Latest news with #DistrictCourthouse
Irish Independent
18-07-2025
- General
- Irish Independent
Proposals sought from public as Bray's old courthouse to remain in the hands of the community
Home > Regionals > Wicklow > Bray Members of the 'Old Court House Proposal Team' outside the old District Courthouse, in Bray. The former courthouse building on the Boghall Road has been vacant since 2006, when court services were relocated to the Civic Centre. In December 2021, a group of local women made a submission to Bray Municipal District, with the aim of getting the courthouse back into community use. Since then, Karen McDonald, former councillor Aoife Flynn Kennedy, Darly Carey, Deirdre Lally, Emma Lally, Anne-Marie McMorrow and Jolene O'Connor have worked to get that plan of action completed. Having succeeded in getting the building transferred into the ownership of Wicklow County Council (WCC), the team supported the council in their successful application for funding, and some €340,000 was allocated for the refurbishment of the building through the Community Recognition Fund. The team has also worked in partnership with the board of Ballywaltrim Community Centre to get their support to progress plans. They now hold a caretaker's agreement for the old courthouse building, another major milestone that allows them to move forward and engage directly with the community. Speaking on behalf of the group, Deirdre Lally said: 'No final decision has been made about how the building will be used – except that it will be for community use only. That's the exciting part. We now have the freedom to go out and find out what the community really wants.' Group member Aoife Flynn Kennedy added: 'We've been working on this for so long – it's hard not to feel excited as we approach the final stage. The possibilities are endless, but we have to be realistic too. Whatever plans we make, the building must be self-financing and sustainable.' The team has launched an online survey and will also be going door-to-door in the neighbourhood to make sure as many voices as possible are heard. So you can keep an eye out for them in the coming weeks. To complete the survey, you can go to the group's Facebook page: 'Old Court House Proposal Team'.
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Yahoo
Students in Prince George's County to learn about the law in court
UPPER MARLBORO, Md. (DC News Now) — Students in Prince George's County will get first-hand experience when it comes to the legal process this week. On Thursday, the Prince George's District Courthouse will host students from Dr. Henry Wise and Fredrick Douglas high schools, giving them a real courtroom experience and educating them on how the law actually works in their 'Schools to Courts' program. Students get to participate in an interactive way of learning. They'll get to see K-9s, mock trials and even members of the state attorney's office in action Administrative Judge Lisa Hall Johnson is one of the judges in the program and says that the program has been both fun and successful for the students. 'This really brings it to life for them. They're in a courtroom setting. They get to see officers in their uniforms. They get to see the K-9 officer, and they see the judges and myself and Judge Simpkins,' said Johnson. 'Our idea is really for the students to understand the law and the choices that they'll have as young people. And the outcomes are based on the choices that they make, good choices and bad choices.' Batter Up: Nats help DC students plan for their futures These sessions are fun, but the ones in charge are making sure the students are taking important lessons. Prince George's County as a whole has made it a point to focus on youth crime, and Judge Johnson hopes the students are impacted by this program. 'You know, you're going to make the choices that you're going to make … but understand how it's affecting the development of your mind,' said Johnson. 'These are topics that, for better or worse, are in their environment, and they know about them, and it's better for them to get information from the judges and from lawyers and from the doctors than from, you know, other people.' This program is held four times every school year. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
