectivity. 

From the above list, the following 

AudioVisual infrastructure needs will be 

adapted to the project space by the Electrical 

Design Engineer or a consultant working for 

the Mechanical Design Engineer: 

 Split-slab locations where recessed 

floor systems are used 

 Recessed or hidden technology 

locations 

 Wall finishes 

 Above ceiling access 

 Technology friendly casework 
5 

 24/7 Cooling requirements 

 Quality of Power utility 

 Quantity, size, location and distance 

to IT and AudioVisual technology 

equipment support rooms 

 Power load 

 Power locations 

 Power conditioning 

 Light fixtures type and placement 

 Lighting fixture zones 

 Lighting levels 

 Color Temperature of lamps 

 Lighting Control systems 

 Low Voltage raceway 

 IT Structured Cable systems 

 Electrical Grounding 

4.4 For the Interior Designer 

The Interior Designer focuses on interior 

materials, carpeting, finishes, colors and 

furniture selection to assemble a balanced 

aesthetic palette for the project. They 

typically work hand-in-hand with the Project 

Architect. They are often employees of the 

Architectural firm itself. 

Even though, we have separated this design 

service from the others due to the unique 

arrangement the United States Courts has 

regarding furniture acquisition. The “AME” 

design scope may include carpet and wall 

finishes but does not automatically include 

furniture or furniture design. 

This is due to the arrangement most Courts 

have with the GSA; Tenant Construction 

Improvement does not include furniture only 

“casework”. Simplified, casework is built-in 

furniture. This would include items like 

kitchen cabinets and built-in counters at the 

Clerk’s office intake area. Items such as 

chairs, file cabinets, table lights, computers 

and photocopiers, anything that is movable, is 

considered furniture. 

In fact, there is an abbreviation used for this 

type item- FF&E. FF&E is short for 

“Furniture, Fixtures and Equipment”. 

An easy way to remember what might be 

considered FF&E that otherwise would be a 

building item, think of what the Court may 

take with them if they were to move to a new 

facility. All the government owned items that 

are moved is considered FF&E. 

The possible separate design of furniture from 

the main Design Team becomes particularly 

important where custom furniture design 

needs to be provided. There is no better 

example of that need than in a courtroom. 

Casework and Furniture usually breaks down 

in a courtroom as follows: 

 Casework 

o Judge’s Bench 

o Witness stand 

o Law Clerk/Deputy cabinets 

and countertops 

o Jury box 

 Furniture 

o Evidence presentation lectern 

o Oral presentation lectern 

o Attorney tables 

o Evidence table 

o Flat panel TV stands 

Normally, for the furniture selection process 

in offices or chambers spaces, the Interior 

Designer would choose products from 

manufacturers that offer dozens of colors and 

formats of pre-designed products to suit the 

need or perhaps the judge’s preference. 

However as noted, this method does not 

normally work for courtrooms. In the new 

courtroom, the Architect may want the 

furniture to match the look of the casework. 

The casework is the built-in items. 

The available “Catalog” or Off-the-Shelf 

products are not appropriate for the 

courtroom style and finishes. If the architect 

is not providing any services related to FF&E, 

the FF&E selection and design work may 
6 

become the direct responsibility of Court 

Administration. 

Court Administration regularly deals with 

carpeting and furniture upgrades, but not 

always in new construction. Therefore, it is 

important to understand early in the process 

who will be providing the Interior Design 

services for the FF&E. Custom furniture for 

courtrooms should be added to the Project 

Architect’s scope of work if possible. 

Carpeting, drapes and blinds also play a role 

in affecting Audiovisual systems, both the 

sound and video sub-systems. Again, these 

are not always the responsibility of Court 

Administration for new construction, but the 

Court must carefully consider what the 

Designer is proposing and how it will affect 

sound and video. 

5. AudioVisual Driven 

Architectural Items 

While acoustic, lighting, power, cable access 

and other details are being coordinated, the 

single most important issues facing the 

Architect and Design Consultant is that of 

working the visible equipment into the walls, 

millwork and casework in the occupied 

spaces. 

Some Design Professionals may argue that 

exposed technology should be judged by its 

own aesthetic merits so little if any effort 

should be made to “hide” it. 

On the other hand, exposed technology can 

introduce functional disabilities into the 

working space. Take for example the ~24” 

monitor at the judge or counsel table as an 

example; without (at least) partially recessing 

the monitor into the bench or table, the 

monitor will become a sightline hazard. 

Partially recessed Display improves sightlines over its top 

Another example is the large flat panel 

display that is wheeled in for use. When 

displays are not mounted on or in walls, the 

advantage of having a 2” deep display is lost 

when the cart it is mounted on is 3 feet deepfurthering the clutter and sightline problem. 

The cart must also be placed on the lowest 

floor in the courtroom that may not offer the 

best angle for viewing. 

This section will assume that the design 

decision has been made to integrate the 

equipment into the courtroom environment to 

a reasonable degree. 

However, successful implementation of the 

technology initially installed will have 

provided optimized ergonomics while taking 

into account equipment growth and revisions 

and the architectural aesthetic. Only the 

Audiovisual Designer can help with that. 
7 

Casework Design that Integrates a Pop-up Display and camera for use with Witnesses Appearing Remotely

5.1 Spaces 

5.1.1 Equipment Rooms 

Other than the Courtroom itself, there needs 

to be an equipment room where the actual 

audio and video processing equipment is 

housed. This equipment is not directly 

handled by the end users and provides the 

same function to AudioVisual that Server 

Rooms provide to IT. 

