Bonneville County courtrooms get high-tech, historical makeover
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IDAHO FALLS — Unless you have been accused of a crime or summoned for jury duty, you likely haven’t had the chance to experience the new feel of Bonneville County’s remodeled courtrooms.
Courthouse officials said many of the outdated rooms needed a new look, and a splash of judicial flair was in order.
The Open Door Co., owned by Katie Sivill, was hired as an interior designer for the project and is responsible for the more noticeable updates — including paint, carpet and chairs. But most eye-catching is the historical prints of Bonneville County that adorn courtroom walls.
The prints were provided to the court house by the Museum of Idaho, which keeps a large cache of images historic to the area.
Other courtrooms received new wood panels on walls and a new bench for judges and courtroom employees.
Courtrooms that once felt more like an extension of the jail than an institution of law, now provide a more formal atmosphere that encourages people to behave better, court officials said.
Outside of the courtrooms, new signs labeling offices and different parts of the building have been installed.
In addition to the cosmetic upgrades, several technology improvements are in the works. An easily overlooked upgrade, but arguably one that will save the most time are HDMI jacks installed into desks where attorneys sit.
“When presenting evidence to a jury, attorneys have in the past used projectors, DVD players and even flip charts,” District Judge Dane Watkins says. “With the HDMI ports, the attorneys can simply plug their computers in at the desk and instantly display videos, photos or really anything they need on monitors for jurors to see.”
Also new are video-display systems, which are monitors that are hidden most of the time, but rise out of the attorneys’ desks when needed.
Included with the HDMI ports are VGA, power and ethernet ports.
The total dollar amount spent so far on upgrades was unavailable Wednesday, but that money didn’t come from tax dollars.
In the last few years, if you have filed a civil complaint, petition, application, or any other any other document that begins a new lawsuit, you helped pay for the new upgrades.
According to the Idaho Rules of Civil Procedure, $10 from each civil filing is allocated to the county facility fund. Bonneville County typically generates $50,000 to $60,000 a year, according to court officials.
Improvements to the courthouse are paid for using that money, which often goes years without being used.
To cut costs, jail inmates did the majority of the physical labor, like unboxing dozens of chairs and carrying them from the first floor to the second floor.
Future plans to continue the remodel include new jury chairs and at some point upgraded jury deliberation rooms.
“I think the new look helps enhance respect — respect for the process and respect for the decisions made in these rooms,” Magistrate Judge Michelle Mallard tells EastIdahoNews.com.