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Oklahoma City U.S. Federal Building & Courthouse, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

This is the U.S. Federal Building & Courthouse in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.  This building, built in 1960s, is s survivor of the brutal domestic terrorist attack that wrecked the Murrah building that was across from it.  A memorial to the victims of that attack is now located there, across from the courthouse.

United States Post Office and Courthouse, Oklahoma City.

This is the 1912 vintage Federal courthouse and post office in Oklahoma City.  This classic courthouse is no longer used for civil or criminal trials, having been replaced by a new courthouse nearby, but it is still used for bankruptcy proceedings.  I've been told that the most famous trial to have been held here was the criminal trial of Machine Gun Kelly.

The courthouse was a courthouse of the Western District of Oklahoma, and for a time was used by the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals prior to Oklahoma being reassigned to the 10th Circuit.

Lex Anteinternet: WWII Profile: S. Arthur Spiegel | United States Co...

Lex Anteinternet: WWII Profile: S. Arthur Spiegel | United States Co...: WWII Profile: S. Arthur Spiegel | United States Courts

Lex Anteinternet: WWII Profile: I. Leo Glasser | United States Court...

Lex Anteinternet: WWII Profile: I. Leo Glasser | United States Court...: WWII Profile: I. Leo Glasser | United States Courts

Lex Anteinternet: WWII Profile: Arthur D. Spatt | United States Cour...

Lex Anteinternet: WWII Profile: Arthur D. Spatt | United States Cour...: WWII Profile: Arthur D. Spatt | United States Courts

Lex Anteinternet: WWII Profile: Dickinson R. Debevoise | United Stat...

Lex Anteinternet: WWII Profile: Dickinson R. Debevoise | United Stat...: WWII Profile: Dickinson R. Debevoise | United States Courts

Lex Anteinternet: WWII Profile: Arthur L. Alarcon | United States Co...

Lex Anteinternet: WWII Profile: Arthur L. Alarcon | United States Co...: WWII Profile: Arthur L. Alarcon | United States Courts

Lex Anteinternet: Still Serving Their Country: Nearly 70 WWII Vetera...

Lex Anteinternet: Still Serving Their Country: Nearly 70 WWII Vetera...: Still Serving Their Country: Nearly 70 WWII Veterans Remain on Federal Bench | United States Courts

Natrona County Townsend Justice Center

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This set of photographs is a bit unusual, as you can see the courthouse actually being built, or rather rebuilt.

This is the Townsend Justice Center in Casper, Natrona County, Wyoming. The courthouse houses the state district and circuit courts for the county, those being the courts of the Seventh Judicial District.

This courthouse was the subject of a great deal of controversy. The old Natrona County Courthouse stands across the street, and was much admired by residents of the county. The district court, however, had outgrown the courthouse, and the circuit courts were located in yet another building. There was, therefore, a need to add a courthouse or revise the existing one, particularly after the addition of a third judge. Early efforts proved unpopular with the county's voters, but ultimately the state took the unusual step of funding reconstruction at this structure.

The building itself had been a downtown hotel built in the 1920s, in the golden era of tall hotels. The building had served in this capacity for many years, but entered a slow period of decline in the 1960s. By the late 1970s, the hotel was principally the residence of those down and out on their luck, or of street walkers, but the restaurant remained popular with downtown businessmen. The Petroleum Club, a long time popular club, was attached to it, but was actually in a neighboring building but with access through the Townsend.

After the Petroleum Club moved, the owners of the Townsend finally closed it and it remained vacant for over two decades. When the court needed to move, however, a deal was struck whereby the building was acquired for a nominal fee, and re construction began.

Today, the new and old parts of the building house an ultra modern courthouse, but some of the old signs remain, a written record of its origin as a hotel.

For what it is worth, if you are summoned to jury duty in the District Court for the 7th Judicial District, or the Circuit Court for the 7th Judicial District, this is where you want to go.

The photos added immediately above were taken quite some time after the originals, and were taken while I was waiting for a Circuit Court hearing.  This depicts one of the Circuit Court, courtrooms. The District Court courtrooms are quite a bit bigger.

The courtrooms in this courthouse are quite modern in the District Court, and perhaps when I get he opportunity I'll add a photograph of one. They were designed to be high tech and are.

Now out in print.

Lex Anteinternet: Book Announcement: On This Day In Wyoming History...

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Four Non-Resident Court Facilities to Close in Cost-Cutting Move | United States Courts

Four Non-Resident Court Facilities to Close in Cost-Cutting Move | United States Courts

Carbon County Courthouse, Rawlins Wyoming

This is the Carbon County Courthouse in Rawlins Wyoming.  This Depression era courthouse was built by the Works Project Administration, like the former courthouse in Casper, Wyoming.  It houses the Carbon County Court and also serves Wyoming's Second Judicial District together with the courthouse in Albany County.

This courthouse is unique for a classic Wyoming courthouse in that it sits on an entire city block in the center of town.  While not visible in these photos, due to the mature trees, the courthouse is also unique in that it was built with attached substantial living quarters which served the sheriff and his family at the time of its construction. The concept was that the sheriff would need to live there, as the jail was housed in the courthouse.