Most courtrooms operating at the turn of the 

21st century still had relatively small systems 

– in some cases only audio – and these were 

in short equipment cabinets placed commonly 

under the Deputy’s or Judge’s bench. 

The equipment needs have grown and have 

moved past the days when they were able to 

fit within the courtroom or in separate small 

spaces usually referred to as “equipment 

closets”. While it is true that equipment has 

been getting smaller, this is more common in 

portable consumer electronics than in 

professional audio and video equipment. 

As additional technology and features are 

added to courtrooms, so is the amount of 

equipment found in these rooms. 

The advent of fast digital processors and 

smaller circuit boards also increase the heat 

load per square foot and make the 

functionality of maintenance access space 

more critical. In the end, the proper 

configuration for the AudioVisual Equipment 

Room is a small version of an IT server room. 

It must have these qualities: 

 24/7 Cooling and humidity control 

 For each courtroom, space for two 

floor standing equipment racks each 

measuring 22”W x 30”D x 74”H. 

These need full walk-around access, 
8 

so this adds 36” in front and 36” 

behind. 

 Restricted key access. These cannot 

be installed in shared GSA space or 

electrical rooms. 

 Proximity to the courtroom. Many 

times in newer construction, 

courtrooms are paired so they can 

share a single USMS elevator. The 

space between two courtrooms is 

ideal for the AudioVisual Equipment 

Room. Two courtrooms with three to 

four equipment racks total is an ideal 

configuration.

Typical Contemporary AudioVisual Equipment Room 

5.2 Floors 

5.2.1 Access floors 

There is an ongoing conversation about the 

need for access (aka “raised” or “computer”) 

floors in courtrooms. Briefly, here are some 

of the tests that need to pass before access 

floor should even be considered: 

 The courtroom well is large enough 

to accommodate rearrangement and 

adding council tables. 

 Various judges use the courtrooms 

that prefer different table 

arrangements from one another. 

 The presentation lectern needs to be 

able to operate from more than two 

positions in the courtroom. 

 If in new construction, the slab 

elevation offset has been accounted 

for and the cost is acceptable. 

 If in renovated construction, suitable 

ramps can be added at each door – 

whether inside or outside the 

courtroom perimeter. (A 5 inch high 

floor requires a 5 foot long ramp.) 

 If the ramps can only be added 

outside of the courtroom perimeter, it 

is acceptable to raise the affected 

courtroom doors, which will require 

wall modifications. 

 The Court accepts that carpet tile will 

be needed and the style/color 

available and the finished look (mild 

carpet seams) are acceptable. (It is 

nearly pointless to install an access 

floor with rolled carpet over it.) 

When all of these factors are weighed, it 

becomes clear that an access floor system can 

only be successfully realized in all-new 

construction. 

Access Floor being installed in an Equipment 

Room 
9 

5.2.2 Other Floor Types 

In lieu of an access floor, the most 

common new floor systems today are 

concrete floors where floorbox 

penetrations have not been roughed-in 

prior to pouring the concrete or where 

pre-cast concrete sections have been 

used. 

5.3 Walls 

5.3.1 Block, Drywall or Plaster 

The walls of a courtroom have special 

construction requirements for acoustic 

isolation reasons. Federal courtrooms 

have premium wall finishes inside; 

rarely is exposed painted drywall the 

overall finished look. 

5.3.2 Wood 

The walls in most new courtrooms 

will be primarily wood with some 

exposed drywall. It is important to 

work with AudioVisual Designer on 

the wood trim, access, niches and 

cavities that may be needed in order to 

properly mount and conceal radio 

antennas, Radio Frequency (RF) and 

Infrared (IR) emitters used for assisted 

listening, cameras, WAN points, etc. 

Care must be taken so these recesses 

do not penetrate either a fire barrier on 

an acoustic isolation barrier. 

 

A Contemporary Courtroom with cameras and 

other technology integrated into a woodsheathed wall 

5.3.3 Stone 

Stone or a tile material is popular for 

accents and wall segments. It is 

common to see stone of some type 

used behind the judge- both for visual 

appeal and to reflect sound from the 

bench area out into the well if the 

surface is smooth. Stone or other 

similar materials should not be 

employed where technology needs to 

be placed or access to it will be 

required. Smooth stone and glass are 

acoustically very reflective and must 

be used sparingly in courtrooms. 

5.4 Ceilings 

Ceiling designs in new Courtrooms 

vary greatly. Each type can present 

different challenges to the 

AudioVisual Designer. The 

AudioVisual Designer must work 

carefully with the Architect at most 

stages of the ceiling development. 

Important elements of the design will 

be: 

 The change in ceiling heights 

including the introduction of 

coffers, drop soffits, etc. that 
10 

would affect the types of 

loudspeakers. 

 The average height of the 

ceiling that will help define the 

number of loudspeakers and 

the energy they each need to 

produce. 

 The amount and locations of 

sound absorptivity of the 

materials used. This will affect 

the type of loudspeakers and 

quantities. 

 Acoustically reflective 

surfaces that can introduce 

undesirable sound anomalies. 

 Accessibility to install or 

update wiring. 

