Courthouse Building and Capital Improvement Projects

The Judicial Branch Facilities team oversees the ongoing maintenance and repair of state courthouses through budget appropriations made by the Maine Legislature. Construction of new courthouse facilities and major capital improvements are funded by tax-exempt governmental bonds authorized by the Legislature.

Contact info@courts.maine.gov for questions about courthouse building and capital improvement projects.

Current Proposals

The Maine Legislature is currently considering legislation to allow the Maine Governmental Facilities Authority to increase the amount of securities that it may issue to fund new court facilities in Hancock, Somerset, and Androscoggin Counties. Read State Court Administrator Amy Quinlan’s testimony on LD 2090, An Act to Modernize and Consolidate Certain Court Facilities.

Hancock Judicial Center

New Location for the HJC

The Judicial Branch, the City of Ellsworth (the City), and Mrs. Alice B. Wardwell have entered into an agreement which will facilitate the construction of a new Judicial Center on land near High Street in Ellsworth, instead of a location at 120 Surry Road. The Surry Road location was purchased by the Judicial Branch in 2024 to build a new Judicial Center to replace the aging Hancock County Courthouse at 50 State Street, which has numerous safety, space, infrastructure, and other deficiencies.

After selection of the Surry Road location was announced in 2024, the Judicial Branch, the City, and State officials received public input on possible alternative locations, leading to the identification of the Wardwell property near High Street. The Wardwell property was not on the market when the Judicial Branch originally searched for suitable building sites for the HJC. However, after the Wardwell property was identified as a possible alternative location, the Judicial Branch, the City, and Mrs. Wardwell worked together over a period of several months to negotiate a Courthouse Collaboration Agreement.

Next Steps

The Courthouse Collaboration Agreement outlines the following process for the development of the HJC at the new site:

  1. Land Swap Agreement – The Judicial Branch and Mrs. Wardwell will enter into a land swap agreement by which the 17.9-acre Surry Road property will be exchanged for the 17.9 acre property owned by Mrs. Wardwell near High Street. The City will facilitate the transfer of properties between Mrs. Wardwell and the Judicial Branch.
  2. Merrill Lane Right of Way – The City will acquire a right of way to provide public access to the Wardwell property via Merrill Lane.
  3. Road Construction and Utility Installation – The City will construct a 66-foot-wide road over Merrill Lane to meet public road standards and install water, sewer, and electricity infrastructure. The City will issue a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the road’s design, with final plans submitted to the Judicial Branch by June 1, 2025. All necessary permits for Merrill Lane will be submitted by July 1, 2025. The road will be accessible for construction vehicles no later than January 1, 2026.

Proposed Design & Building Plan

The Judicial Branch will utilize the original design and building plan for the HJC, adapting it to the new site as needed. The building will be 2.5 stories high, with a building footprint of about 25,000 square feet, four courtrooms, a consolidated clerk’s office, at least eight conference rooms, 125 public parking spaces and will be fully accessible throughout.

The estimated cost of the HJC is approximately $55M.

More information can be found on the City of Ellsworth’s Hancock County Courthouse Informational webpage.

Drawing of proposed Hancock Judicial Center site

Proposed site drawing of Hancock Judicial Center

Somerset Judicial Center

Summary

Somerset County is currently served by two courthouses in Skowhegan: the Skowhegan District Courthouse and the Somerset County Superior Courthouse, both aging and obsolete courthouses. Neither of these two buildings alone provides sufficient space to meet the present and future operational needs of Somerset County. The Judicial Branch proposes to renovate and add an addition to the Skowhegan District Courthouse and return the Somerset County Superior Court building to the County, consolidating court operations into one building.  

Proposed Site & Building Plan

The proposed site of the new Somerset County Judicial Center will be at 55 Court Street in Skowhegan. We will be adding to the existing courthouse a 30,000 square foot three-story addition. It will feature four courtrooms (two jury and two non-jury), at least eight public conference rooms, and an enlarged area for a clerk’s office. We expect the courthouse design and construction to cost $45M. 

Approximate time frame: April 2026 through December 2027.

Androscoggin Judicial Center

Summary

Androscoggin County is presently served by the District Court on Lisbon Street in Lewiston and the aging Androscoggin County Courthouse in Auburn. The Judicial Branch proposes consolidating the two facilities by adding on to the District Court building and returning the space occupied by the Androscoggin Superior Court building in Auburn to Androscoggin County. The resulting facility will be located on Lisbon Street in downtown Lewiston and be known as the Androscoggin Judicial Center.

Proposed Site & Building Plan

To build this facility, the Judicial Branch plans to acquire the building at 55 Lisbon Street, next door to the present District Court. We plan to gut the building and remodel it to add three additional courtrooms (two jury and one non-jury) to the five courtrooms already in the District Court building. At least eight more public conference rooms and, if space allows, an additional room for dispositional conferences and hearings, will be added. We expect the courthouse design and construction to cost approximately $105M.

Approximate time frame: April 2027 through October 2029.