What an amazing process. It's a civic duty to keep Democratic ideals in place for a judgment by a panel of your peers. It was a criminal case and I really enjoyed listening to the attorneys and the judge who thanked everyone for their time. The building is huge and ornate as well. Who knew they had a Cafe on the 1st floor? Lunch was pretty good: fried chicken well seasoned with that lovely brown "you know it was cooked all the way" color, collard greens and macaroni and cheese. Worth going in person to see how things work. All in All it was a good day. read more

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I was at the courthouse for Jury duty. I spent the entire 8 hours reading a book and listening to music. I was welcomed to the courthouse by the extremely "friendly" security staff. They got the job done through and ensured everyone was safe going into the building. I was very disappointed that the drink machine was out of order when they had advertised online that you could purchase refreshments in the waiting area. Towards the end of the day, I did find out that you can leave the waiting area to purchase drinks and snacks from vending machines on another floor. They really should have posted a sign indicating this information on their broken vending machines. Although I did not get picked to be on a jury, I enjoyed sitting in a comfortable chair and reading my book for 8 hours. Hopefully I don't have to go back soon. read more

Came here to get some official copies of some documents. I will say the process of getting the copies, then going downstairs to pay, then coming back up to get the document is a bit of a nuisance. If the civil file office had a way of receiving card payments for copies, this would've been a 5 star review. Overall, decent staff. The cafe on the first floor is nice too. The guy who runs it has great customer service ! read more

The court house was huge and quite majestic. You walk in the front doors and immediately go thru metal detectors to enter into these great halls of justice. The Court house was very pretty. They don't let you take pics inside so unless you go there for a reason you may not ever really see just how magnificent it really is. There was Marble everywhere & lots of Quotes on the walls. The TV monitors with offenders names and case numbers appear outside court rooms. The Mecklenburg Sheriffs run court house. The line was long & my thoughts immediately reminded me of the song from Alice's Restaurant playing in my head as we were invited to sit on the Group W bench. Yes we were there with all sorts of mean and nasty people but we all sat down & waited on Officer Obie to give us instructions... we weren't there for littering like the song goes but it was quite a story sitting on the bench. We Got a ticket for an expired plate - showed the court the ticket and it got dismissed! No fine no payment no problem! Only issue was we came and gave them the ticket and they took it and told us it was dismissed with no receipt. So hope that doesn't turn out to be an issue later with nothing to prove we were there. Anyway Yeah !!!! Ticket dismissed!!! Hallelujah My advice... don't get tickets ! However if you do it may be worth showing up instead of paying $225.00 . read more

Mecklenburg County Courthouse - Freedom! - Courthouses Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

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So here I am back at the courthouse, not as a potential juror this time, but as an expert witness! From what I've been hearing most people aren't overly thrilled about getting a subpoena in the mail. I thought it was exciting! I arrived overly early and had to ask a deputy where the courtroom was. It was way back in a corner hidden at the end of a hallway. So I wait on the cool marble bench... I have to say that it was definitely a learning experience and leave it at that. The deputies were polite and helpful, but it takes a special kind of person to work there. read more

I really enjoy the Charlotte Court House, and yes I have visited several different court houses as I work in the legal industry. I find that this particular courthouse has a wonderful ambiance. The structure, colors, and quotes used throughout the building are pleasing to the eye and don't overwhelm me with thoughts of a horrible southern history. Initially,one is greeted by this tall structure in white brick that follows throughout the building. White stone is used for the walls and benches- a big ... no huge improvement to the courthouses of the Northeast. Usually they are all wooden benches ... so I spend the majority of the time thinking about BB and trying not to take home any unwanted visitors. The courthouse itself has a massive chandelier style art installation in the middle of the building -it too is beautiful. That is all for now... ill update later .. ciao read more

Mecklenburg County Courthouse - Courthouses Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

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Such a pleasant experience at the county courthouse to get certified copies of documents! Staff was very nice and quick!

Jury Duty. Mecklenburg County. 2017. Arrive and feel annoyed. It isn't the state judicial system's fault that traffic from the suburbs to uptown sucks when you have to arrive at 8. I suppose if I had any constructive criticism for the local government, it would be - make this a 7-4 or 9-6 because traffic is horrific. But once you get there... you want to complain because you are confined and limited, but there really isn't much to complain about! They give you: comfy chairs, movies, HGTV (when no movies playing), free WiFi, a free coffee or soda, some breaks and a long lunch, a pool table, a pinball machine, computers, a balcony... I mean... don't we all LIKE to sit around and look at our phones all day anyway? Here, you can do it, guilt free. By the end of the day, if you don't get called to a courtroom like I didn't, you hate your phone. You hate movies. You hate amenities. Just make you do some work, dammit. But I can't complain. Mecklenburg County nailed jury duty. Loved it. read more