 Areas reserved for ceiling 

devices such video projectors, 

IR emitters, in-ceiling cameras 

and antennas. These areas 

must be free of lights, life 

safety detectors, etc. In some 

cases, structural support is 

needed so a clear area between 

the finished ceiling and the 

structural ceiling is required. 

6. AudioVisual Driven 

Mechanical Items 

6.1 Types 

HVAC and plumbing influence the 

AudioVisual infrastructure planning in 

the following ways: 

6.1.1 Heating and Cooling 

Heating is rarely a problem in the nonoccupied spaces where equipment is 

located. Cooling on the other hand is a 

serious issue that needs to be addressed 

by the Mechanical Design Engineer 

early in the process. 

A contributor to the design challenge is 

that most GSA owned buildings have 

cooling systems that shut off or allow 

higher temperatures and humidity after 

business hours. As with Data 

equipment, much of the AudioVisual 

equipment remains on or in a standby 

mode after business hours. A small 

equipment room can quickly overheat. 

24/7 air treatment is necessary to keep 

the ambient air directly in front of each 

rack in a 70-75 degree Fahrenheit 

range. 

6.1.2 Cooling units 

Installing a stand-alone cooling unit in 

an equipment room is an acceptable 

solution for maintaining 24/7 cooling 

requirements as long as the unit is 

implemented properly. The unit 

placement or the ducting from it must 

simulate the hot/cold aisle technique 

used in Data Centers as much as 

possible. Most importantly, air must 

continuously flow in a circular pattern 

starting with cold air being introduced 

near the rack bases. 

It is critical that a unit that will have 

condensation not be placed over 

electronic equipment; a water leak or 

overflow of the catch-pan could be 

catastrophic to the equipment below. 

6.1.3 Specialized Applications 

The AudioVisual Designer will 

occasionally ask for specialized 

cooling or airflow applications. 

Cooling sealed camera cavities in a 

courtroom wall is one such example. 

It is not always possible to open the 

cavity to the courtroom (by 

eliminating the glass) and let the 

camera be cooled by room air. Some 
11 

cameras make a slight sound when 

they pan, tilt and zoom. This can be 

heard by the courtroom occupants 

more easily in courtrooms where the 

cavities are lower on the walls, so 

glass is used. 

Another example of specialized 

cooling is needed when a large 

amount of equipment must be placed 

in a cabinet within the courtroom. It 

will be necessary cool that equipment 

directly so that the cabinet does not 

overheat. 

6.1.4 Ducting and Diffusers 

The Mechanical Design Engineer 

should note where the AudioVisual 

Designer has placed devices in the 

ceilings that need clear space above. 

This would include loudspeaker back 

boxes that can extend to 12” above 

the finished ceiling. 

Flush mount in-ceiling document 

cameras also need clearance above, 

as do the heavier video projectors. 

The Mechanical Drawings should 

specifically indicate to the 

Mechanical Contractor where 

ductwork should not be placed. 

The locations of drop down 

projection screens should also be 

noted by the Mechanical Design 

Engineer and air diffusers should not 

be oriented in their direction. The 

lightweight of the screen fabric can 

easily start flagging and distort the 

video image being projected onto it. 

6.1.5 Noise 

United States courtrooms require that 

their Noise Criteria (NC) not exceed 

about 30. Calculations and design of 

the HVAC system need to assist with 

the compliance of this requirement. 

7. AudioVisual Driven 

Electrical Items 

7.1 Spaces 

Other than the Courtroom itself, other 

spaces will be impacted by the 

AudioVisual systems and must be 

taken into consideration during the 

building’s planning. 

7.1.1 Equipment Rooms 

The specialized rooms for AudioVisual 

equipment will require a similar 

electrical infrastructure to that of a 

server room, although raised floor 

systems are not normally needed. More 

common is an overhead, constantly 

accessible open ladder tray. The ladder 

tray should provide access into the 

cable-pull corridor and then branch to 

each of the standing vertical racks 

using industry Best Practices. The 

AudioVisual Designer will define 

power requirements for each project, 

but it is safe to assume that a dedicated 

20amp circuit for each rack will 

suffice. All technical power in the 

equipment rooms should be from the 

same phase of the power distribution 

panel. Power should not be hardwired 

from the rack for a number of reasons, 

primarily in order to avoid earth 

ground from touching the metallic rack 

enclosure. If access floor is not used, 

the power outlets should be mounted in 

a location that allows the rack power 

cable to be routed above or to the side 

of the racks in order to provide for a 

clear walking path. 
12 

.

Clear space behind equipment racks

7.1.2 Floor Terminations 

7.1.2.1 Trench-Duct 

A great many existing older 

courthouses used a “trench-duct” 

network that was placed in a gridlike fashion before the concrete 

was poured around it. This style of 

access was very popular in early 

open office concepts since they 

allowed multiple penetrations for 

access to it along the linear grid. A 

typical grid may be spaced twelve 

feet apart with multiple potential 

activation points along each 

trench. This way, the duct could be 

accessed in two to six foot 

increments along each trench line, 

but only in a single direction. 

The flexibility of this approach 

freed the Electrical Design 

Engineer from having to know 

exactly where each cubicle would 

be located as long as a cubicle wall 

sat on top of it. 

Additionally, this allows for 

relatively simple future 

reconfiguration of the open space. 

