H.R. 3426 · Passed House · Government Operations and Politics

Courthouse Affordability and Space Efficiency Act of 2025

Sponsor: Jefferson Shreve (R-IN)

What it does

• Provides statutory authority for the General Services Administration's courtroom sharing policy and limits new courthouse construction.
• Requires two courtrooms per three active district judges in courthouses with 10 or more, with a floor of nine courtrooms.
• Requires one courtroom per two bankruptcy, senior district, or magistrate judges in courthouses with three or more of each.
• Bars GSA from building a new courthouse that does not meet the sharing requirements, and requires existing space in the complex to be fully used or relinquished when a new courthouse adds capacity.
• Requires GSA to update the U.S. Courts Design Guide within 180 days to reflect the requirements.

Official summary

Courthouse Affordability and Space Efficiency (CASE) Act of 2025 This bill provides statutory authority for the General Services Administration (GSA) courtroom sharing policy and limits construction of new courthouses. Under the bill, GSA must ensure courtroom sharing by magistrate, bankruptcy, and senior district judges. Specifically in courthouses with 10 or more active district judges, GSA must provide two courtrooms per 3 active district judges (except such courthouses may contain not less than 9 courtrooms for active district judges); in courthouses with 3 or more bankruptcy judges, GSA must provide one courtroom per 2 bankruptcy judges; in courthouses with 3 or more senior district judges, GSA must provide one courtroom per 2 senior district judges; and in courthouses with 3 or more magistrate judges, GSA must provide one courtroom per 2 magistrate judges. GSA is prohibited from constructing a new courthouse that does not comply with the courtroom sharing requirements. Additionally, if a new courthouse will add capacity in the GSA inventory, existing space in the same courthouse complex must be fully utilized or relinquished from such inventory. GSA must update the U.S…

Latest action

Dec 1, 2025: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.

Committee: Senate Environment and Public Works