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OAG Headquarters - Hughes Justice Complex
law- themed sculptures are scattered throughout the grounds of the Hughes Justice Complex
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  History and Design of the
Richard J. Hughes Justice Complex
 
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  The story of the Richard J. Hughes Justice Complex began in 1976 when the Treasury Department's Division of Building and Construction commissioned an architect to determine the existing and projected office space requirements of all State departments in the Trenton area. This study recommended that an early priority for the State should be the construction of a new Justice building. The recommendation was based on projections by the Judiciary and the Department of Law and Public Safety that they would be greatly expanding their operations through 1985.  
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  The planning of the actual structure began in 1977. At that time, the decision was made to include the offices of the Public Advocate in the new building. Construction began in February of 1978. Over two-hundred subcontractors had been involved in the construction process.   
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  The size of the Justice Complex is impressive--over one million square feet of space. The Justice Complex is described as three buildings in one. As the diagram below shows, the eight story office building forms the two legs of a "V" around the Court cube. Indoor bridges connect the offices on the fourth, fifth, seventh and eighth floors. The two main entrances to the building from the street lead into the lobby/atrium which is open through ten stories to a skylight on the roof.   
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Hughes Justice Complex Diagram
 
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  Naming the Building  
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  The Justice Complex has been named in honor of Richard J. Hughes, the only man in the history of New Jersey to have served the state as both Governor and Chief Justice. After establishing a law office in Trenton in 1932, Mr. Hughes went on to become assistant United States Attorney for New Jersey, a position he filled for six years. Following that, he was named Mercer County judge and in 1952, was raised to the Superior Court. While serving on the bench, Mr. Hughes deepened his interest in juvenile problems and became recognized as an authority on probation systems and the treatment of youthful offenders.  
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  List of past NJ Governors  
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  In 1961, Mr. Hughes was elected governor of New Jersey and four years later, he was re-elected with a record plurality. After leaving the State House in 1970, Mr. Hughes re-entered private practice and continued to work for prison reform. Following the death of Chief Justice Garven, Governor William Cahill nominated Mr. Hughes as Chief Justice. He was directly confirmed by the Senate, sworn in on December 18, 1973, and served until 1980.   
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  After his long and distinguished career dedicated to serving the people of New Jersey, it is fitting that the building that was designed "to symbolize the strength and permanence of justice in the State of New Jersey" should be named the Richard J. Hughes Justice Complex.  
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