The cubicles and other equipment 

could be moved and resized as 

long as they sat on top of a trench 

line. If an existing activation point 

was not already present, then one 

could be made where they were 

pre-designed permitted along the 

trench line. 

Exposed Trench-Duct prior to lid and 

carpet covers 

This style was readily adopted for 

the courtrooms. The thinking was 

that if it worked for office 

cubicles, it should also work for 

attorney tables and lecterns. While 

this is ostensibly true, there are 

different types of “movable”. In an 

open office space remodeling, 

selected areas may be out of 

service for a week or more. In a 
13 

courtroom, furniture may need to 

be moved a few times a week. The 

Court’s calendar cannot tolerate a 

week to close a courtroom while 

the furniture is moved. 

The solution to that issue was to 

provide a great many connection 

points that were already available 

and pre-connected to the 

AudioVisual systems. This would 

allow staff to move furniture with 

technology quickly. However, this 

proves both expensive and 

unsightly. 

Typical Trench-Duct activation point

More significantly, the fine 

resolution of movement needed to 

place tables and lecterns exactly 

where the judge needs them cannot 

be achieved practically with a 

normal trench duct design. Many 

courtrooms were built with closely 

spaced access points- some a little 

as one foot- but this only helped in 

one direction since the trenches 

were still spaced about ten feet or 

so apart. Again, the result was 

unsightly. 

Multiple Unattractive Access Points in a 

Trench-Duct Floor to Provide Fast Access 

7.1.2.2 Access Floor 

As noted in Part 5, access floors 

are practical only in all-new 

construction. The fundamental 

concept is to provide 100% cable 

connection location flexibility, in 

this case, in the courtroom well 

space. 

However, the details of how the 

electrical infrastructure is designed 

will dictate the practical day-today usability of the space. 

Primarily, the AudioVisual 

Designer will assess the frequency 

that furniture and other devices 

need to be relocated. These can be 

put into three categories: 

 Multi-position: Multiposition is a term used here 

to indicate that a connected 

item may need to move 

several times a week, if not 

every day. The most 

common example of this is 

a small lectern that is often 

moved around the 

courtroom depending on 

the stage of a trial; the 

lectern may need to be in 

front of the jury for 

opening or closing 

arguments, but in the center 
14 

of the courtroom otherwise. 

This type of technology 

needs active AudioVisual 

connections at predefined 

locations. It is important 

that the connectivity be 

provided that allow 

courtroom staff (not 

support personnel) to 

disconnect, move and 

reconnect easily. 

Courtroom staff cannot be 

expected to lift out floor 

tiles. This move should 

take no more than 10 

minutes. 

 Removable: Removable 

would most often refer to a 

portable evidence 

presentation system, 

portable video conference 

system or large roll-in 

displays. This type of 

technology needs active 

AudioVisual connections at 

predefined locations. 

Typically, support staff 

would have approximately 

one hour to install or 

remove this equipment. 

 Movable: Movable is a 

term used here to indicate 

that a connected item may 

need to move several times 

a year. This is most 

common when attorney 

tables are being added for 

multi-defendant trials or 

when a different judge uses 

the courtroom that prefers a 

different arrangement in 

the well. This type of 

movement should be 

planned so that support 

staff can make the 

adjustments in a half-day 

increment. 

In all cases, the electrical design 

should never leave grommet holes 

or cable umbilicals exposed at the 

location the device was moved 

from, both for safety and aesthetic 

reasons. 

In the case of movable devices, 

these abandoned locations should 

have no trace of a connection 

point- not even an exposed flush 

mounted floorbox. 

Where access floor is paired with a 

staggered carpet tile alignment, 

(see more information on this 

under the Interior Design Surfaces 

section), the best way to 

accomplish this is to use a 

“mousehole” on the side of a floor 

tile, even when there is a stringer. 

A "mousehole" at the edge of a floor tile. 

Also, note how the carpet tile overlaps the 

intersection of four floor tiles. 

This is advantageous for the low 

voltage cable installer if for no 

other reason than to allow cable 

installation from above the floor to 

the access area without having to 

thread the cable through the hole 

in the tile. 
15 

An enclosed hole in the tile requires the 

cable to be threaded through it, making 

installation more time consuming. Also, 

note that the hole cut in the carpet prevents 

its’ re-use at another location in the 

courtroom. 

The primary advantage to this 

approach allows the floor tile to be 

moved to a new location and used 

with a relocated or different cable 

umbilical. The solid floor tile it 

replaces can be moved to the 

position where the tile with the 

mousehole came from. 

Of course, the staggered carpet 

tiles on top of the floors tiles will 

only line up at its original position. 

They cannot be moved to a new 

position since each floor tile and 

carpet tile in the room will have a 

unique position relationship. This 

makes it difficult to move the 

carpet tiles along with the 

relocated floor tile. 

This becomes increasingly 

difficult, as the carpet pattern 

repeat measurement gets larger. 

The simple, often overlooked 

solution to this is to avoid cutting 

the mousehole in the carpet tile 

itself. Instead, only a slit should be 

made and no carpet should be cut 

away or discarded. 

This will still not allow a slit 

carpet tile to be relocated, but it 

can be left over the abandoned 

position where the solid floor tile 

is now installed. The unused slit 

can be flattened and left at its 

original location. 

At the new location of the cable 

umbilical and the relocated floor 

tile with the mousehole, either a 

previously slit carpet tile can be 

used, or a new slit made in an 

existing carpet tile where the new 

mouse hole appears. 