Busy, but consistently polite and professional courtroom staff, clerks, deputies, etc. Parking can be a hassle. Always arrive early, expect a bit of a wait going through the security checkpoint with metal detectors and x-ray machines. Leave your knives, mace and brass knuckes at home. You MAY bring in cell phones; but, you will likely be asked to turn them off in court. (YOU DO NOT WANT YOUR CELL RINGING IN COURT). If you have a computer, you'll be asked to power it up. It's a beautiful courthouse. The Jury Assembly Area is bar none the best in the State. For more information check out: Google+ or www.powmac.com read more

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OK, ok, I'll admit it, I spend some quality time here on a weekly basis. While most folks try and avoid this place if at all possible, I come here weekly on purpose. Rather than try to explain all the inner-workings, let me lay out what to expect for folks coming here for the more common reasons. At the outset, I'll note this building is a vast improvement over the old courthouse complex that was divided between different buildings and was harder to navigate than a autumn corn maze. The building is designed so that as many folks as possible could do their business without ever getting on an elevator or deciphering a building directory. The busiest criminal courts (traffic and first appearances) and most clerk's offices are all on the first and second floors, accessible from the street or via escalator. The cashier and a very sufficient and clean cafeteria (no joke!) are also on the first level. For everyone, you have to clear security before getting to any office or court- so leave all metal and weapons at home, metal detectors and luggage scanners catch people all day long- sorta like clearing the TSA at the airport. For jury duty- well good news guys, the jury lounge is open and spacious with free wi-fi and big screen movies played throughout the day. There is also free popcorn. If you are lucky, you'll just sit there for the one day and never leave. If you are unlucky, a deputy will come and escort you to a courtroom so you can be potentially screened to sit as a juror in a real trial. If you really don't think you can sit as a juror in a particular case, you should speak up to the Court- you may be able to have your service deferred for up to 60 days. If you do get selected for a jury the back rooms have some of the nicest views of uptown and they are very spacious, you could have done at lot worse. For traffic court- just follow the line if you get there early enough. Assistant DA's will walk the line outside the courtroom to try and clear folks thru as fast as possible, offering reductions on speed and (sometimes) dismissals for folks with compliance issues. If you do make it into the courtroom just know it's actually a staging room with only benches in the first room where they sort you out and then a back room with mini courtrooms where you will actually face a DA and a judge. Sometimes it can take all morning (or afternoon), sometimes you can get out pretty fast- the pacing varies according to the case load, which changes wildly each day. Now there's a lot more business conducted at the courthouse daily, and the building divides each floor by function, so there is some logical layout here. If you only have a couple floors to move between, do check out the 8 story spiral staircase in the southwest corner, it's much faster than the elevator. The upstairs courtrooms are pretty open and spacious, even if the lone window is behind the judge's bench. Also, parking can be a mess down here, but the public parking deck on the corner of 4th and McDowell is the biggest and easiest. It's also the cheapest for shorter stays. Other lots close by charge a flat rate that's a rip unless you are there for more than a few hours. Jurors do get parking validated in this lot. On a parting note, in case there was any doubt, this isn't legal advice. You should seek professional counsel to address any specific legal situation. This is just a review of the physical place where you can have your legal rights and obligations addressed. Job complete. read more

I had jury duty today. And it wasn't awful, at all. It's not something I want to do again anytime soon, but it was an OK experience. As others have mentioned, there's a large series of room with TVs (that are on a bit too loudly) a break room with lots of vending machines (bring singles of $5s for the change machine! I only had a $10 bill and was out of luck), and pool tables and video games upstairs, and a quiet room that was too warm and stuffy to sit in. I brought my laptop and did work all day at a desk in the back corner (where the more comfortable chairs are). We were forced to sit and wait and wait and wait... the first group didn't get called to a courtroom until 2:30 p.m., and we got there at 8 a.m. I was ultimately dismissed by the prosecution, and had no problem with it! A couple of things worth mentioning: Nowhere on any court site does it say you CAN bring a phone, but it outlaws cameras, etc., so I was a bit worried my smart phone (with a built in camera) would be turned away, but this was not a problem. I also had my ever-present knitting with me. Bamboo and wooden needles weren't a problem, but the metal one was not allowed. So, knitters beware, and only bring wooden needles! read more

