With the new San Benito County Courthouse set for construction
in about a year, the state has set up a mock-up of a courtroom in
Hollister to help those involved locally make suggestions on
potential improvements.
With the new San Benito County Courthouse set for construction in about a year, the state has set up a mock-up of a courtroom in Hollister to help those involved locally make suggestions on potential improvements.
Primarily made of Styrofoam and plywood, the courtroom mock-up has been maintained in a small warehouse in the city, said Gil Solorio, court executive officer. It is not available for public viewing, but rather is in place to get those suggestions from residents such as judges, prosecutors, attorneys and law enforcement authorities.
Some examples of areas examined – the mock-up is constructed to a near-scale size – include the height of the judge’s bench, the location of the witness stand, issues with the area where the district attorneys and public defenders sit, and security matters, Solorio said.
The state funded the mock-up, along with paying for the courthouse’s overall construction costs.
“One of the things determined, in order to have a smooth process, especially in regard to the courtroom design, they should build a mock-up of the courtroom,” Solorio said.
