# Are there any old-fashioned, ornate courthouses or courtrooms in L.A.? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 1, 2008, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-old-fashioned-ornate-courthouses-or-courtrooms-in-l-a/431908 "2008-01-01T19:14:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2008, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-old-fashioned-ornate-courthouses-or-courtrooms-in-l-a/431908/1 "2008-01-01T19:14:25Z")
We just watched _Fracture_, a legal/crime drama set in Los Angeles. I’ve noticed that, in most films of the genre set in L.A., the trial is held in a beautiful traditional “classic” type courthouse, with marble walls, statues of Justice holding scales, and (usually) ironwork on the windows reminiscent of Imperial Rome. But L.A. being the way it is, every courtroom I’ve seen is plain and functional, and rather drab. Although the old building from the 1920s still exists, where Manson was held and tried, it hasn’t been used in decades. Is it possible that there are some courtrooms there set aside for filming, and kept up in pristine condition? Or are there still some of the old-style courtrooms left in some of the satellite communities in the County? Or is it all a studio set? ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2008, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-old-fashioned-ornate-courthouses-or-courtrooms-in-l-a/431908/2 "2008-01-07T03:26:04Z")
Bump. ---
**Author:** ![Queen\_Bruin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Queen\_Bruin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Queen_Bruin)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2008, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-old-fashioned-ornate-courthouses-or-courtrooms-in-l-a/431908/3 "2008-01-07T03:31:20Z")
The new courthouse in the AV (Michael Antonovich Court House) isn’t marble or anything, but it’s not as drab as the old courthouse (nasty carpet, soggy ceiling tiles and 70s welfare office chic). They’re all wood paneled and quite aesthetically pleasing. They exude authority pretty well without feeling Orwellian. They’re also a little different in that the witness sits in the center and the judge in the corner, while defense and prosecution both share the same table. The AV being what it is however there is a veritable shrine to the Gipper and Pete Wilson in the lobby - gag. If I had to guess though, I bet the courtrooms in Stanley Mosk (downtown) are much like you describe. Maybe another Doper who has been inside can give us a clue. ---
**Author:** ![Key\_Lime\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/48db29/32.png) [@Key\_Lime\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Key_Lime_Guy)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2008, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-old-fashioned-ornate-courthouses-or-courtrooms-in-l-a/431908/4 "2008-01-07T03:52:07Z")
Interesting question. An image can be referenced [here](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1KQ37j6cRJM) at 1:16. I’m pretty familiar with public architecture in LA, and I’m going to say “set” unless it might have been filmed at [Patriotic Hall.](http://www.emporis.com/en/il/im/?id=391299) ---
**Author:** ![Key\_Lime\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/48db29/32.png) [@Key\_Lime\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Key_Lime_Guy)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2008, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-old-fashioned-ornate-courthouses-or-courtrooms-in-l-a/431908/5 "2008-01-07T04:00:45Z")
More thoughts: The Santa Barbara County courthouse would be another possibility. And I don’t know what might be in Riverside, etc. I don’t think there’s anything in Pasadena that matches, unless it’s something at CalTech. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2008, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-old-fashioned-ornate-courthouses-or-courtrooms-in-l-a/431908/6 "2008-01-07T04:20:56Z")
I know that for _Tucker: The Man and His Dream_ that the courtroom scene was shot in a city hall of one of California’s cities. IIRC, they didn’t use a courtroom, but a lobby, and used props and camera angles to hide that it _wasn’t_ a courtroom. They did similar things to other rooms to make them look like something else. Coppola talks about it in his commentary, and a good number of other movies have done it as well. (The police station interiors in _Blade Runner_ were shot in a subway station.) ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2008, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-old-fashioned-ornate-courthouses-or-courtrooms-in-l-a/431908/7 "2008-01-07T04:31:01Z")
A Google search seems to suggest that the [Old Orange County Courthouse](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Orange_County_Courthouse_%28California%29) has been used as a filming location for Legally Blonde, Norma Rae, Gideon’s Trumpet and Frances. Not sure where the courthouse scenes in Fracture were filmed. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2008, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-old-fashioned-ornate-courthouses-or-courtrooms-in-l-a/431908/8 "2008-01-07T04:58:58Z")
[QUOTE=Key Lime Guy] More thoughts: The Santa Barbara County courthouse would be another possibility. [/QUOTE] Yeah. The courtrooms in the original old courthouse are beautiful. Unfortunately, I served my jury duty in the annex building. Despite all of the industry people who live here, the city of SB almost never gives out film permits so I’d be surprised if it were here.