Commentary on Lex Anteinternet: Dean Easton Resigns

Lex Anteinternet: Lex Anteinternet: Dean Easton Resigns: When the letter noted here; Lex Anteinternet: Dean Easton Resigns : came in yesterday, most of the lawyers I know were pretty surprised. We...

Lex Anteinternet: Dean Easton Resigns

Lex Anteinternet: Dean Easton Resigns: Interesting development at the UW law school as of yesterday:   Dear Students, Faculty, Staff, Alumni, and Friends of UW College o...

Still Open For Business

This is an announcement e-mail message generated by Court action through the CM/ECF system. Please DO NOT RESPOND to this e-mail because the mail box is unattended.

Judiciary to Remain Open If Government Shuts Down

In the event of a government shutdown on October 1, 2013, the Federal Judiciary will remain open for business for approximately 10 business days. On or around October 15, 2013, the Judiciary will reassess its situation and provide further guidance. All proceedings and deadlines remain in effect as scheduled, unless otherwise advised. Case Management/Electronic Case Files (CM/ECF) will remain in operation for the electronic filing of documents with courts.

Lex Anteinternet: They had been lawyers. . . lawyers who were notabl...

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Wyoming Supreme Court Camera and Electronic Device Policy.

WscCameraWirelessDevicePolicy.pdf

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Lex Anteinternet: Contempt of Court: I don't follow the news of criminal trials, or even civil trials, that occur outside of the local area.  I suspect that's surprisin...

Holscher's Hub: Lahaina Cannons.

Holscher's Hub: Lahaina Cannons.: The Lehaina Cannons, two cannons raised from a sunken Russian warship that went down in 1816 off of Honolulu.  The guns were moved to th...

Lahaina Banyan Courthouse, Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii.

This is the Lahaina Banyan Courthouse in Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii. The courthouse was built in 1859 to replace a courthouse that had been destroyed in a typhoon the prior year.  The courthouse served the Kingdom of Hawaii until in U.S. annexation in 1898.  It was renovated, while still being used as a courthouse in 1925.  It is now a museum, visitors center and a community center.

Lex Anteinternet: Sequestration and the courts

Lex Anteinternet: Sequestration and the courts: From this morning's Denver Post: U.S. District Court in Denver won't hold hearings and trials in criminal cases on Fridays betw...

Lex Anteinternet: A glimpse at the judicial system in other nations

Lex Anteinternet: A glimpse at the judicial system in other nations: This morning the Denver Post informs us that: ROME—Italy's highest criminal court on Tuesday overturned Amanda Knox's acquittal...

Big Horn County Courthouse, Basin Wyoming

This is the classic courthouse of Big Horn County, Wyoming, another court in the state's 5th Judicial District.  The court sits on enormous grounds.  It was built in 1918.

Washakie County Courthouse, Worland Wyoming

 

This is the Washakie County Courthouse in Worland, Wyoming.  The Courthouse dates from the early 1950s (1954, I think).  It's a classically styled courthouse, with a single large courtroom.  I've tried one case in this courthouse, some years ago.

 Entrance to the adjoining jail, which is a substantial structure, mostly from the same era, itself.

  

 A somewhat visually jarring feature of this courthouse is the small Chamber of Commerce building on the corner.  That structure oddly has the appearance of a 1950s vintage drive in restaurant, and its my suspicion that it was.  I wonder if it might have predated the building of the courthouse which, together with the jail, takes up the entire block.

 Large American Indian monument, carved from a substantial block of Douglas fir, on courthouse grounds.

Law Library Letter: Summary 2013 WY 14

Law Library Letter: Summary 2013 WY 14

Pennington County Courthouse, Rapid City, South Dakota

This is the Pennington County Courthouse in Rapid City, South Dakota.  The original Greek Revival style courthouse was built in 1922, with the addition being added in 1990.

Lex Anteinternet: A legal Gerontocracy?

Lex Anteinternet: A legal Gerontocracy?: There's a bill pending in Wyoming's legislature which proposes to remove the mandatory retirement age for the judiciary, which is pre...

Lex Anteinternet: What people read

Lex Anteinternet: What people read: We've had this blog up for a couple of years now, with the first posts being in 2009 . There were none in 2010, but we really took off in p...

Wyoming Judicial Branch: Live broadcasts of oral arguments

The Wyoming Judicial Branch is now broadcasting oral arguments at the Supreme Court live.

Lex Anteinternet: Wyoming Adopts the Uniform Bar Exam, and why that'...

Lex Anteinternet: Wyoming Adopts the Uniform Bar Exam, and why that'...: Students of legal minutia know that the phrase "to pass the bar", or "to be called to the bar", refers to an actual physical feature in an ...

Lex Anteinternet: Peculiarized violence and American society. Looki...

Lex Anteinternet: Peculiarized violence and American society. Looki...: Because of the horrific senseless tragedy in Newton Connecticut, every pundit and commentator in the US is writing on the topic of what cau...

Fergus County Montana Courthouse, Lewistown Montana

This is the very impressive Fergus County Courthouse in Lewistown Montana.  Lewistown is full of surprises, as its a small town with some very substantial architecture, including this wonderful courthouse, which was built in 1908.

As can be seen from these photographs, the courthouse grounds has several monuments on it, at least one of which I missed.

A second set of photos from our Flickr site: