PRESIDENT ’ S MESSAGE
Scott B . Smith 2022-23 PBCBA President
We all know that we are blessed to live in , and call home , our great Palm Beach County . It is often said , as it should be , that we live in paradise ( especially this time of the year ). Having the Atlantic Ocean as our immediate neighbor sure does add to the joy of living in the “ Palm Beaches ” and so too does the fact that our infrastructure , for the most part , allows us to get around PBC with relative ease , save for those hours of rush , to enjoy everything that our county offers and provides . Stated simply , Palm Beach County is a wonderful place for all of us to be living and working .
While at the 15th Judicial Circuit ’ s Judge Daniel T . K . Hurley Courthouse and the Palm Beach County Historic Courthouse a few weeks back on a beautiful morning to shoot some Happy Holidays commercial spots for our law firm , it dawned on me just how fortunate we are to have the large , functional , and easily-accessible courthouses that we do in Palm Beach County . In addition to our courthouses located in downtown West Palm Beach , we are also lucky to have the South County Courthouse in Delray Beach , the West County Courthouse in Belle Glade , and the North County Government Center in Palm Beach Gardens . As one of Florida ’ s largest counties in both land and population , it is a blessing that we have these structures to serve the citizens of Palm Beach County and our clients .
In addition to being reminded of just how wonderful our local courthouses are , I was also reminded of how we are continuing to recognize and celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the Palm Beach County Bar Association . It made me think that a President ’ s Message reminding all of us of our PBC courthouse history would make for a very timely message .
First , let us all be reminded that Palm Beach County became Florida ’ s 47th county in 1909 when it was carved out of Dade County . According to Palm Beach County ’ s website outlining facts and figures about PBC ’ s history , there were only 5,300 people who lived in the new county comprised of portions of what are now Broward , Martin , and Okeechobee Counties . Although the county has been reduced in size land-wise since then , it has grown significantly in population now having approximately 1,500,000 people who call Palm Beach County home ( a number that is growing as I type this message ).
As for our courthouses , we have come a long way since the “ wraparound ” of our now historic courthouse and even further since 1889 when Dade County moved its center of government and courthouse from Miami to Juno where it was situated for about one year . Interestingly , PBC ’ s website indicates that the Oakbrook Shopping Center at PGA Blvd . and U . S . 1 is where the Juno Courthouse once stood ( even more interesting to me considering that I was a bagboy at that Publix location some 35 years ago … yikes !).
The structure that is now our PBC Historic Courthouse was built in 1916 . In an April 15 , 2020 , article highlighting that our new courts complex was opened 25 years earlier , the Palm Beach Post reported that Palm Beach County had 18,000 residents in 1916 and that it spent $ 135,000.00 to build the 1916 courthouse . The Post wrote that a 1927 expansion doubled its size . The article further stated that by 1967 a study recommended a new courthouse . Yet , as many of us know , the county opted to construct a “ wraparound ” of the 1916 courthouse . Such wraparound created more space , but even that proved too small for our growing population and needs .
In April of 1995 , the county moved into the " new " Palm Beach County Courthouse . The wraparound of the original courthouse was ultimately dismantled and the restoration project was completed in 2007 . The restored courthouse opened in 2008 . In 2017 , the County Commission agreed to name the new courthouse after U . S . District Judge Daniel T . K . Hurley . In a May 2 , 2017 article , the Sun-Sentinel reported that Commissioner Dave Kerner , who called for the renaming , stated that Judge Hurley was “ instrumental ” in pushing for building the new courthouse . The website Courthouses of Florida indicates that “[ t ] he beautifully constructed building , made of pink marble , has a commanding presence in downtown West Palm Beach .” The website ’ s page highlighting the courthouse further notes that it provides “[ s ] pectacular views of the Atlantic Ocean and Intracoastal Waterway ” from the top floors , which all of us who routinely visit the courthouse are so familiar with .
For our members who are true historians of PBC , and of our courthouses , this message may not be incredibly informative , but as I stood outside and in between our main and historic courthouses on that gorgeous early morning a few weeks ago , I strongly felt then and still do know that a friendly reminder of just how fortunate we are to have such amazing courthouses was well deserved and worthy of this message space . Go henceforth at these great structures of justice and do even greater things for even greater causes ! Happy New Year and I wish everyone a happy , healthy , blessed , and prosperous 2023 !
Photo of the Palm Beach County Judge T . K . Hurley Courthouse taken on November 20 , 2019 by Scott Smith .
PBCBA BAR BULLETIN 3