Courthouses Orange County

A broken water line closed the Orange County courthouse in Laguna Niguel on Wednesday. Construction workers digging in the South Justice Center parking lot accidentally broke the 6-inch line around 6:30 a.m. Wednesday, shutting off water to the building, said Orange County Marshal's Lt. Scott Bowen. Although only the parking lot was flooded, the building on Crown Valley Parkway was closed for the day because of health concerns, Bowen said.

Orange County's Old County Courthouse has hosted famous trials during its history. Now, preparations are underway for a historic visit by the state Supreme Court in October as part of the courthouse's 100th anniversary celebration. "This is a real first," said Alan Slater, Superior Court chief executive officer. "They have honored other counties like San Diego, which recently held their centennial, but I'm not aware that the Supreme Court has ever sat in Orange County."

Long-stalled plans to build a new South County courthouse got an unexpected jump-start when the Board of Supervisors voted Wednesday to allocate $5 million--$3 million from the Merrill Lynch settlement--for it. The action marks the first time that money has actually been set aside for the proposed courthouse and comes as the county is exploring sites in Rancho Santa Margarita and the Ladera planned community.

Orange County filed a $1.3-million breach-of-contract suit against a Los Angeles company Thursday, contending that SEC Engineering failed to expand the county's main jury room in Santa Ana. According to the lawsuit, SEC Engineering was hired to expand and improve the jury room in the central courthouse but failed to do so. The lawsuit also names the company's bond holder, Hartford Insurance Co. Assistant County Counsel James F.

Orange County Dist. Atty. Tony Rackauckas on Tuesday criticized a plan to switch all South County trials to Newport Beach, saying the move will inconvenience jurors, witnesses and attorneys, and might even interfere with cases. Beginning next week, the county's judges intend to move all jury trials from the overcrowded Laguna Niguel courthouse to the Harbor Justice Center to reduce the South Justice Center caseload.

The Old Orange County Courthouse celebrates its centennial this month with exhibits on such topics as the history of California missions and dairy farms in Orange County. The courthouse, now a museum, opened in July 1900 at 211 W. Santa Ana Blvd. Information: (714) 834-3703.

City officials have unveiled designs for the long-awaited federal courthouse project, a 10-story, $123-million building planned for completion by spring, 1996. During a slide presentation at this week's City Council meeting, architect R. Doss Mabe offered a preview of the Ronald Reagan Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse. Slides showed a white building surrounded by palm trees and decorated with marble. Courtrooms will have 18-foot-high vaulted ceilings and state-of-the-art security systems.

Orange County filed a $1.3-million breach-of-contract suit against a Los Angeles company Thursday, contending that SEC Engineering failed to expand the county's main jury room in Santa Ana. According to the lawsuit, SEC Engineering was hired to expand and improve the jury room in the central courthouse but failed to do so. The lawsuit also names the company's bond holder, Hartford Insurance Co. Assistant County Counsel James F.

Life just got easier for some folks trying to clear up less-than-perfect driving records in Orange County. As of Monday, drivers who have a date before a judge in Municipal Court here--but who need to clear up any old tickets with the Department of Motor Vehicles first--can take care of both in one stop. Through a new state program, limited DMV services became available at the Harbor courthouse. Simultaneously, a "court station" opened at the DMV office in Costa Mesa.

Hoping to boost the local economy and accommodate an increase in court caseloads in Southern California, a U.S. Senate committee on Thursday authorized spending $123 million to build a new federal courthouse here.

Orange County Dist. Atty. Tony Rackauckas on Tuesday criticized a plan to switch all South County trials to Newport Beach, saying the move will inconvenience jurors, witnesses and attorneys, and might even interfere with cases. Beginning next week, the county's judges intend to move all jury trials from the overcrowded Laguna Niguel courthouse to the Harbor Justice Center to reduce the South Justice Center caseload.

The Old Orange County Courthouse celebrates its centennial this month with exhibits on such topics as the history of California missions and dairy farms in Orange County. The courthouse, now a museum, opened in July 1900 at 211 W. Santa Ana Blvd. Information: (714) 834-3703.

A broken water line closed the Orange County courthouse in Laguna Niguel on Wednesday. Construction workers digging in the South Justice Center parking lot accidentally broke the 6-inch line around 6:30 a.m. Wednesday, shutting off water to the building, said Orange County Marshal's Lt. Scott Bowen. Although only the parking lot was flooded, the building on Crown Valley Parkway was closed for the day because of health concerns, Bowen said.

A Garden Grove man who set himself on fire Friday in front of the Superior Court in Westminster died this morning at UCI Medical Center in Orange with family members at his bedside, a hospital spokesperson said. Muhammad Qureshi, 50, doused his clothes with gasoline and set them on fire Friday. He was rushed to the hospital with about 80% of his body burned, the spokesperson said.

A Garden Grove man apparently distraught over losing a court decision set himself ablaze Friday outside Westminster Superior Court, police said. Muhammad Qureshi, 50, was in critical condition late Friday in the burn unit at UCI Medical Center in Orange. Qureshi doused himself with gasoline and set his clothes on fire just a few feet from where dozens of people were standing in line to pay traffic fines near the front entrance of the building, police said.

Long-stalled plans to build a new South County courthouse got an unexpected jump-start when the Board of Supervisors voted Wednesday to allocate $5 million--$3 million from the Merrill Lynch settlement--for it. The action marks the first time that money has actually been set aside for the proposed courthouse and comes as the county is exploring sites in Rancho Santa Margarita and the Ladera planned community.

A Garden Grove man who set himself on fire Friday in front of the Superior Court in Westminster died this morning at UCI Medical Center in Orange with family members at his bedside, a hospital spokesperson said. Muhammad Qureshi, 50, doused his clothes with gasoline and set them on fire Friday. He was rushed to the hospital with about 80% of his body burned, the spokesperson said.

The jury assembly room at Orange County Superior Court is so overcrowded that when one prospective juror collapsed a few months ago, paramedics found it impossible to wade through the hundreds of people to reach the victim. So they finally had to evacuate the entire room. Most days inside the assembly room are less dramatic but no less crowded.

The jury assembly room at Orange County Superior Court is so overcrowded that when one prospective juror collapsed a few months ago, paramedics found it impossible to wade through the hundreds of people to reach the victim. So they finally had to evacuate the entire room. Most days inside the assembly room are less dramatic but no less crowded.

City officials have unveiled designs for the long-awaited federal courthouse project, a 10-story, $123-million building planned for completion by spring, 1996. During a slide presentation at this week's City Council meeting, architect R. Doss Mabe offered a preview of the Ronald Reagan Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse. Slides showed a white building surrounded by palm trees and decorated with marble. Courtrooms will have 18-foot-high vaulted ceilings and state-of-the-art security systems.