By the end of March, those visiting judges’ courtrooms will be transformed into one large courtroom with updated technology, including an audio system and monitors.
“It will be really nice for large trials ... everyone will be able to see and hear what is going on no matter where they are sitting,” said Wayne Gilkinson, court administrator.
Not all the existing courtrooms are the same size, and several have limited gallery seating and may be packed during a well-attended jury trial or a lengthy civil trial that often includes multiple attorneys and defendants. Observers, including friends and loved ones, often struggle to see evidence photos projected during trial, and hearing testimony can be difficult.
Technology, including projections and recording systems used currently used in trials, in the five judicial courtrooms on the third floor are mostly original to the building that was completed in 1999. Gilkinson said technology in the fourth-floor courtrooms date to 2007/2008 when the wing was expanded.
Butler County Administrator Judi Boyko said the cost for the project of combined the courtrooms, building out a new entrance and updating the technology is about $300,000.
Boyko said some of the materials and fittings are being reused and some will be stored for other uses. In addition, there were some delays due to challenges in supply availability, she said. The goals is for the project to be completed in March.
The death penalty murder trial for a man accused of killing four members of his family at a West Chester Twp. residence in 2019 will likely be in the new courtroom. The trial of Gurpreet Singh is scheduled to begin Oct. 3 and last for three weeks.
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