It took three years of planning and another two years of construction to make the South Court Tower a reality. The $330 million project remains the most expensive capital project in Maricopa County history. “It is an excellent building that serves as a national example of how a courthouse should be built,” Chris
says.
He points to a design that ensures the public, judicial staff, and in-custody defendants do not cross paths. “This has greatly improved the safety of all three groups,” Chris says.
The criminal department of the Superior Court handles approximately 30,000 felony cases per year, many of them in the South Court Tower space. And there is more room to grow. The building has four and a half floors of additional space that can be turned into courtrooms when needed.