Wednesday, February 27, 2019

Fallon County Courthouse, Baker Montana


This is the Fallon County Courthouse, which also houses the county and city offices and the county library, in Fallon County Montana. The building is located in the county seat of Baker.


I was obviously there in the middle of winter, and on a cold day at that.


An American Legion dedicated flag pole is in front of the courthouse, dedicated to the veterans of all wars.


Thursday, January 31, 2019

Blog Mirror. Lex Anteinternet: Wednesday, January 29, 1919. Inns At Court

I'm posting this here, even though it's way off topic, due to the interesting photograph of the Inns At Court in a surprising use.

Hors de combat.

Wednesday, January 29, 1919. Colonies in issue, Secret Treaties Exposed, Immigration to be halted, State Prohibition Bill Advances as 18th Amendment Certified, Mexican Rebels reported defeated again, and Yanks can Marry By Mail.

English Inns at Court being used as an American Navy rest barracks, Red Cross supplies being unloaded.  January 29, 1919.

There was a lot to report on on this Wednesday, January 19, 1919.


The Peace Treaty was struggling on what to do with the colonies of the defeated.  Giving them nation status, unless they were European, seemed out of the question, so League of Nation mandates were being argued about instead.

The 18th Amendment was certified by Congress as ratified, but the State was still going to pass a prohibition bill anyhow, showing that the desire to act on the already acted upon purposelessly already existed. There was no reason to pass any Prohibition bill in Wyoming, but the Legislature was going to do it anyway.

And American soldiers could marry their sweethearts by mail, it was decided, exchanging vows by correspondence, apparently.  The validity of that in certain faiths, it might be noted, would be questionable.

As, in most cases, would be the purpose.  Separated by an ocean, the couples were not going to reunite until Johnny Came Marching Home anyhow.  And if he was going to instead find the Belle de France in la belle France. . . well that was probably going to happen anyhow as well.  About the only reason to do this would be to resolve questions of impending legitimacy, which perhaps would have been a concern in some instances.

And the economy was tanking while there were vast numbers of Europeans who were refugees, which no doubt put focus on immigration and which was accordingly being addressed in Congress.


Among the refugees were the Armenians.  Their plight was well known but it had not been addressed.

Apparently, to my huge surprise, leaving for Florida in the winter was already a thing.  I would not have guessed that at all, once again showing the application of Holscher's First Law of History.

Elsewhere, Mexican rebels were reported as defeated, once again.


New counties were a hot issue in the Legislature as well.

And a Laramie policeman was compelled to draw his pistol when in s scuffle with somebody who was thought to be speaking German.

Laramie, fwiw, had a German language church early on and, I think, at this time, so a Laramie resident who could speak German wouldn't be that odd.  Let alone that its a university town where, presumably, some people were still learning the language.


Saturday, December 22, 2018

Tuesday, November 13, 2018

Platte County Courthouse, Wheatland Wyoming


Courthouse decorated for Memorial Day, 2014.





This is the Platte County Courthouse located in Platte County's seat, Wheatland Wyoming. The courthouse, in addition to housing the county court for Platte County, also houses one of the four courtrooms of Wyoming's 8th Judicial District, with the others being located in Douglas, Lusk and Torrington. The courthouse was built in 1917, and somewhat uniquely it has a monument dedicated to farmers called "The Irrigator". The Statute of Liberty is a monument for Platte County World War Two servicemen.





I've photographed this courthouse and its features at least three times. The first time was on a dreary July day in 2011.  I did it again in May 2014.  These most recent photographs are from November 2018.

A difference over this period of time is that a plaque commemorating the 100th anniversary of the founding of Platte County, which was in 1911, was put in. Additionally, a nice sidewalk clock was added on the walkway to the entrance of the courthouse.

Monday, September 24, 2018

A New Wind River Tribal Judicial Center?

 
 The current Wind River Tribal Court.

We wrote about this courthouse quite some time ago, here:
Courthouses of the West: Wind River Indian Reservation Tribal Court: This is the Wind River Indian Reservation Tribal Court, which also houses various other law related facilities. The court is located in F...
An interesting article in the Star Tribune reports that  representatives of the Tribal judicial system appeared in front of a committee of the Wyoming legislature this past week to seek support, which they received, for a new judicial center.  The Federal government will have to provide the funding, but state support can't hurt.

