New York Codes, Rules and Regulations › Title 22 - JUDICIARY › Subtitle A - JUDICIAL ADMINISTRATION › Chapter I - Standards and Administrative Policies › Subchapter A - Rules Of The Chief Judge › Part 34 - Guidelines For New York State Court Facilities › Section 34.0 - Court facilities

Current through Register Vol. 46, No. 28,
					 July 10, 2024
In the exercise of responsibility for supervision of the
						administration and operation of the Unified Court System, the Chief
						Administrator of the Courts shall encourage, whenever possible and insofar as
						practicable, compliance with the guidelines for New York State court facilities
						set forth below.
GUIDELINES FOR NEW YORK STATE COURT FACILITIES
GUIDELINE I: SAFETY
I.1:
Safety:
Court
					 facilities should have structural design, building materials, methods of
					 construction and fire rating as required by local or state building codes that
					 are applicable in the locality.
Court facilities should have fire alarms, fire
						extinguisher systems, means of egress and emergency exits as required by
						applicable building and fire codes.
The use of court facilities should conform, to the extent
						required, to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration Standards of the
						U.S. Department of Labor for public buildings.
I.2:
Emergency Planning and
					 Evacuation Procedures:
Court facilities should have established
					 procedures for the evacuation of facilities in case of fire or bomb threats, a
					 system of communication in case of an emergency and the appointment of wardens
					 to conduct fire drills at regular intervals. In addition, there should be
					 safety officers to assure that required safety measures are established and
					 followed at all times. A multicourt facility should have one safety officer
					 with responsibility for the entire facility.
GUIDELINE II: ACCESS FOR THE HANDICAPPED
Court facilities should be accessible to the physically
						handicapped as required by Article 15 of the State's Executive Law and accepted
						architectural standards.
GUIDELINE III: ENVIRONMENT*
III.1:
Overall Appearance:
Court facilities should have an overall appearance of dignity and efficiency.
The appearance of court facilities affects the attitude
						of litigants, attorneys, the public and court employees. Therefore, court
						facilities should be continuously well maintained.
III.2:
Adequate Facilities and
					 Areas:
Court facilities should provide the required number of
					 courtrooms, chambers, jury deliberation rooms, attorney/client conference
					 rooms, clerical and other offices of adequate size as set forth below in these
					 guidelines. An inadequate number of facilities delays the administration of
					 justice.
III.3:
Heating,
					 Cooling and Humidity:
Design should emphasize energy conservation.
					 Court facilities should follow the standards set by the American Society of
					 Heating, Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE).
III.4:
Ventilation:
A fresh,
					 contaminant-free air supply should be provided. ASHRAE standards should be
					 followed.
III.5:
Lighting:
Court facilities should have adequate lighting
					 levels that comply with the standards set by the Illuminating Engineering
					 Society. Consideration should be given to energy conservation.
III.6:
Color Scheme and
					 Contrast:
The color scheme should be sober and dignified, the colors
					 easy to maintain. The following level of color contrast is suggested:
* Courtrooms .. Low contrast
						...................................................................................................................
* Offices, jury rooms, conference rooms, chambers ..
						Medium contrast .............................................
* Public lobbies, conference rooms, storage areas ..
						Heavy contrast ...................................................
III.7:
Acoustics:
Court facilities should provide a comfortable acoustical environment suitable
					 for public trials, hearings, office work and research.
There should be no vibration noise due to mechanical
						systems (heating, air-conditioning, elevators, plumbing, creaky staircases,
						doors, windows and mechanical equipment).
Jury deliberation rooms and family court hearing rooms
						(courtrooms) should be soundproof.
Courtrooms should be free from outside noise disturbance
						and should be so constructed as to assure that all the participants in the well
						area are able to hear the proceedings.
Sound amplification may be necessary in large courtrooms,
						jury assembly areas, and large family court waiting rooms.
III.8:
Vision and
					 Sightlines:
In courtrooms, every participant in the well area should
					 have a clear and adequate view of all other participants.
Detention areas and travel paths for incarcerated persons
						should provide clear and maximum vision for easy supervision of
						detainees.
III.9:
Confidentiality:
Functions which require a considerable degree
					 of confidentiality--such as jury deliberation; attorney/client conferences;
					 attorney/defendant interviews; conferences with judges, clerks and probation
					 officers; and adoption proceedings--should be housed in private
					 rooms.
III.10:
Cleaning and
					 Maintenance:
Court facilities should be clean and hygienic. Floor,
					 wall, ceiling, door and window components should be devoid of deterioration and
					 in working condition. Electrical, plumbing, heating and cooling systems should
					 be maintained in an operating condition.
GUIDELINE IV: SIGNS AND PUBLIC INFORMATION
IV.1:
Exterior of the
					 Building:
The building should clearly be designated as a courthouse.
					 If there are one or more courtrooms within a building housing other functions,
					 it is particularly important that the existence of these courtrooms is made
					 clear in a place easily seen by the public.
IV.2:
Directory:
Prominently
					 displayed just within the main doors should be a building directory, bilingual
					 where appropriate. There should be a listing of the location of courtrooms,
					 court-related services, and ancillary agencies. If the courthouse functions are
					 spread among a number of buildings, the courtroom services and the addresses of
					 (and directions to) the other buildings should be posted.
IV.3:
Door and Wall Signs:
Signs should be posted at the door to each courtroom clearly identifying that
					 part. In addition, directional wall signs, bilingual where appropriate, should
					 be used in buildings where long corridors or confusing layouts indicate they
					 would be useful.
IV.4:
Information Service:
Where possible, there should be
					 information desks strategically placed in public areas of the courthouse and
					 staffed where necessary by bilingual personnel to direct defendants and their
					 friends and relatives, witnesses, jurors, and spectators to their destinations.
Where personnel are not available to establish such a
						service, consideration should be given to employing well-trained citizen
						volunteers.
If such a service is not established, there should be an
						office, such as that of the Court Clerk, designated as the place for the public
						to receive information and have their questions answered. Such public
						information offices should be clearly marked as such, and should be listed in
						the directory.
IV.5:
Posting of Calendars:
Copies of all daily part calendars in
					 that courthouse should be posted at a central location, and each courtroom
					 should have that room's calendar posted immediately outside.
GUIDELINE V: DESIGN GUIDELINES FOR PROPOSED
						COURTHOUSES
V.1:
When to Build
					 a New Courthouse:
Building a new courthouse should be considered when:
A. The existing structure needs replacement
					 because of structural and other deterioration which would require more
					 financing to remedy than would be needed for a new courthouse.
B. The existing needs for court facilities
					 far exceed those that can be accommodated in the existing structure even with
					 extensive renovation.
C. Expansion
					 of the existing structure to accommodate present and projected future needs
					 cannot be accomplished by building an addition to the existing
					 structure.
D. The space and
					 facility needs of the courts in conjunction with the needs of other
					 governmental agencies would be best met by building a new structure.
E. Where court facilities are substantially
					 located in leased spaces and where it would be more cost-effective to house
					 them in a new publicly-owned structure.
F. Where the historic landmark status or the
					 structure prohibits suitable renovations of the existing courthouse.