The Great Falls Municipal Court has finished moving into its newly remodeled space inside the Civic Center, a $3 million project designed to ease growing caseloads and improve public access.
The remodel transformed the historic Missouri Room on the building’s second floor into two fully equipped courtrooms. It replaces the court’s longtime basement location, a narrow, windowless space that had grown too small for the city’s needs.
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The project was funded entirely through federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) dollars the city received in 2021. Construction began in August 2024 and focused on balancing modernization with preservation. Project Manager for the City of Great Falls Sylvia Tarman says crews worked to maintain the room’s historic character, including its original woodwork and ceiling trim, while adding new finishes, terrazzo flooring, and updated technology.
She says, “This project has been a long time coming. We wanted to keep the court in the building and give them a space people can be proud of.”
Court staff say the new space will help resolve long-standing scheduling and capacity issues. With only one courtroom in the old space, judges and attorneys struggled to keep up with a growing caseload, especially after COVID-19, when the number of filings and warrants increased.
The new dual-courtroom design will now allow both municipal judges to operate at the same time.
Municipal Court Supervisor Morgan Medvec says, “Attempting to handle up to 20 jury trials that are set each Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday with one courtroom is just not very possible. This will give us the option to be able to run trials and hearings in one courtroom while we're doing open court in the other one. That way, we're hopefully not having people sit out here for two or 3 hours waiting to see the judge.”
The new space also includes natural light and modern audio-visual systems for remote hearings, upgrades that will improve both staff morale and the public’s experience in court.
Medvec says, “I think when you have the public coming into a courtroom or to the court window, having a more respectful surrounding, I think is something that's a benefit for the community.”
The new courtrooms also improve accessibility, with elevator access from the north side of the Civic Center and new signage directing visitors to the second floor.
The Municipal Court will officially begin operating in its new location on October 14. City leaders say the move will help keep pace with Great Falls’ growing population and support a more efficient, dignified court process.
