The new Banning Justice Center will open to the public on Monday, May 4, 2015. The new courthouse is located at 311 E. Ramsey Street, Banning, CA 92220.

The new court facility will house four trial courtrooms, one large traffic/small claims courtroom, one large arraignment courtroom, in-custody holding cells, jury assembly space, a staff training room, clerks’ offices, public service windows, judicial chambers, jury deliberation rooms, and judicial library/conference rooms. The new courthouse replaces an existing and severely over- crowded nearby two-courtroom facility that long ago outgrew the needs of the community. Exponential population growth in the Banning Pass over the past 10 years, coupled with an increase in criminal filings, interstate traffic flow directly through the city, and civil disputes, has increased the caseload far beyond the capacity of two courtrooms and two judges.

The Banning Justice Center, in addition to being a much needed courthouse in a now bustling county, is also an asset to the local community. The courthouse is constructed of concrete on a 5 acre site in the heart of the city. The facility provides pedestrian links to existing and future Banning Civic Center developments, including City Hall and the Banning Police Department. The public’s experience of the facility will include an axial progression through the parking area to a large steel canopied entryway and into a dome covered lobby, all of which will assist the public, jurors, witnesses, agency representatives and court staff with an easy navigation throughout the building.

The new courthouse is designed to achieve a certification in accordance with sustainability requirements from the United States Green Building Council. In addition, design using the principles of CPTED (Crime Prevention through Environmental Design) helped shape the landscape and site work. Strategic placement of integrated concrete benches and a formal stepped plinth further enhance security in and around the courthouse.

Court operations will commence at 7:30 a.m. Monday, May 4, 2015. Law enforcement and other public agencies previously appearing in or citing to the old Banning Court should plan to redirect services to the new justice center accordingly. Jurors called for service on that day should also plan accordingly.

“We are grateful to Judge Mark Cope, who has lead this project for several years, and to the staff of the Judicial Council of California for all of the time and effort they put into making this project a success. We look forward to this splendid new courthouse serving the Banning Pass community for decades to come,” said Riverside County Superior Court Presiding Judge Harold W. Hopp