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Judges warn Kendall County: courthouse lacks space and security; ask for short- and long-term plan
Summary
Local judges told the commissioner's court the county lacks adequate courtroom, jury and staff space and raised security concerns; they asked the court to commission a space-needs analysis and identify short-term remedies to avoid disruptions to juries and trials.
Local judges told the Kendall County commissioner's court on May 5 that the county's justice system is running out of space for juries, court staff and victim advocates and that security shortcomings could pose risks to court staff.
"We have to be in that room, and we need your consideration on how we deal with these problems because they're real problems," said the local administrative district judge, who asked the court to include judges in planning a space-needs analysis. Judges described difficulties housing more than 300 potential jurors on jury-call days, cramped jury rooms that seat six where district courts need 12, and a lack of secure space for victim services and grand-jury functions. Another judge noted threats received by judicial staff and said current arrangements did not provide adequate separation or security for court staff and the public.
Commissioners acknowledged the problem and discussed parallel steps: short-term "band-aid" fixes such as portable buildings and immediate security measures, plus simultaneous planning for a long-term facility solution that could take five years to design, fund and build. Judges asked the court to produce a short-term plan within 90 days and to include space needs in the next budget cycle.
