Nearly seven years after the former Duval County Courthouse was demolished, Jacksonville officials say they are moving closer to activating the long-vacant riverfront property at 330 E. Bay St., a site many leaders see as a key to revitalizing downtown.

Thousands of people marched from Friendship Fountain to the Duval County Courthouse on Saturday afternoon to join the nationwide “No Kings” protests against President Donald Trump’s administration.

The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office is investigating a collision between an SUV and a motorcycle at the intersection of Broad Street and Adams Street in downtown Jacksonville.

Dozens of lawyers, judges, bankers and other community leaders will run around or bike to the Duval County Courthouse Nov. 23-24 in the Freed to Run Challenge benefiting Jacksonville Area Legal Aid’s Shelter for Elders endowment in support of housing-related civil legal services for Northeast Florida Seniors.

A social justice organization will meet at the Duval County Courthouse to protest President-elect Donald Trump’s proposed policy changes on Thursday at 6 p.m.

The Jacksonville Beach couple accused in a murder-for-hire plot was in court Tuesday morning and the lawyers for Shanna Gardner continued to argue for her release on bond.

At the Rainbow Wedding Chapel in downtown Jacksonville, everyone is welcome.

It was a family celebration on the eve of Halloween at the Duval County Courthouse as it was transformed into a trick-or-treat treasure trove.

Several dozen pro-Palestinian people gathered at the Duval County Courthouse Monday to support what they call a Palestinian revolution against Israel.

Opening statements are expected Tuesday morning, as the trial of George Prince, a man accused of killing a pregnant Arlington woman and her newborn, begins.

A man who was at the Duval County Courthouse on Tuesday for an arraignment hearing on multiple drug charges ran out of a courtroom before bailiffs tackled and used a stun gun on him, police said.

A Halloween adoption event at the Duval County Courthouse on Friday celebrated 12 children who now have new families.

Supporters at the Proud to Say Gay Rally covered the Duval County Courthouse’s lawn Saturday afternoon to speak up for equal rights.

A group of Jacksonville-area activists took to the streets of downtown Friday, rallying against gun violence.

News4JAX on Friday obtained the incident reports on suspicious letters that were sent to the Fourth Judicial Circuit State Attorney’s Office and the Duval County Courthouse in downtown Jacksonville this week.

The Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department called its hazmat team in Wednesday to the Duval County Courthouse — just a day after authorities were called to investigate letters sent to the Fourth Judicial Circuit State Attorney’s Office that contained a suspicious substance.

Chants for abortion rights filled downtown Saturday as hundreds of supporters gathered for the People’s Abortion Rights Rally outside the Duval County Courthouse.

Hundreds of people are expected to rally Saturday outside the Duval County Courthouse for abortion rights. This comes after a draft opinion was leaked earlier this month, suggesting that the U.S. Supreme Court could be poised to overturn the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade case that legalized abortion nationwide. Since then, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office has received reports of unruly anti-abortion protesters outside A Woman’s Choice of Jacksonville clinic.

Two dozen area foster children became permanent members of their new families on Friday -- just in time for Mother’s Day.

Members of the Jacksonville Community held a community march on Friday to bring awareness to gun violence in Jacksonville.

Dozens of people converged on the Duval County Courthouse on Saturday to oppose a bill that would prohibit discussing sexual orientation and gender identity in schools.

One of the six bids the city received -- from a company called "Carter's" based in Atlanta -- appears to be the clear frontrunner.

Another change is in the works for the Old Courthouse site that the city is now calling the “Ford on Bay.”

It was an exciting moment for several families.

In downtown Jacksonville, works of art can be found almost everywhere you look -- except at the Duval County Courthouse. But that’s all about to change.

With the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lifting mask requirements on people who have been fully vaccinated, what can people expect when walking into city-owned buildings in Jacksonville?

