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Title Federal courthouse construction / Matthew C. Carrasco, editor
Published New York : Nova Science Publishers Inc., [2011]

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Description 1 online resource
Series Congressional policies, practices and procedures
Congressional policies, practices and procedures series.
Contents FEDERAL COURTHOUSE CONSTRUCTION ; FEDERAL COURTHOUSE CONSTRUCTION ; CONTENTS ; PREFACE; FEDERAL COURTHOUSE CONSTRUCTION: BETTER PLANNING, OVERSIGHT, AND COURTROOM SHARING NEEDED TO ADDRESS FUTURE COSTS ; WHY GAO DID THIS STUDY ; WHAT GAO RECOMMENDS ; WHAT GAO FOUND ; ABBREVIATIONS ; BACKGROUND ; EXTRA SPACE IN COURTHOUSES COST AN ESTIMATED 835 MILLION IN CONSTANT 2010 DOLLARS TO CONSTRUCT AND 51 MILLION ANNUALLY TO RENT, OPERATE, AND MAINTAIN ; MOST COURTHOUSES EXCEED CONGRESSIONALLY AUTHORIZED SIZE DUE TO A LACK OF OVERSIGHT BY GSA
Most Federal Courthouses Constructed since 2000 Exceed Authorized Size, Some by Substantial AmountsMost of the Courthouses That Exceeded Authorized Size by 10 Percent or More Also Exceeded Budget Estimates ; Increase in Overall Size Consisted of Increases in Building Common and Tenant Spaces; GSA Lacked Sufficient Oversight and Controls to Ensure That Courthouses Were Planned and Built According to Authorized Size ; Lack of GSA Oversight Contributed to More Building Common Space than Planned ; A Lack of GSA Oversight Contributed to Some Courthouses Being Built with Larger Tenant Spaces
Recently, GSA Has Taken Some Steps to Improve Oversight of Courthouse Size ESTIMATED SPACE NEEDS EXCEEDED ACTUAL SPACE NEEDS, RESULTING IN COURTHOUSES THAT WERE LARGER THAN NECESSARY ; Because the Judiciary Overestimated the Number of Judges, Courthouses Have Much Extra Space after 10 Years ; Judiciary Planning Overstated the Need for Space through Inaccurate Caseload Projections and Allocations of Space for Visiting Judges
The Judiciary's Method of Estimating Judges Does Not Account for Uncertainty in When Judges Will Take Senior Status and in How Many New Judgeships Will Be Authorized LOW LEVELS OF USE SHOW THAT JUDGES COULD SHARE COURTROOMS, REDUCING THE NEED FOR FUTURE COURTROOMS BY MORE THAN ONE-THIRD ; Courtrooms Assigned to One Judge Are Used a Quarter of the Time or Less for Case Proceedings ; Increased Courtroom Sharing Is Feasible and Could Reduce the Need for Courtrooms by More than One-Third ; Some Judges Said They Could Overcome the Challenges to Courtroom Sharing
The Judiciary Has Taken Some Steps to Increase Sharing in Future Courthouse Projects CONCLUSIONS ; RECOMMENDATIONS FOR EXECUTIVE ACTION ; AGENCY COMMENTS AND OUR EVALUATION ; GSA Comments ; AOUSC Comments ; APPENDIX I. OBJECTIVES, SCOPE, AND METHODOLOGY ; APPENDIX II. COMMENTS FROM THE U.S. GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION ; GAO Comments ; APPENDIX III. COMMENTS FROM THE FEDERAL JUDICIARY ; GAO Comments ; End Notes
Bibliography Includes bibliographical references and index
Notes English
Description based on print version record and CIP data provided by publisher
Subject Courthouses -- United States -- Planning
Courthouses -- United States -- Design and construction
LAW -- Government -- Federal.
Courthouses -- Design and construction
Courthouses -- Planning
United States
Form Electronic book
Author Carrasco, Matthew C., editor
LC no. 2020678309
ISBN 9781621003168
1621003167