There are 39 county courthouses in Washington state, one in each of the state's 39 counties. County courthouses serve as the seats of the state's 39 Superior Courts - first-level general jurisdiction trial courts. They often also house a county's legislative and executive offices.
In county-system government, counties function both as local governments and as agencies of the state. In their capacity as local governments they are responsible for emergency services, land use, parks, local roads, and similar functions. As agencies of the state, they issue marriage licenses, record vital statistics, prosecute felonies, and administer elections.
Background
editFor much of American history, county courthouses have served as local landmarks of government authority and as public meeting and gathering places.[1][2] In their early history, many American counties convened trial courts in ad hoc locations, such as private homes and taverns.[3][2] As these settings were not ideal for the conduct of judicial business, nor the preservation of growing volumes of public records, there was a move towards the creation of permanent structures.[3] The historic importance of the county courthouse as a focal point of local government, however, first took form with an 1824 act of the United States Congress which permitted county-level governments to acquire 320 acres of land at a minimum price for the establishment of a "seat of justice".[4]
Often the largest and most imposing building in many rural counties, the size, architectural qualities, and secondary use as a repository of a county's vital records - such as birth, death, and marriage certificates - placed county courthouses in the role which churches often played in the nations from which many early Americans had emigrated, or of the town hall in European free cities.[5] In many county seats, the county courthouse occupies a central location, often flanking a "courthouse square" where major retail businesses are also located.[2] Their position often designates the heart of a municipality.[2]
Role of county courthouses in Washington
editWashington is organized into 39 counties - political subdivisions that perform a dual role as both an administrative arm of the state and as the local government of the area under their jurisdiction.[6] In each county is situated a Superior Court, the state's first-level general jurisdiction courts hearing civil and criminal cases. Unless given special permission by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Washington, Superior Courts are required to convene in the county seat of the county for which they have been created; they do so in their respective county courthouse.[a] State law also generally mandates the legislative authority of each county convene in its county seat; in many counties, these meetings are also held in the county courthouse.
Current courthouses
edit| County | Courthouse | Location | Year Built | NRHP Listing | Notes | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adams County |  Adams County Courthouse | 1941 | No | [7] | ||
| Asotin County |  Asotin County Courthouse | 1901 | No | Originally a commercial building, it was later converted into use as the county's courthouse. An exterior stone facade on the first level was added in the 1930s. | [7] | |
| Benton County |  Benton County Courthouse | 1926 | No | [7] | ||
| Example | Example | Example | Example | Example | Example | Example |
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Former courthouses
editCourthouse preservation
editA program to preserve historic courthouses was established in Washington in 2005.[11] As of 2017, it had allocated $17 million to the preservation of the state's historic courthouses, of which 33 of Washington's 39 county courthouses are classed.[11] Preservation grants are made to counties on a matching funds basis, at a ratio of about $1 of grant for every $2 of locally allocated monies. Preservation and restoration work is required to meet the requirements of the United States Department of the Interior's Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties.[11]
Notes
edit- ↑ Twelve counties which are too small to support a Superior Court have a consolidated court administration with a single judge riding circuit between the counties.
References
edit- ↑ Peters, Margaret (1995). Virginia's Historic Courthouses. University of Virginia Press. p. ix. ISBN 0813916046.
- 1 2 3 4 Cite error: The named reference
gcmwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - 1 2 Hughes, Delos (2016). Historic Alabama Courthouses: A Century of Their Images and Stories. NewSouth Books. pp. 5–7. ISBN 1588383342.
- ↑ Balousek, Marv (1998). Wisconsin's Historic Courthouses. Badger Books. ISBN 1878569562.
- ↑ Logue, Mary (2006). Courthouses of Minnesota. Minnesota Historical Society. pp. 10–12. ISBN 0873515501.
- ↑ "History of County Government in the United States" (PDF). co.marion.ia.us. Iowa State Association of Counties. Retrieved July 8, 2017.
- 1 2 3 Washington State Historic County Courthouse Assessment (PDF). Artifacts Architectural Consulting. 2003.
- ↑ Eric L. Flom (December 3, 2006), "Grant County Commissioners authorize a new courthouse building on April 12, 1917", HistoryLink, Seattle: History Ink
- ↑ Kirk, Ruth; Alexander, Carmela (1995), Exploring Washington's Past: A Road Guide to History, University of Washington Press, p. 88, ISBN 9780295974439
- ↑ Fodor's Pacific Northwest: With Oregon, Washington, and Vancouver, Fodor's, 2011, p. 662, ISBN 9781400005123
{{citation}}: Unknown parameter|editors=ignored (|editor=suggested) (help) - 1 2 3 "Historic Courthouse Preservation". dahp.wa.gov. Washington Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation. Retrieved July 7, 2017.