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throughout the history of
Connecticut's Judicial Branch
thousands of lawyers have climbed the 34 stooped granite steps
to an imposing port of call marked by four columns.
Beyond these doors sits the Connecticut state supreme court
the chief court of our state, and
the arbiter of the most complex a legal issues
encountered by our government.
this beaux-art classical styled structure also contains
the Connecticut State Library
and the Museum of Connecticut History.
which sit adjacent to the court.
join us now as we explore
the architecture,
history, and construction of the supreme court chambers
and the historic building that houses them
at the turn of the century
overcrowded conditions at the
Connecticut State Capitol forced Government Officials to
explore the possibility of
constructing a new home
for the state library and the supreme court
both of which were located in the capitol building.
In 1903
the Connecticut General Assembly
established through legislation,
a commission to make repairs on the capitol
and to procure a site for a new building for state officials.
Groundbreaking ceremonies for the new building occurred in 1908
at 231 Capitol Avenue
across from the state capitol.
The cornerstone was laid in the spring of 1909
and the building officially opened in November of 1910, although the building was not complete.
President William Howard Taft was among the
first to sign the visitors book.
the original cost of constructing the building
was $1,375,000
in today's market value
the price would be over $16 million
Finishing touches were realized in 1914.
The Architect was Donn Barber
He was well known and respected in Hartford, having designed the enlarging and remodeling of the Aetna Insurance Building,
as well as the Capitol City's Travelers Tower,
and the Hartford Bank building.
He was the lead architect designing the historic Yale bowl in New Haven.
In 1955, the lack of space prompted Governor Abraham Ribicoff
who sat on the governing State Library Committee
to create a commission to study arising needs and
to make recommendations.
On September 23rd, 1965,
Governor John Dempsey, broke ground for the addition,
which was completed in February, 1968.
There was another change in the mid 70's
the addition of a new
with the addition of a new west wing on Oak St.
The 3-story addition was
constructed for judges chambers
along with library and office space
at a cost of $850,000.
Just think of how difficult a task it was to construct
this building
they didn't have modern transportation,
most of the materials
had to be brought here by
horse-drawn wagons
Seven million
granite bricks were
used for the construction
Those eight magnificent granite columns
you see as you go up the stairs to enter the building
came from Bari, Vermont.
each column weighing 25 tons.
Atop the columns are
figures representing
art, science, justice, and history.
The sculptor was Francois Tonetti,
whose work was recommended by the architect.
The model for the figure
representing history
went on to become a
very successful musical comedy actress
on Broadway
The other three figures were modeled after state employees.
The motto, chiseled over the entrance to the building, reads,
"knowledge, history, and justice,"
actual line of the building
fitting for the architectural plan for the building -Knowledge, in the State Library, on the left as you enter the building;
History in the Museum of Connecticut History located in the middle of the building;
and Justice with the Supreme Court.
the marble floor you see as you enter the main lobby
came from tennessee
pink Tennessee marble
was also used on the stairways, as well as marble from
Taberna and Genoa, Italy.
in the lobby is a model of the U.S.S Connecticut encased in glass.
The actual ship was constructed in 1902,
The keel was laid in 1903, and the ship was launched in 1904.
In 1907 USS Connecticut
embarked on a two year voyage
around the world
as the flagship of the American fleet.
Again in 1919 and 1920
the ship served in the same capacity
During WWI the USS Connecticut remained in home waters.
It was decommissioned in 1923
under provisions of the Washington Naval Treaty.
Just before entering the supreme court, on the right,
is a portrait of Steven Mix Mitchell
who served as chief justice from 1807-1814.
Previously, the presiding officer or chief judge was the deputy governor,
then later, the governor.
Thus, Mitchell was the first chief justice
under the present
form of organization adopted in the early
eighteen hundreds.
the doors leading to the supreme court courtroom are seven feet tall
and forty-three inches wide
restored in nineteen ninety six
they are covered in leather
an adorned with brass upholstery buttons.
A pair .of oval frosted windows decorate the top of each door
the magnificent supreme court courtroom draws visitors from all over the world, including high school and college students from France
China, Germany, South Korea, South Africa, and Japan, as well as judges from Russia, Ethiopia, Nigeria, India, Argentina, Kenya, Malaysia, and Bulgaria.
One lawyer from Siberia said he would always remember this picturesque and historical court.
the wood paneling in the court
comes from the white oak tree, the official tree of Connecticut.
The panels were considered to be crucial spaces
requiring applied decoration because of the important legal function reserved for the room
Carved into the wood paneling are thirty-four reproductions of the state seal.
The state seal is also
printed on the carpet containing the motto-
in latin "qui transtulit sustinet,"
which reads
"he who transplanted still sustains".
The grape vines on the seal are three, representing the
first three towns founded in Connecticut --
Windsor, Wethersfield, and Hartford.
Early settlers chose the grapevine because
it can be transplanted
and sustain.
he state seal, or parts of it, decorate practically everything in the courtroom.
