The judiciary and other key stakeholders believe that the judiciary should retain its one-judge, one-courtroom policy for active district judges to avoid ineffective judicial administration. However, the judiciary has recognized that courtroom sharing may be possible among visiting judges—judges from other locations who temporarily use courtrooms— and senior judges who have reduced caseloads. Senior judges with more than 10 years in senior status appeared to be the primary candidates for courtroom sharing. However, some sharing was occurring in existing facilities among some active and senior district judges. To meet the third objective, which was to determine the judiciary’s efforts to explore the potential for senior judges to share courtrooms in future courthouse construction projects, we reviewed the methodology that the judiciary used to prepare its courtroom needs assessment studies and analyzed the studies that had been completed for 33 of the 45 proposed projects in the judiciary’s long-range construction plan for fiscal years 2002 through 2006. The chief judge said courtroom sharing has not posed problems for these judges. However, there have been occasions where a trial had to be continued because a courtroom was unavailable. The court provided an example of the cascading effects of trying to deal with courtroom needs.
What GAO Found

In recent years, concerns have been raised that new courtrooms continue to be built for district judges, even though existing courtrooms appear to be under used. The judiciary wants to maintain its one-judge, one-courtroom policy because of concerns about the effect of shared courtroom space on judicial administration. The judiciary has not, however, determined whether courtroom sharing may be possible among senior judges--the likeliest candidates for such an arrangement because of their reduced caseloads. Some active and senior judges in areas with a courtroom shortage are currently sharing space. Many of these judges oppose courtroom sharing because they believe that it interferes with the courts business and harms the judicial process. The judiciary plans to have some senior judges share space in future courthouse projects. Significant courtroom sharing appears unlikely in the near future, even among senior judges.