The jail is grossly overcrowded and apparently the new three judge panel for the Court is enforcing the criminal law much more rigorously than in the past.  The deficiencies of the courthouse, which includes the jail and the headquarters for the police department, are showing themselves.  About three times as many prisoners are housed there on a daily basis than it was built for.

I can attest personally that the courtroom is quite inadequate.  I hope they receive the funding they're seeking, and soon.

Monday, September 17, 2018

Town of Mills, Wyoming Municipal Court.


This is the Town of Mills Municipal Court in Mills, Wyoming.  Mills is a city adjacent to the City of Casper, so I should have added this additional Natrona County municipal court some time ago.

Friday, August 11, 2017

Lawrence County Courthouse. Speerfish South Dakota.


Probably the most remarkable thing about this photograph of the Lawrence County Courthouse in Speerfish, South Dakota is that (other than it being poorly aligned) is that there are no motorcycles in the photograph.  It took me four tries to achieve that.


Which is part of the hazards associated with taking a photograph in the Sturgis area during motorcycle rally week.


I don't know the vintage of this well preserved classic courthouse, but it's clearly an older one and very nice in appearance.  The court houses South Dakota's Fourth Judicial District and serves as the county seat for Lawrence County as well.


Sunday, May 21, 2017

University of Wyoming College of Law Large Moot Court, Laramie Wyoming


This is the large Moot Court Room for the University of Wyoming.  Having been in most of the courtrooms in the state I can safely say that its one of the nicest in the entire state.


The back half, or gallery half, of the courtroom has a moveable wall that can open up to allow greater space, or perhaps just more conventional space in the courtroom and also allow the courtroom to function as a lecture hall.  Viewed as a courtroom, what we see here in front of us is the bar of the court.

When I went to UW's College of Law it didn't have a moot courtroom at all, now it has two, a large one and a small one (I have yet to see the small one).  This particular room was the large classroom at the time.  It is quite a facility and I guess it demonstrates how much the physical assets of the College of Law have improved in the past three decades.

According to the University, the College of Law will allow the courtroom to be used by the state courts upon request, if it is not already in use.

Thursday, February 2, 2017

Lex Anteinternet: And the nominee is . .

Lex Anteinternet: And the nominee is . .: Neil Gorsuch of the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals. He's a conservative textualist who is well suited to replace the late Antonin Scali...

Sunday, January 29, 2017

Harris County Texas Courthouses







These photographs depict, from a distance, the old and new Harris County Texas courthouses.  The old one, a classically styled courthouse, was built in 1910.  The new one much more recently, having been started in 2003.

The new courthouse is a seventeen story structure.  Locals in the law seem quite proud of it, but I don't know what I think.  It retains some classic elements but it's sort of big and overgrown.

Saturday, December 3, 2016

Sublette County Courthouse, Pinedale Wyoming


This is the Sublette County Courthouse in Pinedale, Wyoming.  The courthouse is the seat, for Sublette County, of the two courts of Wyoming's 9th Judicial District.

I'm unsure of the vintage of this courthouse, but I'm guess it dates to at least the 1950s, although I could be in error.   The court is in a Federalist style.


Saturday, November 5, 2016

Lex Anteinternet: Rally for Public Lands, Casper Wyoming, November 5...

Rally for Public Lands, Casper Wyoming, November 5, 2016


 keep-it-public-files_main-graphic



 Rally for Public Lands:



 Join Us!

—WHEN—

Saturday, November 5th

1:00 pm – 3:00 pm

—WHERE—

Izaak Walton League,

4205 Fort Caspar Road

—WHAT—

Live music, keynote speakers, food & drinks!

Sunday, October 30, 2016

Jefferson County Courthouse, Port Arthur Texas.


This is the courthouse for Jefferson County, Texas, in Port Arthur.


This courthouse is one of the many public works projects courthouses Built during the Great Depression.  As the sign for the courthouse notes, it was built in 1935 and 1936, at time during which the fortunes of Port Arthur frankly look t have been better than they currently are.


Does this courthouse belong on this blog?  That's a question I'll soon be addressing but it is debatable.  This Courthouse is technically west of the Mississippi, but culturally, it's in the Deep South.  I've posted it, but frankly, this is about as far east and south, in more ways than one, that a person can get and still claim, if they can, that this is a "Western" courthouse.