In any case, the Court should own 

a few spare floor tiles with mouse 

holes cut in them as well as a few 

solid floor tiles. These will come 

in particularly helpful when extra 

attorney tables are needed in the 

courtroom well, or when furniture 

must be removed for an event such 

as a naturalization or swearing-in 

ceremony. 

7.1.2.3 Poke-Through Devices 

In modern construction at areas 

where access floor is not used, the 

concrete is rarely poured around 

roughed-in trench-duct, conduit or 

flush mounted floor boxes. This 

practice is common and leads to 

the popularity of the “pokethrough” connectivity option. 

A poke-through is a wiring device 

characterized by how it is installed 

into the slab. All true poke-through 

devices are inserted (hence the 

name) into round holes of varying 

dimensions Round holes are 

drilled post-pour and are much 

easier to add than true floor boxes 

that require rectangular saw cuts. 

Poke-through devices are suited 

for limited connections for the 

typical types of furniture found in 

the office environment. A 

contemporary poke-through can be 
16 

fitted with several data 

connections and up to two power 

outlets. 

The extending conduit or cables 

are connected to the tail of the 

poke-through above the finished 

ceiling of the floor below where 

the poke-through will be used. 

The low voltage connection points 

must find their way back to the 

AudioVisual equipment location 

and in some cases to data and 

lighting dimmer rooms. 

The drawback to the typical pokethrough is that it has limited if any 

connections for AudioVisual 

needs. It also allows the tops of 

connectors exposed above the 

carpet level where they can be 

damaged by chair casters and 

vacuum cleaners. They also do not 

sit entirely flush in the floor 

presenting a minor tripping hazard 

if present in open walking 

pathways. 

Typical round Poke-Through Device. Note 

that the trim is not flush to the floor and 

that connectors must stick up where they 

are susceptible to damage 

Another type of Poke-Through Device 

referred to as a "doghouse" or 

"tombstone" type 

7.1.2.4 Flush-mount Floor Boxes 

True floor boxes are characterized 

by having to be saw cut into an 

existing poured or precast concrete 

slab- if they were not pre-set in the 

structural grid before the concrete 

pour. 

Contemporary floor box versions 

are further characterized in that the 

power and low voltage connection 

points are below the finished floor 

line. A removable or hinged lid is 

on top to bring it flush to the 

finished floor material (i.e. 

carpeting). 

Clearly, AudioVisual and Data 

connectors are better protected 

when under a lid that can 

withstand foot traffic, chairs, etc. 

The cables themselves only 

protrude from the floor box lid and 

are much more resistant to 

damage. 

Additionally, true floor boxes can 

provide a great deal more surfaces 

for connectors. This is particularly 

important for AudioVisual cables 

since many of the industry 

standard connectors are larger than 

those used for data connectors. 

Since there is no surface that is 

raised above the finished floor 
17 

level, floor boxes are preferred 

where they will be in walking 

pathways when they are not in use. 

Floor box that is below the finished floor 

and suitable for AudioVisual use

7.1.3 Low Voltage Conduit and Raceway 

For the purposes of defining the 

raceway used for AudioVisual 

systems, the EIA/TIA 569 code 

standard should be applied during 

the design process. In nearly all 

instances, the 569 standard 

exceeds that of the NEC. 

The stricter requirements are 

dictated by the engineering 

standards path the AudioVisual 

industry is taking for new systems; 

many new digital video systems 

operate with shielded twisted 4-

pair cables that have a limited run 

distance. Therefore, it is safe to 

assume that many video 

components (not so with all audio) 

have cable connectivity that is very 

similar to that of data backbones 

and equipment. 

In fact, many of the audio and 

video standards currently 

supported are not run over twisted 

pair cable; AudioVisual cabling 

schemes are unique to each design 

and cannot operate on a generic 

backbone. 

The AudioVisual Designer will be 

a key part of developing the 

correct electrical interconnectivity 

infrastructure. The AudioVisual 

Designer will understand the 

uniqueness of each technical 

position in the courthouse and be 

able to anticipate what types of 

cables will be needed. 

The type of raceway needed at any 

given location will of course be 

determined by the building 

conditions, the accessibly and the 

amount of cable that needs to be 

transported. Most commonly, these 

are: 

7.1.3.1 No Raceway 

Most AudioVisual cables used in 

today’s courthouses are rated to be 

installed in a plenum space without 

the protection of a sealed conduit. 

This solution is acceptable where 

there is limited wiring needed and 

full access to it is available. 

A good example of this is for inceiling loudspeakers where the 

cable is accessible above the 

ceiling. J-hooks can be used for 

cable management to keep the 

cables off the ceiling surface. 

The specifications must be clear 

that this cannot be a solution if 

local rules or codes exclude this 

practice. For example, some 

Districts adhere to local fire codes 

that can require conduit regardless 

of the cable’s plenum rating. Some 

specialized AudioVisual 

equipment has proprietary cabling 

schemes and some of that needs to 

run inside conduit as well. 
18 

7.1.3.2 Electrical Metallic Conduit Raceway 

(EMT) Raceway 

This is a solid metal tube that as a 

rule, AudioVisual Designers will 

prefer. This type of conduit must 

be bent with a tool. 

