After an original master plan in the 1980s, Dakota County implemented an initial addition to accommodate a courts complex that tripled in size and a new law enforcement center and county jail, creating a cohesive judicial complex. After 30 years of use, the County took on significant renovations to their facility, which focused on providing updated office spaces, a secure juvenile courts suite informed by knowledge in specialized court spaces, and an in-custody courtroom designed for efficiency. The in-custody courtroom features a substantial holding suite where public defenders and corrections agents can interview and meet with detainees and expedite the high-volume court process. By reducing the size of a previously too large courtroom to hold court efficiently, the design accommodates practical, everyday use and created two additional judicial chambers for the growing suburban bench. Finally, an emergency operations center (EOC) was created within the facility to function as a response location for both local disasters and be the local response for an incident at the nearby nuclear power plant.
The renovations keep a judicial image in mind, blending the existing government center's mid-century design with elegant wood paneling and detailing to reflect the facility's function. The project's implementation maintained a complicated phasing schedule that ran smoothly to minimize disruption to court functions.