Tour of the new courthouse

I took a “self-guided” tour of my new “office” yesterday. In just a matter of a few weeks, the new federal courthouse will open in Eugene to much fanfare. Apparently this building received as large of a budget as the new courthouse in Los Angeles. It’s a huge, sweeping building of stainless steel and glass (it’s affectionately referred to as “Starship Enterprise"), and I guess it was designed by a famous architect who recently won the equivalent of the Pulitzer Prize for architecture. When you walk through this building it definitely feels more like you’re walking through a museum rather than a courthouse. There is a lot of art scattered throughout and the design is really striking.

Anyway, my co-worker and I had to take care of something in the new courthouse so we walked over. There were some rudimentary signs directing us where to go (“BADGES →”) but inevitably we got lost. Much to our surprise, we walked through an unlocked, unmarked door that led directly into the prisoner’s holding cells and the door locked behind us. Travis and I wandered around for awhile trying to find a way out, to no avail, when there was a booming voice that came over the loudspeaker, “What are you guys doing in there?” We explained that we had just taken a wrong turn and then a voice answered, (laughing) “I guess you’ll have to do your time, then.” Apparently the US Marshals thought it was pretty funny to play a joke on two unsuspecting law clerks. We made a comment to the effect that we were guilty of the crime of stupidity and then they came to let us out.

If you haven’t done so already, make sure you check out The Zimel Zoo. Our best friends are slowly making their way across the country in an RV (with three young boys!), and they’ve been posting regularly as they travel cross-country.