Sacramento County is one step closer to building a new, $300 million courthouse.
The county has closed escrow on a two-acre parcel next to the new Sixth Street bridge in the city of Sacramento.
Presiding Judge Robert Tight says when the new building is finished, 44 court rooms will be used only for criminal cases. The court rooms at the Gordon D. Schaber courthouse on Ninth Street will be used for civil cases and administration.
"We believe under the new system, that if you wanted a trial within two months, you could get it. Right now, we are booked until July of next year. I mean, every single day has 25 cases already assigned to it."
Plans for the new courthouse include large rooms for prospective jurors and more cells to segregate inmate populations.
The State of California has allocated $27 million for drawings and planning required for construction.
The groundbreaking is expected for the fall of 2017, with completion by 2020.
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