Matheson Courthouse adds wireless Internet access

The Scott M. Matheson Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City has added wireless Internet access capabilities so people who must be in the building but who are not actively engaged in court business can keep up with their work and their lives.

Access is now available in the building's rotunda, foyer, cafeteria, jury room, clerk's reception areas and the courthouse's 37 courtrooms, along with some areas just outside the building.

The improved technology was financed from the existing budget, according to Dan Becker, administrator of the State Administrative Office of the Courts.

The idea is to offer better access to information to jurors, attorneys, witnesses and anyone else who is in the building for court-related matters. There is always a certain amount of waiting involved when it comes to court business, but Becker said hopes are to minimize that as much as possible.

Meanwhile, offering wireless Internet access "lets people continue to be productive while waiting in the courthouse," Becker said. For example, individuals with laptop computers could check their e-mail, do office work for their own jobs or check the court's record system.

This is expected to be an especially attractive feature for prospective jurors, who must wait sometimes for hours while a jury pool is being selected from a large group of people.

Those who want to use it will need to stop in at the State Law Library on the first floor to get a password.

There may be some restrictions — some judges do not like people in the audience using electronic devices while court is in session.

"It may vary from courtroom to courtroom," Becker said. "If a judge has a particular policy, they'll have to respect that. But there will be no technical barrier.

"This is one more way we're trying to perform a public service here: When we have people visiting the courthouse, we don't want an environment where they cannot be productive," Becker said.

There also are plans to add wireless Internet access to other courthouses in Utah, with the next being the 3rd District courthouse in West Jordan.

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