HANOVER, Va. (WRIC) — Hanover County is preparing to unveil it’s new massive county courthouse. The Board of Supervisors will be at a ribbon cutting for the building on Wednesday, but 8News got an early inside look.
The outside of the courthouse is stately with lots of windows and architectural finishes that mirror other buildings in the county complex. Inside, wood paneling warmly welcomes visitors in the lobby.
“Everything that is related to Hanover County is caught up in this courthouse,” Hanover County’s General Services Deputy Director David Butler explained.
The building will house all three county courts; district and circuit as well as juvenile and domestic relations. Currently, those courts are housed in two small buildings constructed in the 1970s.
Spacious courtrooms are equipped with video monitors and computer ports to make it easy for attorneys to show evidence to the judge and jurors.
There’s also a perk for the court clerk: A vacuum tube system, like the kind you find in the bank drive through, which enables them to send paperwork from the bench to the window where the defendants pay their fines.
Safety is a concern, too. The judges’ benches are designed with bulletproof panels in case of a shooting inside the courtroom.
The courthouse is designed for efficiency as well as the environment.
“This building is trying to be as green as possible,” construction manager Jaclyn McCormick said. “There are LED lights throughout.There are a lot of recycled materials that are used in the building.”
In addition to the courts, all Hanover County records will be housed here. Deeds, marriage licenses and other records that date all the way back to the 1800s.
The building is designed to grow over time. There is room for two more courtrooms should they need them in the future.
The county’s newest gem opens to the public on January 3rd.
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