Seriously, I must have arrived with low expectations because I was impressed and I wasn't miserable like I had anticipated. Receiving my jury summons in the mail, I felt dread (like Chad and Will said, the courthouse seems to get that reaction a lot). Park in the 4th Street Parking Garage and take the ticket with you so you can get it validated if you are a juror. Also, plan to stay there the entire day...your friends lied to you when they said if you get dismissed you can go home early. The screening process is a lot more efficient than any airport I've been to...what a cinch! The atrium area is well lit and everything has well placed signs. No excuse not finding where you need to go. The jury waiting room is really spacious! They try to fit 150 people in there and while each of the 6 open rooms are filled, I didn't ever feel cramped. They have plenty of work stations, rows of seating, a business center (for a quieter experience), lounge-type chairs, and an eating area with lots of vending machines. Oh yeah, the second floor has a pool table and video games...ummm, since when did going for jury duty feel like an adult "skipping work" day? Okay, I may be stretching it, but given the fact that you had to stay all day, they do a really great job making it as painless as possible. There are plenty of windows to allow natural lighting in. Also, they have a balcony...still no smoking, but if you need fresh air, you have immediate access. Did I mention the free Wi-Fi? Well, if you need to get some work done, bring your laptop. Or if you don't have a laptop, there are approximately 5 computers available for you to use. They give you 2 breaks besides a long lunch. There are a handful of restaurants in the immediate vicinity. Overall, not bad and the staff, bailiffs, and everyone else were actually really friendly. read more

Everyone is so nice! I really went in thinking that people would have a chip on their shoulder from dealing with so many members of the public but there was not one person who was ever rude to me. Huge lack of food options though. I ate in the cafe a few times and every time I got great service but a belly ache afterwards. read more

This is a weird place to review, but here it goes... lol The cell phone signal (AT&T) was a little choppy, but they could have a signal scrambler or something... The line to see the DA stretched well outside the office they had for it... The restricted hours seem to lead to a large volume of people, but I'm not sure if there's anything they could do about it... I was in line for a little less than two hours, but the people in line with me were nice, so it wasn't a bad experience... I was a little confused about what happened, though... As we were standing in line, two well dressed guys who didn't have nametags or anything came into the area... One of them asked me if I had my ticket, looked at my new registration and scribbled on my ticket... He told me it was dismissed and I could go... I mean, I didn't even get a receipt or anything... I hope he wasn't just some random guy, but I guess I'll find out if I get picked up on a bench warrant or something... lol The deputies were cordial and more than willing to answer any questions (and I had plenty since I hadn't been down here since jury duty 10 years ago! lol)... They helped me find my way around and get everything in order... It wasn't a bad time since apparently I just had to show someone my new registration, but I'm just saying... I'm a fan and all, but I don't want to go back... lol read more

So I am not sure how I can rate a courthouse, but..... I will rate the Jury Assembly Area. 5 Star - yes they have wifi, and it is fast 5 Star - yes they have ultra comfy work areas 5 Star - TWC on all flat screen 5 Star - Pool Table 5 Star - free popcorn 5 Star - $12 bucks a day, woohoo 5 Star - free parking -5 Sar ---- Jury Duty sucks, longest 8 hour day I have had in a while...... read more

Jury duty. It's everyone's worst nightmare when they see the jury summons letter in the mailbox. I arrived at the facility for the first time and was surprised at how great it actually was. The facility itself is quite nice, there's a variety of things to do and areas specifically for jurors. There's quiet rooms, cell phone rooms, game rooms, outdoor spaces, and a business center with computers. They play HGTV all day which was my jam. The areas all have free WiFi. And the lounge has vending machines and a coffee machine (the coffee is pretty awful though). Diana, one of the juror organizers is awesome! Professional, down to earth, and helpful. I used to dread jury duty but now it's a nice break from work ;-) read more

I went to the courthouse last week to serve as a witness in the marriage of two dear friends. They had a beautiful ceremony and reception in Georgia, but needed to make it official by the law. We arrived before 6pm, which is the published start of their magistrate-led ceremonies in Meck County. Everything seemed a little disorganized. The ordering of who arrived first was chaotic, and they didn't actually start until after 6:30, 30 minutes past the posted start time. When we finally got up the magistrate's desk, she was very pleasant and extended her warmest congratulations to my dear friends, which made the agonizing waiting and disorganization seem a little better. read more

