A new county courthouse will open in Mesa on Monday.
Maricopa County Board of Supervisors Vice Chairman Clint Hickman said that the Southeast Justice Center consolidates four other justice centers in the area, saving taxpayer dollars on leasing costs.
“This new facility will serve almost 100,000 people every year,” Hickman said in a statement. “Not only will the Southeast Justice Center make customer service faster and more efficient, but by combining four justice courts we will eliminate almost $700,000 in leasing costs per year.”
The project cost $61.1 million in capital funds but got rid of three building leases and used an old building as part of the new center.
Most notably, there will be four justice courts in the center, which tackle issues like small claims, civil lawsuits, and evictions, as well as a Superior Court. The statement said that the center would also provide “space for constables” and “adult probation.”
“Bringing four courts together, that were miles away from each other- sometimes in office space or business complexes—makes improvements both large and small,” Maricopa County Justice Courts Presiding Judge Anna Huberman said in the statement.
“Judges and constables can now confer with each other in person. Court staff can help each other out. Communication and coordination can be so much faster and more efficient.”
The streamlining of the justice court’s locations comes as the population in the East Valley continues to grow, which means there will likely be more to handle within the judicial system. According to the statement, the justice courts dealt with over 250,000 cases last year.
Republished with the permission of The Center Square.