The vine and leaves motif
is even carved on the back of every chair.
The walls above the wood paneling
are of artificial kings stone,
nd studding them at regular intervals are 12 gold wall lamps.
Above the lamps are portraits of the most recently retired Supreme Court chief justices,
a practice that began in 1913,
just three years
after the building opened.
portraits are painted
when a chief justice retires
they are hung in the left front corner of the courtroom
and the other portraits are rotated
the oldest portrait is hung
somewhere in the halls of the building
joining portraits of other
retired chief justices
heavy molding and gilding are
carried out in the ceiling
in one long panel, and three smaller panels on the north and south sides
and one in the end
make up the ceiling.
From the smaller panels hang
heavy gold chandeliers, seven in all.
two of the most beautiful aspects of the courtroom are the murals
gracing the ceiling and the back wall.
Both paintings are the works of Albert Herter,
a famous painter in the early nineteen hundreds.
architect donn barber recommended Herter for the project
Herter also painted murals in the
wisconsin state capitol
and the St. Francis hotel in San Francisco.
the murals were painted in Herter's studio on long island
and transported the hartford and placed in the building in nineteen thirteen.
they are painted on canvas and fixed to the ceiling and the wall by
white lead.
The ceiling mural is entitled -
"An Allegory of Education"
the central figure teaches the child beside her from the book of knowledge.
it is attended by the guardian figures of progress
and wisdom.
the light of education is
passed down into the darkness by youths holding torches.
below, figures representing ignorance and superstition,
overcome by the light are falling through the night sky
the mural behind the bench shows the signing of the Fundamental Orders of Sixteen thirty eight
and sixteen thirty nine --
connecticut's first written constitution
it was also the world's first written constitution for
creating a government that served as a prototype of
the U.S. Constitution, thus Connecticut is known as the Constitution State.
Thomas ***, Roger Ludlow, John Haynes and others
composed the fundamental orders in hartford
during a fierce winter of sixteen thirty eight - sixteen thirty nine.
*** is shown standing and addressing
those who are assembled
he was an eminent
theologian, scholar, and preacher
whose sermon on self-government
provided the impetus for the
fundamental orders adopted in January, 1639.
roger Ludlow was the group's secretary
many historians believe Ludlow actually
wrote the fundamental orders
as he was the only
trained lawyer living in the colony at the time.
John Haynes is standing with a copy
of the constitution in his hand.
Haynes would later become the first governor of Connecticut.
At the very top of the painting
is the shield of inland connecticut
and at the very corners of the mural are the shields of
the new Connecticut.
artist albert herter created
both murals to be placed in the courtroom
to deliver a succinct message.
if you take the two paintings together
they show that the court makes its decision just based on the law and a knowledge
gained through education.
over the entrance to the courtroom is a balcony of carved oak.
which is entered from the gallery of the second floor
above the balcony is a
affording a magnificent view
of the barrel vaulted ceiling of the buildings lobby.
the bench upon which the supreme court justices sit
is at the back end of the courtroom as one enters from the court lobby.
the bench is also made of
the same oak
that panels the courtroom. The black robed jurors arrive to the courtroom from a dorm behind the bench.
Right and left of the doorway are two flags -- the united states flag and the flag of Connecticut.
appearing on the backs of the chairs where the
supreme court justices sit
is the seal of the state of connecticut
along with the initials S.C.
the books located in front of the bench and on the back wall of the court room
offer rich
pieces of
judicial history.
The gold bound books contain every appeal heard before the supreme court
from seventeen eighty five
through the present
the blue books contain public and special acts passed by the general assembly.
During an oral argument one of the justices
justices or one of the
participating attorneys
will search out one of the books
for background material.
in the center of the courtroom is a podium
at which attorneys arguing their cases
stand facing the bench
there are seats to the left and the right of the podium
for attorneys representing both sides in the oral argument.
the railing in the middle of the room divides it into two parts
in front of the railing
sit lawyers connected with the case and other people in the court
behind the railing, are chairs provided for the public.
all hearings are public -
anyone can come and watch
when the court is in session.
along the wall
to the side of the bench
are key court personnel.
seated at the table just inside the railing is a court official assigned to
recording the oral arguments on a cassette player.
to the left is a table at which the
marshal of the court sits.
The marshal
pounds the gavel to start
the day's proceedings.
and is in charge of keeping order in the court
to the marshal's left are two tables
one for the supreme court clerk
and a second table for the
court messenger
who is available for the justices and attorneys
should they require any assistance
before, during, and after the oral argument.
to the marshal's right is the doorway leading to the attorney conference room
where attorneys waiting to make their appeals gather.
the judicial branch hopes you have enjoyed
this video tour of the state supreme court
we encourage you to visit us for an in-person tour.
you can arrange a guided visit to the connecticut supreme court building
by calling the external affairs division of the judicial branch
at (860) 757-2270
we also invite you to visit our website
at www.jud.ct.gov