The U.S. federal judiciary announced Tuesday that the condition of courthouses across the country has reached a deepening crisis, prompting a formal request to Congress for authority to directly manage its properties.

Judge Robert J. Conrad, Jr., director of the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, stated in letters to congressional leaders, "Federal courthouses are in crisis. Without immediate action, the problems will continue to worsen." The Judiciary attributes the issues to a $8.3 billion backlog in critical repairs for systems like roofs, elevators, lighting, doors, and windows, overseen by the General Services Administration as the courts' landlord.

Emergency fixes, including storm and water damage, often take years. The portfolio spans 396 government-owned buildings and 379 leased spaces in every state and territory, with over 80 percent GSA-owned. Annual rent to GSA totals $1.3 billion, facing potential hikes of up to $60 million starting in fiscal year 2027.

Specific examples highlight the severity. At the Everett McKinley Dirksen federal courthouse in Chicago, in October 2024 water pipe failure damaged six floors, closing one courtroom for nearly 18 months without construction starting. GSA took four years to replace failing light fixtures in four courtrooms, disrupting jury trials due to dim lighting. In Asheville, North Carolina's nearly century-old historic courthouse, outdated heating and air-conditioning systems cause winter humidity, leading to headaches, nosebleeds, and sore throats, and summer mold triggers respiratory issues.

Recent incidents include judges, staff, and the public trapped in elevators for hours, courtroom ceilings collapsing during trials, undetected legionella bacteria in water supplies, and mold sickening court personnel. GSA staffing cuts, down 44 percent, have left 75 percent of courthouses with five or more judges without onsite managers, heightening fire, life, and security risks.

These failures disrupt operations, pose health and security threats, and undermine access to justice in safe environments, Chief Judge Virginia M. Kendall of the Northern District of Illinois said. "Our citizens deserve courthouses in their communities that provide access to justice in a safe and clean environment."

The Judiciary proposes the Judicial Space and Facilities Management Effectiveness Act of 2026, granting Real Property Authority to the Administrative Office director. This would allow acquiring, altering, constructing, leasing, and maintaining facilities via a new Judiciary Buildings Service, funded by a dedicated Treasury account. Projects over certain thresholds would require congressional committee approval, with caps on cost overruns.

Implementation would phase in, starting with no more than 10 judicial districts 180 days after enactment, focusing on mission-critical buildings where courts are primary tenants. Pilot projects by courts showed savings of 64 percent on paint and carpet work and 63 percent on alterations compared to GSA estimates.

Judge Glenn T. Suddaby, chair of the Judicial Conference's Space and Facilities Committee, noted, "The current model no longer reliably delivers the level of maintenance, investment, and responsiveness courthouses require." The push dates to the 1989 Judicial Conference policy, reaffirmed in 2006, after collaboration efforts with GSA fell short amid its reorganizations and underfunding.

GSA would transfer properties non-reimbursably and shed the backlog burden. The proposal includes a white paper and draft bill sent on Tuesday to leaders, including Senate Majority Leader John Thune and House Speaker Mike Johnson.