The building is nearly 40-years old and it needs replacing. Toledo's Municipal Court building either needs an upgrade or a rebuild. And one Muni-court judge believes a rebuild is the best option.
Sometimes a building outgrows its usefulness. And Judge Michael Goulding believes the Municipal Court building is just too cramped to keep.
It opened in 19-76 and fit the needs of the city then. But over the years, the number of court cases exploded and space is now at a premium.
Judge Goulding told 13abc reporter Bill Hormann, "We have crowded hallways, we have crowded courtrooms, we can't fit everybody in the courtrooms. We got defendants and their friends who are mingling with victims and their witnesses. It really makes for an unsafe, packed environment."
And maintenance costs are high, the building has security issues and it's simply outdated.
So Monday, Judge Goulding spoke before a council committee and urged Toledo to find a way to build a new municipal court.
This issue's has been on the radar for nearly a dozen years. Studies from 2004 and 2005 recommended creating a criminal justice center that would house a muni court for the city and a new jail for the county, along with some other departments. The construction costs could run as high as $50-million."
Renderings of a new criminal justice campus were produced that would include Toledo and Lucas County departments.
Monday's hearing focused on just a new municipal court but Lucas County commissioners have been talking with the sheriff on building a new county jail.
Toledo city councilman D. Michael Collins (I) sees an opportunity for the city and county to work together. He told 13abc, "It only makes sense to me that you will take the two governmental entities and you put them together and you resolve this issue to the best you can due to the limited resources we have due to taxes."
It will probably take a couple years to find the funding to create the new criminal justice center but there is interest by both the city and county.
Editor David C. Miller of The (Bowling Green) Sentinel-Tribune newspaper in Ohio died Saturday at a hospital in York, Pa., the paper said in a statement. He was 66.
Editor David C. Miller of The (Bowling Green) Sentinel-Tribune newspaper in Ohio died Saturday at a hospital in York, Pa., the paper said in a statement. He was 66.
Monday, May 20 2013 8:41 AM EDT2013-05-20 12:41:44 GMT
DETROIT (AP) - Police say they're looking for a 3-year-old girl who was reportedly taken in Detroit while her father was assaulting her mother. An Amber Alert is in effect Monday for Alonna Anderson,
A Detroit girl is safe after an early morning Amber Alert. Alonna Anderson was abducted early this morning by a family member. An Amber Alert was issued and she was later found safe in Detroit.
Monday, May 20 2013 6:13 AM EDT2013-05-20 10:13:05 GMT
Severe weather is sweeping areas of the plains states. At least one person is dead and more storms are on the way today. ISOH/IMPACT is preparing to help those affected by the spring storms in Texas
Severe weather is sweeping areas of the plains states. At least one person is dead and more storms are on the way today. ISOH/IMPACT is preparing to help those affected by the spring storms in Texas and the plain states. They are holding a donation drive for those residents who's homes are destroyed and are uprooted from the chaos.
Sunday, May 19 2013 10:36 PM EDT2013-05-20 02:36:19 GMT
Police are still searching for the suspects that shot and killed James "Jimmy" Safadi in his Waterville home early Saturday morning. About 6 a.m. Saturday, detectives say the three suspects described as
Police are still searching for the suspects that shot and killed James "Jimmy" Safadi in his Waterville home early Saturday morning.
Sunday, May 19 2013 10:08 PM EDT2013-05-20 02:08:35 GMT
EDMOND, Okla. (AP) - A powerful storm system rumbled through the Plains and upper Midwest on Sunday, spawning tornadoes that damaged homes and buildings near Oklahoma City and put the Tulsa area on high-alert. There
A powerful storm system rumbled through the Plains and upper Midwest on Sunday, spawning tornadoes that damaged homes and buildings near Oklahoma City and put the Tulsa area on high-alert.
Editor David C. Miller of The (Bowling Green) Sentinel-Tribune newspaper in Ohio died Saturday at a hospital in York, Pa., the paper said in a statement. He was 66.
Editor David C. Miller of The (Bowling Green) Sentinel-Tribune newspaper in Ohio died Saturday at a hospital in York, Pa., the paper said in a statement. He was 66.
Monday, May 20 2013 8:41 AM EDT2013-05-20 12:41:44 GMT
DETROIT (AP) - Police say they're looking for a 3-year-old girl who was reportedly taken in Detroit while her father was assaulting her mother. An Amber Alert is in effect Monday for Alonna Anderson,
A Detroit girl is safe after an early morning Amber Alert. Alonna Anderson was abducted early this morning by a family member. An Amber Alert was issued and she was later found safe in Detroit.
Monday, May 20 2013 6:13 AM EDT2013-05-20 10:13:05 GMT
Severe weather is sweeping areas of the plains states. At least one person is dead and more storms are on the way today. ISOH/IMPACT is preparing to help those affected by the spring storms in Texas
Severe weather is sweeping areas of the plains states. At least one person is dead and more storms are on the way today. ISOH/IMPACT is preparing to help those affected by the spring storms in Texas and the plain states. They are holding a donation drive for those residents who's homes are destroyed and are uprooted from the chaos.
Sunday, May 19 2013 11:25 PM EDT2013-05-20 03:25:15 GMT
Another day, another domination for Taylor Swift: She was the red hot winner at the Billboard Music Awards. Swift won eight awards, including top artist and top Billboard 200 album for "Red." She told
Another day, another domination for Taylor Swift: She was the red hot winner at the Billboard Music Awards.
Sunday, May 19 2013 10:36 PM EDT2013-05-20 02:36:19 GMT
Police are still searching for the suspects that shot and killed James "Jimmy" Safadi in his Waterville home early Saturday morning. About 6 a.m. Saturday, detectives say the three suspects described as
Police are still searching for the suspects that shot and killed James "Jimmy" Safadi in his Waterville home early Saturday morning.
Sunday, May 19 2013 10:31 PM EDT2013-05-20 02:31:31 GMT
Northbound Route 23 was shut down on Sunday evening after a semi truck overturned.Part of the road was shut down as the crash scene was cleared. Several cars were involved in the accident, and there were
Northbound Route 23 was shut down on Sunday evening after a semi truck overturned.
Sunday, May 19 2013 8:56 PM EDT2013-05-20 00:56:32 GMT
DAMASCUS, Va. (AP) - Authorities believe the driver who plowed into dozens of hikers marching in a Virginia mountain town parade suffered from a medical condition and did not cause the crash intentionally,
Authorities believe the driver who plowed into dozens of hikers marching in a Virginia mountain town parade suffered from a medical condition and did not cause the crash intentionally.
Sunday, May 19 2013 8:52 PM EDT2013-05-20 00:52:38 GMT
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (AP) - Police in a northeast Ohio community report a number of black bear sightings. Police in Liberty Township near Youngstown say they have received several calls regarding bears in
Police in Liberty Township near Youngstown say they have received several calls regarding bears in the area in recent days.
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