The Newsmagazine of the North Carolina Center for Voter Education | Friday September 10, 2010

Making the Courtroom a Classroom
While our Legislative Building and governor’s mansion welcome visitors, our courtrooms are rarely seen by anyone other than the lawyers, clerks and judges who work there

By Damon Circosta
Published: Oct. 5, 2009

RALEIGH - Earlier this year when Michigan State faced off against the University of North Carolina for the men’s NCAA basketball championship, both states engaged in a little bit of hometown boasting.  Of course, the Tar Heels were victorious and North Carolinians could rejoice in our victory.

While Michigan State didn’t win on the basketball court, they have another court that they can be proud of. The Michigan Hall of Justice, where the Michigan Supreme Court is housed, is one of the finest courtrooms anywhere in the country. Standing six stories tall with a limestone and glass exterior, the building serves as a monument to impartial justice and the rule of law.

With over 25,000 visitors a year and an educational center, the people of Michigan can learn about the functions of the court as well as its history and structure. Schoolchildren frequently visit and the welcoming building serves as a reminder that all of our branches of government truly belong to the people.

Here in North Carolina we are in the process of renovating our two appellate court buildings. They are turning out nicely, and our judges were much in need of more functional working space. But as these renovations to our courtrooms near completion, I fear we may have missed an opportunity to create a true monument to our third -- and supposedly co-equal -- branch of government.

While our Legislative Building and governor’s mansion both regularly welcome visitors, our courtrooms are rarely seen by anyone other than the lawyers, clerks and judges who work there. A Hall of Justice, much like Michigan’s, is one way we can showcase the important work that occurs in our state’s courts.

In an era where legal processes are increasingly complex and the public’s understanding of the courts is low, we need to find ways to make our courts more accessible. The traditional solution to increasing court access is to make sure that litigants are being efficiently served using streamlined dockets and more technology. It makes sense that we focus our efforts on serving litigants, but we shouldn’t forget that our courtrooms are there for all of us.

The decisions rendered in court often have an impact far beyond the parties to a lawsuit. Decisions made in our state Supreme Court help shape the law. They add context and promote consistency. All of us are bound by these decisions even if we ourselves are never called before the court. 

In an era of tightening budgets, no one is suggesting we scrap our court renovations and start again with a Michigan-style Hall of Justice. But we should be looking for inexpensive ways to bring the work of the court into the public consciousness.  Students regularly tour the state Capitol and Legislative Building; perhaps we can include some education about the work of our courts. We should also use technology and the Internet to find ways to make sure that everyone -- not just children, but also their parents -- have a solid understanding of the importance of our judiciary.

We will be proud of our 2009 Tar Heel victory over Michigan State for many years to come. When basketball season opens we can once again cheer the good work done on the hard court. Here’s to hoping that in the not too distant future the good work of our other courts is put on display.