H.R. 3426: Courthouse Affordability and Space Efficiency (CASE) Act of 2025

This bill, titled the Courthouse Affordability and Space Efficiency (CASE) Act of 2025, aims to modify the regulations governing the construction of new courthouses in the United States to ensure they are more cost-effective and space-efficient. Here are the key components of the bill:

Limitations on New Courthouses

• The Administrator of General Services cannot start constructing new courthouses unless:
1. Construction is initiated before the bill becomes law.
2. The design meets specific courtroom sharing requirements.

Courtroom Sharing Requirements

The bill establishes requirements for how courtrooms should be shared in new courthouses, based on the number of judges present:

• For courthouses with 10 or more active district judges: 2 courtrooms are required for every 3 active district judges, with a minimum of 9 courtrooms.
• For courthouses with 3 or more bankruptcy judges: 1 courtroom is required for every 2 bankruptcy judges.
• For courthouses with 3 or more senior district judges: 1 courtroom is required for every 2 senior district judges.
• For courthouses with 3 or more magistrate judges: 1 courtroom is required for every 2 magistrate judges.

Update to Design Guidelines

The bill mandates an update to the Design Guide for courthouses within 180 days of the bill’s enactment. This update should integrate the new courtroom sharing requirements to maximize their application.

Utilization of Existing Court Facilities

When constructing a new courthouse that would expand the General Services Administration's (GSA) inventory of court facilities, the bill requires that any existing space in that same courthouse complex must either be fully utilized or removed from the GSA's inventory.

Relevant Companies

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