The federal judiciary announced the physical condition of courthouses in the United States has deteriorated to crisis levels. It also is urging Congress to grant it greater authority over courthouse real property management. According to a Feb. 24 announcement from the U.S. Courts, the judiciary said long-standing maintenance backlogs and safety issues in buildings nationwide jeopardize operations and public access.
Under current law, the General Services Administration controls most federal court facilities. The judiciary’s request would allow it to assume direct authority to manage, maintain and own courthouse real estate — a shift it describes as necessary to streamline repairs, address safety concerns and protect court functions from administrative delays.
Judicial officials have pointed to significant deferred maintenance, including structural, mechanical and health-related problems. They say that reliance on GSA’s budgeting and project management has contributed to rising costs and slower response times. GSA, for its part, has at times pushed back on the severity of the crisis claim, citing funding constraints and challenges inherent in aging federal infrastructure.
The proposal is likely to shape legislative debate over judiciary funding and federal property oversight, raising broader questions about the separation of administrative authority between branches.