That is one gorgeous building. I have been twice and done official tours, I imagine a private tour is quite special. I have practiced in both Federal and Cour

That is one gorgeous building. I have been twice and done official tours, I imagine a private tour is quite special. I have practiced in both Federal and Court courthouses in Florida, and have been fortunate enough to do the same pro hac vice in a few States. I have seen plenty of Nice County Courts (Palm Beach County is like a mirror image to a Federal Courthouse, though the rooms themselves are not comparable) and some very poor ones too, but I have never seen a poor Federal Courthouse, though they likely exist too. I guess part of my post is just imagining a NY Federal Judge's reaction entering a poor County Courthouse. While your position on necessary symbolism is well received (and I agree), I also think if, say, Bankruptcy Courts were removed from the Federal Courthouse and placed in County Courthouses (even poor ones) it would have little if any impact on the authority and function of that institution. Certainly I wouldn't extend that suggestion to the SCOTUS, though I would probably be intimidated by the bench no matter where they sat.