Friday, September 16, 2016

Frank E. Moss Federal Courthouse and United States Courthouse for the District of Utah. Salt Lake City, Utah.


Built in 1931, the last year of the Hoover Administration, this classic courthouse is nestled in downtown Salt Lake City.   The current name is much more recent, coming from a long serving Utah Senator who retired in 1977.

Just behind this classic revival style courthouse is a large modern office building which is the current United States Courthouse for the District of Utah, which has the local nickname of the "Borg Cube" due to its modern architecture, and in obvious reference to the characters from Star Trek.  That also forms a fairly effective commentary on what the public thinks of modern style courthouses, so I don't need to add to that, and could hardly do so more effectively.

Detail from the Frank E. Moss Courthouse

While most of the court's functions have moved to the new courthouse, the old one continues to house the bankruptcy court.

Sunday, June 26, 2016

Lex Anteinternet: What Are You Reading?

Over on our most active blog, Lex Anteinternet: What are you reading?:

What are you reading?




A new trailing thread, dedicated to what we're currently reading.

And. . . we hope. . . with participation from you.

What are you reading right  now? Add it down in the commentary section
__________________________________________________________________________________

June 21, 2016

Give Me Eighty Men

I'm presently reading Give Me Eighty Men by Shannon Smith. It's a history of the Fetterman Fight, and a history of the history of the Fetterman Fight. I'll review it when I'm done, but I'll note that the favorable mention of the book by the authors of The Heart of All That Is caused me to pick it up, even though I'd been inclined to previously avoid it.

So far, I'm enjoying it, and its certainly raising a lot questions in my mind about the Fetterman battle, although I'm reserving my judgment on various things so far.
Stop over and let us know what you're reading!

That thread:  What Are You Reading?

Monday, June 20, 2016

Saturday, May 14, 2016

Matheson Courthouse, Salt Lake City Utah


This impressive structure in downtown Salt Lake City houses Utah's Third Judicial District.  The interesting design, poorly photographed here, combines modern and classical elements to make for an attractive courthouse.




Sunday, February 28, 2016

Rock Springs City Hall, Rock Springs Wyoming


This is a photo I took of the old Rock Springs City Hall while on my way to a deposition.  It's really taken from the wrong angle, and it's not a great photo. This photos is typical of the "on my way" to somewhere photos that end up on this blog.

And its of a city hall, not a true courthouse, but almost every city hall of this vintage served as a city court and city jail.  This one has a small jail in it, by my recollection, based upon the one time I toured it.  It's now a museum.

The building was built in 1894.

Sunday, February 21, 2016

Lex Anteinternet: Limiting Supreme Court terms

Lex Anteinternet: Limiting Supreme Court terms: An interesting proposal is being floated to limit Supreme Court terms to 18  years, with those terms being staggered so that one comes up e...

Sunday, February 14, 2016

Lex Anteinternet: Antonin Scalia passes on.

Lex Anteinternet: Antonin Scalia passes on.: By the time this goes up here, this will hardly be in the category of really new "news", as it was already widely discussed an...

Thursday, September 17, 2015

State Capitol, Cheyenne Wyoming

 

This is the State Capitol building in Cheyenne, Wyoming.  While I didn't realize it at the time that I took this photograph, the State Capitol contains a courtroom which was used by the Wyoming Supreme Court up until it had a courthouse of its own.  The courtroom is soon to be restored.

 
State Capitol as viewed from the street.  The current Wyoming Supreme Court building would be off to the right in this photograph.




Tuesday, August 18, 2015

City and County Building, Cheyenne Wyoming


This is the old City and County Building in Cheyenne Wyoming which, at one time, housed all of the offices of the City of Cheyenne and Laramie County, including the courts.


This building has been partially replaced by the Laramie County Government Complex, which physically adjoins it.


This Federal style Classical Revival building was built completed in 1919.  A better view of the building would be from its front, rather than the sides as depicted, which would show its classic columns, but under the constraints of time when this photograph was taken, that couldn't be done.

Laramie County Government Complex, Cheyenne Wyoming


 Laramie County government complex

This is the Laramie County government complex, which houses the District and Circuit courts of the 1st Judicial District. This fairly new building is quite modern in design and appearance.