A primary advantage to this is that 

this conduit must be measured and 

cut in the field; an electrician will 

be much more likely to pay 

attention to the overall end-to-end 

distance of the pathway as dictated 

by the EIA/TIA 569 standard. 

Another advantage of EMT is that 

it offers the best rejection of radio 

frequency interference (RFI) that 

can wreak havoc on low-level 

audio signals. This allows the 

AudioVisual signals to pass near 

possible noise sources such as 

244V florescent fixtures, light 

dimmers and transformers. 

AudioVisual EMT near Equipment Room 

7.1.3.3 Flexible Metallic Conduit Raceway 

(FMC) Raceway 

Flexible Metallic Conduit (FMC): 

The use of this type of raceway, 

often referred to as “flex”, is not a 

popular choice with AudioVisual 

Designers. One reason is that it is 

too easy for the electrician to 

exceed the bending radius limits 

and the restricted lengths imposed 

by various standards and codes. 

The interior of the conduit is rough 

and makes cable pulls more 

difficult foot-for-foot. It is usually 

necessary to upsize the conduit 

dimension by at least one trade 

size when FMC is used. It should 

only be used when it is absolutely 

needed and only then in limited 

segment lengths. 

AudioVisual FMC used where EMT would 

have been more appropriate 

7.1.3.4 Special Conditions in the Jury Box 

If the Design calls for displays in 

the jury box, the conduit and 

power there can be some of the 

most complicated in the project. 

Partial conduit rough-in for a jury box 

The methods will vary greatly 

based the following variables: 

 The number of displays in 

the jury box: In a typical 

16-seat jury box, 7 to 16 

displays may be called for 

by the AudioVisual 
19 

Designer. There are often 

microphones, loudspeakers 

and real-time transcription 

jacks in the jury box. 

 The platform on which the 

jurors sit: In some cases, 

the jury box is built on top 

of an access floor that 

greatly reduces the 

electrical work needed. 

Other designs will have 

one or both jury rows 

raised above the main 

floor in which case conduit 

may need to route into a 

wall behind or the floor 

below for access. 

 The nature of the jury rail 

design: In some designs, 

the rail will be too thin or 

open which will dictate a 

different approach to the 

wiring. 

Mount for jury box display where 

Jury rail mounting is not an option 

 Nature of the jury chairs: 

These may be fixed with 

tilt and swivel capabilities 

or chairs only on casters. 

The size of the chair and 

its mounting can affect the 

nature of the electrical 

rough-in. 

 The presence of a wall in 

front of the rear row of 

jurors: If the wall is not 

present, the method for 

mounting the rear row 

displays will be quite 

different than used for the 

front row displays. 
20 

A Contemporary Jury Box where the Casework is designed for the Displays. Note Built-in Speaker Strips below Displays 

 An additional equipment 

placement location: 

AudioVisual designers 

often will need to place 

some distribution 

equipment under the riser 

or at a location near the 

end of the box. This will 

require metal junction 

boxes with cascading 

conduit or a shelf with 

conduits and power 

provided in it. 

Special electrical requirements 

for the jury box 
21 

7.1.3.5 Open Cable Trays and Ladders 

Cable trays and ladders are most 

often found above public corridor 

spaces. It is common to see low 

voltage Data, AudioVisual, 

Environmental Control, Life 

Safety, Security, CCTV and other 

control systems shared in a single 

tray. Trays should be wide enough 

to accommodate all of the cable 

needs so there are no more than 

2 - 3 cables stacked on top of one 

another. A master cable color-code 

is also suggested so that 

technicians making future updates 

will be more motivated to remove 

abandoned cable rather than 

leaving it in place and adding new 

cable on top. This technique 

allows them to identify easily the 

cable that should be removed. 

Ladders are seen most often in 

equipment rooms and used for 

both horizontal and vertical 

transitions. Again, it is important 

that point-to-point calculations be 

made to ensure that nothing 

exceeds the distance limits 

imposed by the standards and 

codes that apply. 

AudioVisual cable can use this 

type of raceway very effectively, 

as long as it shares parallel runs 

with only other low-voltage 

signals. 

7.1.3.6 AudioVisual Equipment by 

Electrical Contractor 

The Electrical Contractor will on 

occasion need to provide and 

install AudioVisual equipment. 

Equipment that the Electrical 

Contractor will need to provide 

and install will be determined by 

the AudioVisual Designer on a 

case-by-case basis. 

Typically, this type of equipment 

is the type that would be truly 

built-into the building or 

abandoned if the tenant were to 

move out. Built-in projection 

screens, special flat panel display 

back boxes and in-ceiling 

loudspeakers are good examples. 

Having the Electrical Contractor 

install the in-ceiling loudspeakers 

in concert with other project trades 

is beneficial because the 

assemblies must be coordinated 

with HVAC ducts, lighting, 

plumbing etc. When the 

AudioVisual Integrator arrives on 

site, they can wire and tune the 

loudspeakers as needed. 

Self-contained loudspeaker solution being 

installed in an "old work" ceiling. Preplanned clearance above is critical 

 
22 

Self-contained loudspeakers as well as 

stand-alone backbox enclosures 

should ideally be provided and 

installed by the Electrical Contractor. 

