In the early 1990's, following a lengthy analysis of space in federal courthouses nationwide, the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts (AOUSC) determined that the Judiciary's housing was at or approaching a state of crisis; approximately 200 federal courthouses, nearly one out of three, would be out of space within a decade. To meet this critical demand for space, the General Services Administration (GSA) would need to undertake the largest courthouse construction program in more than fifty years, estimated to cost $10 billion. In addition, the size and complexity of federal courthouses, combined with the magnitude of the program, would require a systematic approach as opposed to proceeding project-by-project. To this end, the Judiciary has established and updated a prioritized five-year list of projects and GSA has created The Center for Courthouse Management (formerly known as the Courthouse Management Group).

The Center ensures the consistent, excellent, and cost-effective delivery of the courthouse construction program. The Center is responsible for nationwide policy formulation and general management of new federal courthouse construction and the modernization of existing courthouses. The Center's duties are to:

• Ensure a national, programmatic approach to courthouse construction;
• Formulate national policies and standards;
• Establish benchmarks and oversee regional performance;
• Support regional offices and project managers on individual projects;
• Ensure a balanced allocation of resources among competing courthouse projects;
• Identify best practices and lessons learned; and 
• Maintain links with the Judiciary and represent GSA PBS with external stakeholders such as OMB, Congress, GAO, and the press.