UI gets started on old courthouse renovation for College of Law

Work is expected to start this month on transforming the Old Ada County Courthouse into the new Boise home for the University of Idaho College of Law.

National Native American Construction based in Coeur d’Alene won the $3.16 million contract in mid-Dec. to remodel and restore the 1939 structure to house UI’s Boise law school, the Idaho Supreme Court Library, other Supreme Court offices, and space for civic education for the general public.

UI will call the building the Idaho Law & Justice Learning Center when the College of Law moves its Boise law school to the old courthouse for the fall 2015 semester, said Lee Dillion, the law school’s associate dean for Boise programs.

The College of Law is based in Moscow but has had a Boise program for third-year law students since 2010 in the University of Idaho Water Center on Front Street. Fall 2014 saw the start of Boise courses for second-year law students. Eventually, university  officials hope to see a full three-year UI law program in Boise.

“The initial proposal was to start a full three-year program in Boise,” Dillion said. “The state Board of Education thought we’d be better served by offering the third year first. If it turns out there is the demand and interest, we would at some point look at adding a first year. We’ll move on that at a time that it is appropriate.”

In the meantime, UI College of Law students in Boise will be among the very few in the nation to be within steps from the classroom to the state Legislature, Supreme Court and county courthouse. Historically, state capitals and universities with law schools were built in different cities – as was the case in Idaho.

“For a law student, they will be in the middle of where law is made,” Dillion said. “This is an opportunity for students to engage very early with the legislative and judicial branches and the private sector.

“If you’re bored that day for an evidentiary class, you can head to the Ada County Courthouse and watch three trials in the morning and then head to the Supreme Court and watch an appeal,” Dillion said.

Ada County abandoned the Old Courthouse in February 2002 and subsequently sold the building to the state, which used it as a temporary home for the Legislature while the Capitol was renovated in 2008-09.

UI considered using the renovations made for the Legislature but decided to do a thorough overhaul. The state budgeted $2 million to “bring the building back to a usable building,” and another $950,000 for College of Law tenant improvements, including inner walls, ceilings, carpeting and audio-visual equipment, and $89,000 for the Supreme Court, Dillion said.

The Supreme Court Library will occupy the entire second floor. The College of Law manages the court’s library, which now is at the Water Center. The Supreme Court will also have space on the smaller fourth floor for support staff.

The first floor will have two College of Law classrooms, a clinic and a student study area. The third floor will have faculty offices and two large classrooms, Dillion said.

Dillion said the Idaho Law & Justice Center will play four roles. Beyond the College of Law and Supreme Court Library, the facility will also allow the Supreme Court to expand its continuing education program for judges, clerks, staff and deputies. The college and court together will also formalize civil legal education programs for the general public, especially high school and college students, Dillion said.

“We want the law school and the Supreme Court more involved in public outreach,” he said.