Some Wisdom from Thurgood Marshall

by workbymichelletodd

Due to struggling with the task of turning site synthesis into something artistic, I figured inspiration may good be a place to start. Until our site visit tomorrow, I decided to avoid further analysis of the site and instead try to find some more inspiration relating to courthouses and who is a better source to pull from than Thurgood Marshall himself. I originated my search with the phrase “courthouse quotes” just to see what was out there that would spark my interest. The quote below surfaced itself and I found it very appropriate and encouraged thought:

“Mere access to the courthouse doors does not by itself assure a proper functioning of the adversary process.”
-Thurgood Marshall

I read this quote and realized that an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court has realized that there is an issue in the previous decades of  culture and design of courthouses. The design of courthouses, prior to the GSA movement to improve the vernacular, was simply derelict. While the courthouse functioned in terms of providing a structure to hold court, it was not providing a means for the process of law to be fully expressed.

This, then in turn made me think of what all is involved in the process of law. Is it simply just trying a case or is there more beneath the surface definition of law?

I then had some sort of an epiphone or more of an enlightenment. Law isn’t just about the legal aspect, but about the cultural networkings that rely on the civic nature of law. People are what drive law and the need for law. The culture of a certain community drive the meaning of law to them which, can be reflected in the “adversary process” as mentioned by Mr. Marshall. The process of which he speaks refers to conflicting views. But, that is what’s great about our legal system. The conflicting views have been established by the people and for the people. The courthouses that were designed for 40 years were decrepit and inefficient at expressing the beautiful symbiotic relationship between culture and law; how people in the community rely on civility. This should be reflected into courthouses today and because of this series of thought, is now an objective of mine. Not only should the doors of the courthouse open, but they should open whole-heartedly to the community, becoming forum of expression and gathering as well as upholding law and the justice that preserves the sanctity of communities.

upholding the law and community