Completed in the summer of 2024, the new Menifee Justice Center in Riverside County stands as a symbol of the judicial branch’s commitment to increasing access to justice and court services for county residents.
Recognizing this facility upgrade for the public, the Southern California chapter of the Construction Management Association of America (CMAA) honored the courthouse project with its Project Achievement Award. The award “recognizes projects that serve as an example to the industry and are true pinnacles of excellence and innovation.”
New Courthouse Features
The Menifee courthouse offers services not possible due to space restrictions in the county’s other court facilities, such as enhanced and expanded jury assembly and deliberation rooms, an adequately sized self-help center and children's waiting room, and attorney interview/witness waiting rooms. The new building also addressed overcrowding, security, and accessibility issues in the court’s previous facility.
Building Is Energy Efficient
The building’s sustainability features satisfy the California Energy Code and qualify it for a LEED certification by the U.S. Green Building Council. This is a third-party certification program and the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction, and operation of high-performance “green” buildings, which aligns with the judicial branch's goal of reducing its carbon footprint. The courthouse’s sustainability features include drought-tolerant landscaping, efficient irrigation and plumbing systems, and energy-efficient lighting.
Community Input into New Courthouse
A broad-based Project Advisory Group for the courthouse project consisted of community, legal, and government leaders. The group provided input throughout the site selection, design, and construction process. In addition, public input was a part of the environmental review process.
Part of a Statewide Courthouse Construction Program
The new courthouse project in Menifee was ranked as an “Immediate Need” in the judicial branch’s capital-outlay plan, making it among the branch’s highest-priority infrastructure projects. Since the state judicial branch took over responsibility for courthouses in 2002, the judicial branch construction program has completed 35 new courthouse projects, with another 18 projects underway and in various stages.
These include new court facilities in both large and small counties, as well as urban and rural areas across the state.
For more information on the Menifee Justice Center, visit the California court’s website at courts.ca.gov/facilities/riverside-county-new-menifee-justice-center.
To see photos of the courthouse dedication ceremony celebrating the renovation project, visit the California Courts Flickr channel.
