Clark County opens new district courthouse in former Vancouver City Hall

Clark County officials opened the county's new district courthouse in the former Vancouver City Hall at the corner of Mill Plain and Broadway, relocating district court operations from the historic courthouse at 1200 Franklin Street.

Speaker 3 said the move was driven by space constraints and lease issues: "We were in the process of losing a long term lease we've had for over 20 years for our Family Law Annex and our Children's Justice Center," Speaker 3 said, and county staff reorganized departments to accommodate those programs.

Speaker 2 announced the relocation and clarified that Clark County Superior Court remains at the historic 1200 Franklin Street courthouse: "Clark County District Court has moved from the historic courthouse at 1200 Franklin Street to the former Vancouver City Hall at the corner of Mill Plain and Broadway," Speaker 2 said.

County presenters described several design goals and upgrades meant to improve the visitor experience and court operations. Speaker 1 said the goal was that "customers entering the new courthouse will feel welcomed with clear signage, natural flow through walkways, and thoughtful lighting that helps people feel oriented and calm."

Officials emphasized accessibility and security upgrades. Speaker 2 said the facility is "ADA accessible with motorized doors and firm flat floors," and noted security features including cameras, blast‑proof glass and separate secure hallways for judges and judicial staff.

The courthouse was built with operational flexibility in mind. Speaker 4 described a data-driven approach to courtroom design and scheduling and said one major change was "not having judges assigned to courtrooms" so that room size and layout can be matched to docket types and expected caseloads.

Technology upgrades include the ability on every floor for attorneys and participants to connect and display digital evidence on monitors. Speaker 4 said the building also includes large informational monitors on public-access floors to list the day's docket.

Customer-service areas were redesigned for safety and function. Speaker 4 said staff counters incorporate bullet-resistant glass, microphones and pass-throughs to enable secure cash handling and other public-counter activities.

Speaker 5 reflected on the courthouse transition, saying, "We are sad to leave our historic Clark County Courthouse, and that was originally dedicated in 1941," and added that "District Court is proud to be part of our legal history here in Clark County and will better serve our court participants and our community partners."

No formal votes or motions were recorded in the event. For more information about Clark County District Court, speakers directed the public to the county website at clark.wa.gov/districtcourt.