Judicial Branch outlines multi‑year capital plan, ADA compliance, digital courtrooms and new courthouse feasibility

The Judicial Branch presented a biennial capital request that would fund courthouse infrastructure repairs, ADA work required by the Department of Justice, security projects, juvenile courthouse and residential center fixes, IT modernization and preliminary work for potential new courthouses.

Chief Court Administrator Elizabeth B. said the branch owns 38 courthouses — only 15 built since 1980 — and that many buildings are aging. She said the branch conducts ongoing building repairs but depends on bond funding to address end‑of‑life mechanical systems, building envelopes, roofs and other capital needs.

Why it matters: The branch said more than 3 million people use courthouses annually and that deferred repairs create daily operational risk and accessibility problems. It also told the committee it is working under a recently completed Department of Justice statewide ADA assessment and has projects underway in Torrington with Bridgeport and Willimantic juvenile locations next.

Major elements of the judicial request - Courthouses/infrastructure: Replacement of mechanical systems, roofs, and other building envelope repairs on an as‑needed and prioritized basis. - ADA compliance: The DOJ assessment identified needs across the system; the branch said compliance work has a multi‑year cost and some courthouse ramp/entry solutions may be complex and costly in historic buildings. - Security upgrades: Enhanced weapons‑detection systems, alarm monitoring, cell block locking control systems, exterior door upgrades, and statewide security assessment follow‑up. The branch described a centralized monitoring/control capability that supports courthouse security and information sharing with law enforcement partners. - Juvenile facilities and residential centers: Funding to repair roofs, provide outdoor recreation yards for Bridgeport’s juvenile residential center, and other infrastructure work. The branch also seeks funds related to its “Regions” locked residential program for long‑term juvenile stays and for a second Regions site; locating providers has been difficult and the branch is exploring use of state land or buildings to avoid zoning obstacles. - IT modernization and digital courtrooms: The branch has modernized many systems since COVID but still runs legacy criminal systems that must be retired; the branch said it is “about 90%” through a criminal system modernization project but needs funds to complete cybersecurity, storage, telecommunications, e‑filing expansions and build a digital courtroom capability and public Wi‑Fi in courthouses. Chief Justice Mullins has prioritized a baseline of one digital courtroom per judicial district as a starting point. - New courthouses/feasibility: DAS completed feasibility studies for potential new consolidated courthouses in New Haven and Bridgeport; the branch asked for planning/design funds for site selection, acquisition and design so the branch can consolidate multiple older buildings into singular modern courthouses.

Request totals and next steps The branch requested $57 million in FY26 and $67 million in FY27 in its biennial capital submission. The chief court administrator said the increase over previous requests reflects the branch’s needs for new courthouses, ADA compliance and IT investments. Judicial staff said they will provide more detailed project lists and continue to coordinate with the committee as the capital planning proceeds.

Ending Judicial leaders told the committee they will seek to prioritize health, safety and accessibility projects and that consolidation of older buildings into fewer modern courthouses is more efficient and would reduce long‑term capital pressure across the system.