HISTORIC JOHN ADAMS COURTHOUSE NEAR COMPLETION

Boston, John Adams Courthouse, Great Hall

SUPREME JUDICIAL COURT AND APPEALS COURT TO MOVE IN JANUARY

Press Release

PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICE
SUPREME JUDICIAL COURT
One Beacon Street, Third Floor
Boston, Massachusetts 02108

CONTACT: Joan Kenney
617/557-1114
joan.kenney@sjc.state.ma.us

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
January 12, 2005

HISTORIC JOHN ADAMS COURTHOUSE NEAR COMPLETION:
SUPREME JUDICIAL COURT AND APPEALS COURT TO MOVE IN JANUARY

Boston, MA --- The historically preserved and newly renovated John Adams Courthouse on Boston's Pemberton Square will soon be the new home to the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court and the Massachusetts Appeals Court. The Social Law Library opened for business there on December 13, 2004.

The Appeals Court will relocate from the Center Plaza complex on January 21, 2005, and open for business on Monday, January 24. A week later, the Supreme Judicial Court will move from its present location at One Beacon Street and open for business on Monday, January 31, 2005, in the John Adams Courthouse. All phone numbers will remain the same. (see list of mailing addresses)

Named in 2002 in honor of John Adams, native son of Massachusetts, because of his significant contributions to the role of the judiciary, including authorship of the Massachusetts Constitution, the John Adams Courthouse will be a living monument and serve as both a judicial and legal educational center for the community at large. It will welcome visitors of all ages to learn about the development and history of the law in Massachusetts through exhibits, educational programs, and special events in keeping with the spirit of John Adams's own passion for learning and his interest in an educated citizenry.

For the 313-year-old Supreme Judicial Court and the 202-year-old Social Law Library, the move will mark a return to their former home. From 1893 to 1938, the Supreme Judicial Court and the Social Law Library occupied the building, known then as the Suffolk County Courthouse.

Among the restored architectural features of the 350,000 square foot courthouse are the majestic Great Hall with its stunning barrel vaulted ceiling and the historic courtroom where Supreme Judicial Court Chief Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. sat more than one hundred years ago. The Supreme Judicial Court has a large, skylit courtroom for full court sittings, equipped with modern technology for computers, audio-visual needs, and web broadcasting. The Holmes courtroom will be used for single justice hearings. Two stately courtrooms, equipped with new digital audio recording for oral arguments, have been restored for Appeals Court hearings. Expansive book collection rooms and technologically-equipped reading areas are features of the Social Law Library, which occupy the top floors of the John Adams Courthouse. The fully accessible courthouse also has new elevators, stairs, windows, and heating, air conditioning, plumbing and fire protection systems.

Under the management supervision of the Division of Capital Asset Management, the building contractor is Suffolk/NER, a joint venture between Suffolk Construction Company, Inc. and NER Construction Management, Inc. The architect is Childs Bertman Tseckares, Inc. of Boston.

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Related Link: <http://www.mass.gov/courts/press/pr011205.html>