Photos: Reopening Ceremony for Juvenile Dependency Courthouse in San Bernardino

San Bernardino County judges and court staff hosted a special dedication ceremony on July 8 to officially celebrate the reopening of the expanded and renovated San Bernardino Juvenile Dependency Courthouse.

Attendees comprised attorneys, court appointed special advocates (CASA), and representatives from various local justice partners, including the county counsel's office, district attorney's office, public defender's office, probation, legal aid, juvenile justice organizations, local supervisor offices, and local legislative offices.

Full-size photos and captions from the dedication ceremony can also be seen on Flickr

Upgraded Courthouse Improves Services to the Public
The San Bernardino Juvenile Dependency Courthouse provides service countywide as the court's juvenile dependency facility. The expansion addressed an increase in caseload and court users through two new fully accessible courtrooms and support spaces, improved security for public entry/exiting, larger public waiting areas, an expanded clerk's office, two new lactation rooms, and bicycle parking.

Green Building Is Energy Efficient
The building's sustainability features are built to LEED Silver as designated by the U.S. Green Building Council. This is a third-party certification program and the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction, and operation of high-performance "green" buildings. The courthouse's sustainability features include drought-tolerant landscaping, permeable concrete walkways, water-efficient irrigation and plumbing systems, LED lighting and room occupancy sensors for energy savings, and the use of zero-VOC (volatile organic compounds) interior paint that doesn't release harmful gases/vapors.

Statewide Court Facilities Program
The Judicial Council supports the court facilities of California's Supreme Court, Courts of Appeal, and trial courts by providing a broad range of services. These include facility planning, design and construction, facility operations management, environmental compliance and sustainability, real estate services and asset management, and emergency planning and security coordination.

Since the state judicial branch took over responsibility for courthouses in 2002, the judicial branch construction program has completed 39 new courthouse projects and another 14 projects are underway and in various stages.

Learn more about the state's courthouse construction projects