A YEAR AFTER THE GROUND BREAKING OF THE NEW COURTHOUSE

A YEAR AFTER THE GROUND BREAKING
JOSHUA ROBINSON
Freelance reporter

Laurel and London, Ky., residents will soon have one courthouse to go to for all of their courthouse needs. Right now courthouses and annexes are scattered all throughout the city and county, the new courthouse will be very helpful.
The new Fiscal courthouse will be an all in one courthouse for almost all of the court needs; currently there are two courthouses and one federal courthouse to make three courthouses. There was at one time a courthouse in a place called “Caranevey Square” however, the facility has since been moved the courthouse was used for paying taxes and getting your license plates.

There will still be use for all of the courthouses, however the trials and the licensing needs, will be in the new courthouse. However, Laurel County Clerk Dean Johnson will continue to use the current courthouse facility.
The new facility will be used for trials and to conduct other court needs, according to one citizen the facility will be used for trials and will be separate from county court needs.

It was a historic Thursday afternoon, on May 22, 2008, in London, as there was a groundbreaking, for the new Fiscal Courthouse.

At the groundbreaking ceremony, Chief Justice Joseph Lambert announced the rumor of his retirement was indeed true. This was the last groundbreaking as Chief Justice that Lambert would be involved in.
The ceremony began with the pledge of allegiance to the American Flag and a prayer.
There were several introductions of the officials in attendance and then they
went to the new courthouse area to break ground.
It was a happy time as a new development began in London.

“Seventy new court houses have been built,” Lambert said.

“The groundbreaking was delayed in March, due to meetings in Frankfort, concerning the budget,” Chief Executive Judge Lawrence Kuhl said.

“We are excited about this new building,” Kuhl said. “The new building is located just across from the Federal courthouse.”

Since the groundbreaking, a lot of progress has been made.

The Fiscal courthouse is almost complete now. With a frame up, rooms are being added in, and facilities being put in place. The new courthouse will be located in the heart of downtown located on South Main Street of London.

There is a parallel parking area on Main Street, and a free parking garage near the current Laurel County Courthouse. Parking will be an issue with the new courthouse.

Behind the courthouse there may be an area for parking. With the caseloads the courthouse will need a parking area.

The courthouse is located on the South Main Street in front of National City Bank.
The value of the new Fiscal Courthouse is enormous for everyone from local citizens, lawyers, and judges.

Now that we have established the historical significance and the location lets get a feel of the courthouse.

“The new court house is four stories and will be a building that can hear all court cases as well as an office for all judges and judge executives,” Kuhl said.
Kuhl said, the project will take about two years to complete depending on the weather. The weather is always a major factor in any project. It is over half way complete.

Kuhl said, the new courthouse will cost between 18 million and 24 million to complete. But will not be effected by the budget cuts; there is a 12 percent across the board budget cut. There are budget cuts in education however, the funding is already set aside for the courthouse.

“We have spent about 11 million on the courthouse thus far,” Kuhl said.

“The courthouse is 48 to 50 percent complete,” Kuhl said. “Due to inclement winter weather that hindered progress. Spring is now here and progress can continue.”

“This is the most technology advanced building in the state,” Lambert said.

“Security is our biggest concern,” District Judge John Chappell said. “Right now all we have is bailiff protection. Security is much more needed in family court and the new Fiscal Courthouse will provide more security and screening as people enter.”
Chappell said, Right now in the current district courthouse anyone could be armed; in the new courthouse people will be screened before entering the building and the courtroom.

Judge Chappell is the district Judge for Laurel and Knox Counties.

“The facility will provide more space for the circuit clerk’s which is packed,” Chappell said.

“The new courthouse will provide PowerPoint access to show jurors evidence and will have other technological access and advances,” Attorney J. L Albright said.

“The Courthouse will be much cleaner than the current facility,” Chappell said.

The new courthouse will be the most up to date. How important is up to date and technologically advanced? It is very important. You can’t do anything without Internet access; the courthouse will have wireless Internet access.

“Right now our technology in our current facilities is in the 80s but in our new facility will have wireless Internet access,” Chappell said.
Now it has been a year since the ground was broke and a lot of progress has been made to the fiscal courthouse. The building is taller than any other building in London. Its view is mind-boggling.

The front of the building is guarded with construction barriers. The front of the courthouse inside of the courthouse has rails rooms and does not look complete. As you drive or walk through town can see security railing is already in place in the courtrooms and offices.

As you drive or walk through town you see several stores, banks, and the current
Laurel County Courthouse; as you look up in town you could see the new courthouse and it looks as if it is nearly five stories tall.

One can see work going on daily on the new courthouse.
“The courthouse will provide much needed space,” Laurel County Circuit Clerk Roger Schott said.

Schott, whose is clerk of drivers licensing and District Court will move into the new facility upon completion. His office has over 20 people working in it and is packed with files and rulings.

The outside of the building, has a of look completeness with bricking underway, railings on the roof, security rails in the courtrooms and offices.
Kuhl said, the new Fiscal Courthouse building is scheduled to be opened by late April or early in May of 2010.

Albright said, the new courthouse will make trying cases more efficient as London has grown crime has increased.

Kuhl also said, London has grown and there is a lot more crime in London and Laurel County.

“The courthouse will have utmost security,” Kuhl said.

The new Fiscal Courthouse will be able to hold multiple trials and cases at once instead of one courtroom being able to hold one trial and several cases with heavy loads. There are several criminal and civil caseloads that need the attention of the court system, however because of only one courtroom the cases are unable to be heard at one time.

Upon the completion of the new Fiscal Courthouse several cases will be able to be heard at one time and the rulings will be online when they come down because the courthouse will have Internet access.

The courthouse will have the look and feel of state of the art facility.
One year after the ground breaking a lot of work has been done; there is more work to be done before next year’s completion date. Everyday there is work going on for the new Fiscal Courthouse. With so many things in place and so much progress has been made the new Fiscal Courthouse is much near completion now; with a year or less to go.

Joshua Robinson
~No Games
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jmrobinson01@gmail.com