Last week I served jury duty for my first time and I was quite impressed by the digs. When you arrive early, you have to wait until security is ready to allow in jurors. Getting through security is fast, easy, and smooth, even if you end up needing to take off your shoes due to them having metal on. If you have an e-reader or laptop or similar device, they ask you to power it on so that it at least shows that it works. If you're there early, you may sit outside of the jury room for a little while in a very large hallway. The check-in process and early morning meeting/run through is done very efficiently except for a few points they have to overemphasize, like validating your parking ticket. There are about 6 rooms within this jury room to utilize - three theater style areas, a lounge style area, a quiet room, and an office space. There is also a game room (foosball table, pool table, board games, card games) on the upstairs inside balcony, a dinning/lunch room with various vending machines, and restrooms. There are also lockers if you don't want to carry everything around with you all day. Almost all of the areas have large tvs that will show cable, movies, or a video feed when the rooms are being addressed. The volume can sometimes be loud, but it's worth it when you're treated to a movie like "Skyfall". If you need the volume in an area adjusted, the folks at the main desk are more than happy to oblige. There's a movie in the morning and a movie in the afternoon. They try to keep them at reasonable PG-13 or lower rating to appeal to the various tastes that will be in the jury room at any one time. The afternoon movie is accompanied by freshly popped popcorn. You get an hour and a half for lunch and some nearby businesses give jurors discounts. Be mindful, though, if you leave for lunch, you'll have to get in line with everyone else plus the traffic court crowd to go back through security, so give yourself plenty of time. The entire jury room has many large windows so you're always able to see outside which keeps you from feeling trapped. If you have to serve jury duty, this is definitely the place to do it. read more

Mecklenburg County Courthouse - Fresh popcorn and am afternoon showing of "Skyfall". - Courthouses Near Me - Charlotte, North Carolina

What a pure runaround and waste of taxpayer money! I have been trying to resolve an expired registration tag for over four months and I still cannot get any help. First, let me say that my vehicle is over 14 years old and has worked correctly, up until three years ago. That's when the problems started for me and how I have been treated as a criminal, for a check engine light! The problem is that I am unable to get the car inspected due to the incapable slurry of automotive technicians here in Charlotte/Mecklenburg county, who seem to not be able to rectify the problem due to a check engine light that doesn't seem to go away, even after over a thousand dollars dumped into it. Second, is the way I have been treated, as like I have been criminalized for a check engine light which has escalated to an expired tag because of the inability to get the car inspected. Third, I have gone through all of the motions to resolve the issue, by traveling on my time minus the hourly pay I have lost, to the Charlotte/Mecklenburg courthouse on several occasions, just to find out that I needed to only fax all of the final documents, with cover sheet explaining that I have gone by the state's rules. And after calling the courthouse, I am transferred to a phone message instructing me how to resolve the matter all over again with what I have already done. Again, this is for a Check Engine Light; not for a DWI, excessive speeding, reckless endangerment or some other valid means for truly having my license revoked. I am seriously planning on sending this letter to any or all media outlets, local and nationwide to get this message out that not only does the inspection process full of flaws, but also that the NC State Department of Transportation, has some serious flaws and is borderline fraudulent in it's practices and that it persecutes people with older vehicles. read more

This is one of the nicest courthouses in North Carolina. However, it also handles more cases than most counties in North Carolina, so you're likely to run into issues you may not see elsewhere. Make sure that you are PREPARED before coming to court. If you're here for traffic court, have a copy of your citation. Traffic court is in room 1130 on the first floor. If you come in from the back, you are on the second floor. Make sure you turn off your phone ringer or else the deputies will jump down your throat. The lines can be long, which can be avoided by hiring an attorney so you don't have to go. Parking can be difficult, so arrive early. The clerks are always kind and helpful if you have any questions. Criminal clerk is located on the second floor. Civil clerk is located on the third floor. read more

Well, I was speeding and got a ticket so I had to come here..... Those son of a guns made me pay so I'm not happy.

Stuck doing jury duty....again. The one star review is for the supposedly random nature of selection. I guess I must be a statistical anomaly since this is my fourth go at this retarded bullshit. There is little wonder why our country is in such dire straights when they can't manage to select from vast majority of the populace, who have never served and may never be called, to choose to waste their time. Then they have the nerve to blather on about "sacred duty" when threatening the unwilling participants with jail time for failing to appear and then paying them prison wages. For a supposedly advanced nation, it shouldn't be too hard to figure out that they should either require an employer to pay for this "duty" or pay better than prison wages since you know that everyone else involved in the process is being properly compensated. read more

Jury management is a very inefficient system typical of most Government agencies with Mecklenburg County being one of the worst. My daughter moved to Florida over a year ago and just got a summons to do Jury duty in Mecklenburg county. She tried going online as instructed on the summons to show proof of her driver's license and residency in Florida and of course the website didn't work. She tried calling to speak to a clerk to let them know of her residency change and of course could not reach a real person. So finally she faxed her summons along with a copy of her driver's license and low and behold today (3 days later) she received a denial of her request for excusal because they said she didn't submit proper documentation. They asked for a driver's license , she faxed the license on March 31st but some inept government clerk didn't put it with her summons I suppose. So now what...the denial letter says their decision is FINAL. Does she have to fly from Florida to show up in a court room for jury duty that she no longer even qualifies for because she is a FLORIDA RESIDENT. Unbelievable inefficient system and no help from anyone. read more