BERNALILLO COUNTY / STATE OF NEW MEXICO SECOND JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT Space Needs Assessment for the Family and Children’s Courts

The Second Judicial District Court serves the largest population base and has the largest case load in the state of New Mexico, both of which have been growing at a steady pace.  The district has outgrown its existing courthouse facilities and cannot accommodate current need or future growth.  To provide greatly needed expansion space, the district seeks to construct a new courthouse to accommodate its Family Court and Children’s Court divisions.  Bernalillo County retained Architectural Research Consultants, Incorporated (ARC) to complete a space needs assessment for the courts.  Studio Southwest Architects Inc. provided support to ARC.

Working with court planning consultants Dan Wiley and Associates, the team developed projections for staffing growth in each division, based on population growth, historic case load, and historic staffing growth in the District Courts.

Staffing growth projections, detailed interviews with the various user groups and workshops with the courts’ planning committee provided ARC with data for its analyses.  It identified facility requirements and developed strategies for maximizing the efficiency and effectiveness of the proposed courthouse, while promoting the sharing of similar program space, appropriate security and safety precautions, and convenient service to the customers of the courts.