Rutherford + Chekene brings more than 20 years of continuous experience in the planning, design, and seismic evaluation of courts and justice facilities. The firm has served in key leadership roles for the Judicial Council of California (JCC), including as Supervising Structural Engineer for the statewide Court Building Seismic Assessment Program, supporting hundreds of facilities throughout California. R+C’s courts experience encompasses new justice centers, historic courthouse renovations, complex seismic retrofits, peer review services, and the development of statewide design standards—work grounded in a deep appreciation for the civic importance, operational continuity, and public safety responsibilities of judicial buildings.
Selected Courts & Judicial Council Experience
New Courthouse Facilities
Major Renovations & Adaptive Reuse
Seismic Evaluation & Strengthening
Peer Review & Advisory Roles
.svg){kind=icon}
“Our office has been thoroughly satisfied with Rutherford + Chekene’s engineering judgment, knowledge of seismic assessment procedures for large building portfolios, and creative service. On several occasions, they exceeded our expectations.” — Principal Architect, Judicial Council of California
“The project team experienced the benefit of integrated structural and geotechnical services. Rutherford + Chekene responded quickly to unforeseen soil conditions and redesigned over 10% of the pile caps while construction crews were onsite—avoiding major schedule delays.” — Senior Project Executive, Hensel Phelps
“Rutherford + Chekene was without peer—technically expert, superb engineers, and exceptional managers of a complex statewide seismic assessment program involving nearly 550 structures.” — Program Manager, Capital Program Design & Construction (formerly Judicial Council of California)
