D.C. Superior Court's renovations raise security questions

Beginning Monday, the basement-level courtroom in D.C. Superior Court will be closed for about a year for renovations.

During the renovations of C-10, where defendants typically have their first court appearance, proceedings will be moved to Room 201 on the western side of the courthouse. Court officials say the renovations will transform C-10 into a high-tech, wired courtroom that will include video conferencing.

"We want to make the courtroom more efficient," said Lee F. Satterfield, the court's chief judge.

Court spokeswoman Leah Gurowitz said court officials do not have final cost estimates. C-10 is expected to reopen in January 2011.

The move creates some concerns, especially about security. On any given day in C-10, about 100 or so defendants have their first appearance before a judge with their attorney. C-10 is one of the largest courtrooms in the courthouse and can seat about 100 visitors in 12 rows of wooden benches.

Courtroom 201 is smaller and can seat about 60 visitors. That means a greater number of family members and friends of victims and defendants will be spilling into the hallway outside the courtroom, which is already crowded with individuals waiting outside other courtrooms that handle drug-abuse cases and child-support hearings.

Satterfield said additional security officers will be posted inside and outside Courtroom 201.

The smaller courtroom also means a smaller holding cell; about half as many prisoners as usual will be housed behind the courtroom awaiting their hearings. Attorneys had become used to being allowed to visit with their clients before the hearing. Now, Satterfield said, defense attorneys will have only one opportunity to meet with their clients, the morning of the appearance.

Satterfield also is reducing the number of judges who oversee the courtroom in an effort to enhance "consistency." In the past, 10 magistrate judges rotated each week the overseeing of cases. Now, Magistrate Judge Karen Howze will be the primary judge.