 Clear space needed behind equipment 

racks for access
23 

Typical Customized AudioVisual conduit/raceway within a new courtroom 

 See APPENDIX A for larger image of conduit raceway drawing.
24 

8. AudioVisual Driven Interior 

Items 

8.1 Surfaces 

The finish surfaces the Interior 

Designer chooses will have an impact 

on both the sound and video in the 

Courtroom. The absorptivity of the 

carpet and drapes or shades will affect 

reverberation time, that is, the 

“liveness” or “deadness” in the space. 

Colors, patterns and textures of the 

selected interior finishes can be 

unfriendly the video camera. 

8.1.1 Carpet 

With the rare exception, courtrooms 

are being built with carpet as the main 

floor finish surface. Other types of 

floor surfaces were found in older 

courtrooms such a marble, stone, 

asbestos tile or even cork, but these 

each have their own challenges and 

dangers as well as extra expense. It is 

safe to assume that a new courtroom 

will have a carpeted floor, at least in 

the main areas of the courtroom 

floors. 

The types of carpeting that can be 

used in the main courtroom floor area 

were discussed earlier under Floor 

Types. Indeed, the type of carpet, tiles 

or roll goods must be chosen first. 

Only then can the Interior Designer be 

able to search options in that carpet 

type for color, pile, etc. 

Here are some things to consider 

when selecting carpet from an 

Audiovisual perspective:  Pile and acoustic 

absorbability: Since 

courtrooms are large and 

typically have hard surfaces 

for the walls, they naturally 

tend to be more reverberant. 

(Think about sound in an 

indoor basketball court). The 

more reverberation there is in 

a space, the more difficult it is 

to understand what others may 

be saying. The Audiovisual 

Designer cannot really “fix” a 

reverberant space with the 

sound system that is going in; 

only cope with what is there. 

Since the room is quite “live”, 

the Audiovisual Designer will 

be looking at what they can do 

to help tame the liveliness of 

the courtroom. One way is 

making the carpet more sound 

absorbent, expect then that the 

Audiovisual Designer will ask 

the Interior Designer to specify 

the most sound absorptive 

carpet possible. 

 Minimize footfall noises: Here 

again, the Audiovisual 

Designer is looking to 

eliminate extraneous sounds 

that can compete with the 

ability to hear talkers in the 

Courtroom. Normally, the 

thicker or softer the carpet can 

be, the less walking noise is 

heard. Beware of “crunching” 

carpet as well. This 

phenomena is most often heard 

when the carpet is still new, 

but the Interior Designer 

should vet the product to 

ensure the sound disappears 

after a few weeks in use. 

 Patterns: Strictly an aesthetic 

issue, linear patterns can draw 

attention to exposed crooked 

floorboxes (as well as 

casework). They can also be 

troublesome when using 

floorbox lids that need a 
25 

carpeted top to finish the 

floorbox lid. The pattern must 

be selected to match during the 

installation and the end user 

has to take care about the lid 

be rotated or changed with 

other lids. On the other hand, 

patterns, particularly linear 

ones, are quite helpful with 

carpet tile as the pattern 

distracts the eye away from the 

seams.

Crooked floorbox is made more noticeable with patterned carpet 

 Floor tile alignment: The 

actual access floor tiles under 

the carpet will be in 24” 

squares, but it is very rare to 

see 24”x24” carpet tiles lined 

up directly on the tile below in 

a Courtroom environment. 

First, not all carpet tiles are 

available in 24”x24” sizes. 

Even if the Interior Designer’s 

choice happens to come in the 

24”x24” size, it is still not 

desirable to install it lined up 

on top of the floor tiles. This 

may be desirable from an 

access and maintenance 

standpoint but the practice 

cannot be maintained with 

precision across the entire 

floor area. The result would be 

seams that are more 

pronounced and even linear 

depressions where the tiles 

meet. As long as the tile 

installer used appropriate 

reusable mastic and the carpet 

installation direction is 

stamped on the carpet tile 

backing, the extra 

inconvenience of removing 

carpet tiles and then the floor 

tiles separately is minimal. 
26 

8.1.2 Wall Materials 

Today's courtrooms are designed with 

a vast array of surface materials 

including stone, drywall, wood and 

glass. Some of these surfaces will 

have additional materials added onto 

them; paint, wall covering or fabric 

wrapped panels. 

When the Interior Designer has the 

option of adding color and patterns to 

these surfaces, the courtroom design 

can be taken to a new aesthetic level. 

Caution must be taken and some 

colors and patterns should be avoided. 

From an AudioVisual standpoint, the 

primary concerns revolve around 

cameras in the courtroom that are used 

for video conferencing and/or 

courtroom gallery overflow. 

With regard to backgrounds, colors 

should only be chosen for camera 

backgrounds that are complementary 

to skin tones. Generally staying in the 

earth-tone color family is safest. 

Avoid high contrast color 

combinations and “busy” 

backgrounds. 

Small, particularly linear patterns in 

wall coverings should also be avoided. 

These have a tendency to moiré on 

camera and generally distract the 

viewer’s eye. 

A poor color or background choice 

behind a judge or witness on camera 

can make them appear unnatural. 

Busy Horizontal Pattern in Wall Surface will Moire’ in the Camera and Distract the Eye
27 

8.2 Furniture 

8.2.1 “Smart” Tables 

The term “Smart” Table found its way 

into courtroom technology years ago 

when attorney tables were being 

customized to accommodate the 

increasing need to support attorney 

laptop connectivity. 

