Thomas F. Eagleton United States Courthouse facts for kids
The Thomas F. Eagleton United States Courthouse is a very important building in St. Louis, Missouri. It is the biggest single courthouse in the entire United States. This building is where important legal decisions are made for the area. It serves as the main office for two major courts: the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri and the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit. The courthouse is named after a well-known U.S. Senator from Missouri, Thomas F. Eagleton.
About the Eagleton Courthouse
This impressive building stands 29 stories tall. It covers a huge area of about 987,775 square feet (91,768 square meters). This makes it one of the tallest buildings in Missouri. In fact, it is the fifth tallest building in the state that people can live or work in. You can find it right in downtown St. Louis at 111 South 10th Street.
Design and Construction
The outside of the courthouse looks very classic. It uses a design style called "tripartite." This means it has three main sections stacked on top of each other. The building reaches a height of 557 feet (170 meters). Construction finished in the year 2000. Two main architecture firms, Hellmuth, Obata & Kassabaum and EDM Incorporated, designed the building. It cost about $186 million to build.
What Happens Inside?
Inside the courthouse, judges and lawyers work on many different types of cases. The United States District Court handles cases that involve federal laws. This means laws that apply to the whole country. The United States Court of Appeals reviews decisions made by lower courts. They make sure that laws were followed correctly. This courthouse is a key place for justice in the region.
See also
In Spanish: Palacio de Justicia de los Estados Unidos Thomas F._Eagleton para niños
