Chapter 5: Judges' Chambers Suites
Functions/Activities
The chambers suite includes the judge's private chambers (with adjoining private toilet,
closet, and vestibule), a reference/conference room, work areas, offices, and other ancillary
spaces used by the judge and support staff. See Figures 5.1 through 5.4 for typical/
representative layouts of judges' chambers suites.
Judges' chambers suites provide an area for receiving and screening visitors; storage for
staff's and visitors' coats and other belongings; storage for files used by the judge and
staff; a small service unit for coffee and light food preparation; research area for law
clerks; clerical work area for the judge's secretary; and space for a copier, printer, and
other equipment.
In addition to secretaries and law clerks, many judges also employ unpaid law school
externs/interns. Although the guidelines that follow do not formally designate work spaces
for externs/interns, workstations are often provided in the reference/conference room.
User Capacity
U.S. Court of Appeals
Chief Judge's Chambers Suite. Space is provided for the chief judge, three law clerks,
three judicial secretaries, and six visitors.
Judge's Chambers Suite. Space is provided for one judge, three law clerks, two judicial
secretaries, and two visitors.
U.S. District Court
Chief Judge's Chambers Suite. Space is provided for the chief judge, two law clerks, one
judicial secretary, and six to ten visitors. The chief judge may have a third law clerk or
second secretary if there are five or more active judges in the district.
12/19/97
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