Today’s Smart Tables can be found 

with microphones and desktop sized 

flat panel displays along with 

connections for language interpreters, 

headphones, public LAN, Real-Time 

Transcription as well as video and 

audio presentation inputs, extra 

monitor outputs and intercom 

connections. 

Many of these devices require power 

as well as the laptops and tablets the 

attorneys bring to Court with them. 

The best Smart Tables have hidden 

power for the built-in devices and 

easily accessible outlets for use with 

ad hoc equipment such as the 

attorney’s laptops and tablets. 

This technology cannot be easily 

installed on “standard” tables without 

unsightly cables and add-on interface 

boxes. Locations where the attorney 

needs to connect will be 

inconveniently placed for them and 

may even be out of sight and out of 

reach. 

The increasing use of larger sized 

monitors on the attorney tables now 

dictate a need to recess part of them in 

new tables to allow for reasonable 

sightlines to and from the witness and 

judge. 

The tables should be custom designed 

to match the courtroom aesthetic and 

finishes. All tables within the 

courtroom should have a light top 

surface. Glossy tops should be 

avoided.

The result of customizing these tables 

will result in an attractive element that 

functions well in the environment for 

which it was designed. 

Unfortunately, attorney table designs 

vary and there is no gold standard for 

the ideal configuration. If the users 

will sit only on one side of the table, a 

modesty panel or hollow wall can be 

planned on the judge’s side to hide 

equipment and cables. If the table is to 

be ambidextrous – allowing seating on 

the left and/or right side - then the 

underside of the table top will be open 

for seating all around, restricting the 

areas where the technology can be 

placed and where cables can transition 

vertically from the table top to the 

floor. 

In many cases, the Court decides that 

tables must be movable within the 

courtroom space in order to 

accommodate the needs of a specific 

event. The AudioVisual technology 

for these table types requires an extra 

level of design care particularly where 

it comes to cable connectivity; the 

table may need to be connected at the 

“left end” in some positions and the 

“right end” in others. 

Since the needs of the tables are 

complex, it is best to work with the 

AudioVisual Designer to develop a 

custom solution for each type of table 

needed.
28 

Custom Designed Ambidextrous Smart Table. Note Recessed Displays, video presentation and Headphone Connections

8.2.2 Presentation Lectern 

A Presentation Lectern, (sometimes referred 

to as a Presentation Cart), is normally a 

freestanding, often movable piece of furniture 

that serves as the command center for an 

attorney or technical assistant presenting 

video and/or audio evidence to the court. 

Presentation of evidence electrically is so 

common now that many Courts have only the 

Presentation Lectern (or Cart) as their only 

presenting position. Other Courts prefer to 

also have a smaller, separate lectern for just 

oral arguments - an Oral Lectern if you will. 

Before widespread use of the personal 

computer, the Presentation Lectern required a 

number of separate presentation appliances to 

deal with the various media formats used for 

evidence storage. Common were audio 

cassette players, VHS VCRs, Audio CD and 

DVD players along with the evidence camera. 

The PC in its various sizes and brand forms 

and other storage media such as the Apple 

iPod have allowed the transfer of the audio 

and video from these various older formats 

into various types of electronic storage files 

that can connect to the courtroom evidence 

system with a single audiovisual interface. 

Today there are mostly interchangeable 

interfaces from these PC-like devices that 

greatly simplify the connectivity needs at the 

Presentation Lectern. Most commonly, these 

are referred to as DVI, HDMI, DisplayPort or 

Thunderbolt® connections. 

Once the legal team has organized all of their 

audio, video and picture files to one of these 

formats, they can use a single device, such as 
29 

a tablet, to present the material to the court. 

There are also applications that are made 

specifically assist the attorney with 

organizing and presenting the materials stored 

in this way. 

The presentation tool that seems to remain 

today however at the Presentation Lectern is 

the Evidence Camera. Often referred to as 

“ELMO”, visual presenter or document the 

camera, it is not ideally suited to show actual 

flat documents. Its best use is for the display 

and live manipulation of evidence such as a 

small weapon or other three-dimensional 

objects. 

Since these relatively large cameras remain 

an important part of today’s courtroom, their 

physical impact must be taken into account 

during the courtroom design. 

A Contemporary Presentation Lectern that supports High Definition PCs and an Evidence camera

Some Presentation Lecterns will also have a 

small control panel, typically 5-7” wide, to 

allow the presenter to control restricted 

features on the devices located at the 

Presentation Lectern. Since the most common 

controls included Play, Pause, Fast Forward, 

etc. of the various media playback appliances, 

the control panels have largely despaired 

from many Presentation Lectern design as the 

tools they control have disappeared. The 

zoom and focus controls on the evidence 

camera are within easy reach directly on the 

camera itself. 

The remaining space for a presentation 

lectern needs to be an empty one to allow for 

the attorney’s laptop or tablet as well as a 

place for reference notes or binders. 
30 

 

Fixed-Position Presentation Lectern on Access Floor 
31 

 
32 

10. Appendix A. 

SEE INCLUDED CONDUIT/RACEWAY DRAWINGS 
33 

11. References 

1. J. Willard (Chair), Jay Farbstein, Martin Gruen, Frederic Lederer, Donald Palmer, David 

Samura, Bob Schwartz, Dickson Stewart, (2013). AV/IT Infrastructure Guidelines for 

Courts. Fairfax,VA: InfoComm International.