Boston, MA --- The historically preserved and newly renovated John Adams Courthouse on Boston&'s Pemberton Square will soon be the new home to the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court and the Massachusetts Appeals Court.  The Social Law Library opened for business there on December 13, 2004.

            The Appeals Court will relocate from the Center Plaza complex on January 21, 2005, and open for business on Monday, January 24.  A week later, the Supreme Judicial Court will move from its present location at One Beacon Street and open for business on Monday, January 31, 2005, in the John Adams Courthouse.  All phone numbers will remain the same. (see list of mailing addresses)

             Named in 2002 in honor of John Adams, native son of Massachusetts, because of his significant contributions to the role of the judiciary, including authorship of the Massachusetts Constitution, the John Adams Courthouse will be a living monument and serve as both a judicial and legal educational center for the community at large.  It will welcome visitors of all ages to learn about the development and history of the law in Massachusetts through exhibits, educational programs, and special events in keeping with the spirit of John Adams’s own passion for learning and his interest in an educated citizenry.

             For the 313-year-old Supreme Judicial Court and the 202-year-old Social Law Library, the move will mark a return to their former home.  From 1893 to 1938, the Supreme Judicial Court and the Social Law Library occupied the building, known then as the Suffolk County Courthouse.

             Among the restored architectural features of the 350,000 square foot courthouse are the majestic Great Hall with its stunning barrel vaulted ceiling and the historic courtroom where Supreme Judicial Court Chief Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. sat more than one hundred years ago.  The Supreme Judicial Court has a large, skylit courtroom for full court sittings, equipped with modern technology for computers, audio-visual needs, and web broadcasting.  The Holmes courtroom will be used for single justice hearings. Two stately courtrooms, equipped with new digital audio recording for oral arguments, have been restored for Appeals Court hearings.  Expansive book collection rooms and technologically-equipped reading areas are features of the Social Law Library, which occupy the top floors of the John Adams Courthouse.  The fully accessible courthouse also has new elevators, stairs, windows, and heating, air conditioning, plumbing and fire protection systems.

             Under the management supervision of the Division of Capital Asset Management, the building contractor is Suffolk/NER, a joint venture between Suffolk Construction Company, Inc. and NER Construction Management, Inc.  The architect is Childs Bertman Tseckares, Inc. of  Boston.

 

 

 

 

             The following individual suite addresses and zip codes should be added to the main address:                                                                                                                                                                      

Supreme Judicial Court Suite 2500 02108-1750		Appeals Court Suite 3500 02108-1767
Supreme Judicial Court Justices Suite 2200 02108-1735		Appeals Court Clerk's Office Suite 1200 02108-1705
Supreme Judicial Court Administrative Office Suite 2300 02108-1741
SJC Clerk for the Commonwealth Suite 1400 02108-1724		Social Law Library Suite 4100 02108-1792
SJC Clerk for Suffolk County Suite 1300 02108-1707
Public Information Office Suite 1100 02108-1723