Supreme Court of Ohio Justice Melody Stewart.

Supreme Court of Ohio Justice Melody Stewart.

Akron Municipal Court has a new home; one that will not only accommodate its expanded docket but also will be safer for all who visit and work at the court. The design of the new courthouse emphasizes the safety of the judges, staff, and the public by separating public space from areas where defendants will be held or transported.

Judges, local leaders, members of the bar, and the community gathered Wednesday to dedicate the court’s new home. Akron Mayor Shammas Malik was on hand to mark the significance of the new facility.  Justice Melody Stewart extended the warm wishes and congratulations of the Supreme Court of Ohio.

The new Municipal Courthouse is in downtown Akron, at 172 S. Broadway Street. It is just a short walk from the court’s old home in the Stubbs Justice Center, where the municipal court had been located since 1966. But the two buildings are far apart when measured by the needs and concerns of the court.

“We were cramped in our old facility,” said Akron Municipal Judge Jon Oldham. “Courts are taking on new challenges today. In the late 1960s we didn’t have specialized dockets. Today we have several. Back then, mediation was a conversation two lawyers had in the hallway. Today, we have meeting rooms where parties resolve their differences.”

Judge Oldham said courthouse safety is evident in the design of the new facility. “Our conversations with the architects were very productive because we could point to best practices for security that had been established by the Supreme Court,” he said.

“In the old courthouse everybody rode the same elevators,” said Judge Oldham. “Judges, the public, and defendants, all rode in the same bank of elevators. A juror could be in the same elevator as the defendant in the case. Those days are over, thanks to the vision of our judges, as well as city, county, and state leaders.”