Following the conviction of Derek Chauvin in the death of George Floyd, the Jacksonville Community Action Committee planned a rally Wednesday night outside the Duval County Courthouse.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – More than 400 participants came together to raise support and awareness for survivors of domestic violence and their families at the 12th annual Hubbard House Stand Up & Stride walk. Donations support the emergency shelter, programs and services that Hubbard House provides survivors of domestic violence and their children free of charge. Hubbard House said the groups walked together to show unified support for the organization and survivors. Hubbard House has been providing services to domestic violence survivors and their children for 44 years and is a full-service, certified domestic violence shelter. In addition to the emergency shelter and the 24/7 Domestic Violence Hotline and Textline, Hubbard House offers community outreach, group and individual support programs, prevention and intervention services.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Dozens of people gathered Saturday at the Duval County Courthouse to protest House Bill 1. The proposed bill would increase the penalties for violent protests in Florida. RELATED: Civil rights advocates blast ‘anti-mob’ proposal in FloridaThe Chicago group has been to Florida to protest before, and they say even if this bill is passed, they’ll do it again. We are not going to give them any more power.”AdDozens gathered to protest an 'anti-mob' bill being proposed in Florida. Democratic State Rep. Angie Nixon is developing a house bill to combat House Bill 1, which prohibits the use of military tactics from the police during protests.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Demonstrators gathered Friday night outside the Duval County Courthouse to support the family of 18-year-old Devon Gregory, who died during a traffic stop. According to the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, the medical examiner determined Gregory had a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The Sheriff’s Office released body camera footage from the incident. The 18-year-old’s aunt, Teanay, said he called her during the traffic stop, asking her to come pick him up. The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office said that officers tried to de-escalate the situation, telling him not to reach under the seat, which can be heard in the video.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – For the first time in months, hundreds of people will show up at the Duval County Courthouse this week for jury duty. Normally, 300 to 400 potential jurors would be summoned to appear Monday and then be separated into groups for trials. Instead, Chief Judge Mark Mahon said, smaller groups of potential jurors have been summoned to appear during a period of three days. Mahon said it is important to restart criminal trials since, for months, inmates at the Duval County jail charged with serious crimes have not been able to have their day in court. Defendants being held at the Duval County jail will be quarantined before being allowed inside the courtroom.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – To prevent the spread of COVID-19, orders were issued in March that suspended jury trials and other proceedings at courthouses across Florida. That process is beginning Monday when several hundred prospective jurors will come to the Duval County Courthouse to be considered for selection on the 4th Judicial Circuit’s grand jury. RELATED: Court eyes COVID-19 delays in criminal casesDistrict 4 Chief Judge Mark Mahon explained that first-degree murder charges must be brought through the grand jury process, so those cases can’t move forward without an impaneled grand jury. “Their seats will be assigned for the duration of the jury selection. If you did not receive a jury summons this week, hundreds more will be sent out in the coming days since jury trials are expected to resume the week of Oct. 12.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Dozens of activists gathered Saturday on the steps of the Duval County Courthouse to pay tribute to the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and speak in opposition to her seat being filled before the election. It’s disheartening.”The rally also included Judge-elect Rhonda Peoples Waters, the first Black woman to be elected to a county court seat in Duval County. “I thought it was important for me to be here to honor RBG and what she has done for so many of us and especially me,” Peoples Waters said. Senate Republicans are readying for confirmation hearings in two weeks, with a vote in the full chamber now expected before Election Day. The move has sparked an outcry, particularly among Democrats, who believe a pick should not be confirmed until after the election.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Anthony Sabatini, a Republican member of the Florida Legislature, announced Monday morning that he has filed a lawsuit against the City of Jacksonville over the recently implemented mask mandate. Sabatini on Twitter said the lawsuit was filed on behalf of a small business owner for “unlawfully” mandating through proclimation that anyone in a public space must wear a face mask. He has similar lawsuits in St. Johns County, Hillsborough County and Orange County. Jacksonville has become a focus for the face mask debate as officials prepare to host the Republican National Convention in August, an event expected to attract thousands of people. The nonpartisan group has been raising money on GoFundMe so it can file a lawsuit against Duval County to nullify Mayor Lenny Curry’s mask mandate.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. For the third weekend in a row, hundreds of people crowded Downtown Jacksonville outside the Duval County Courthouse on Saturday afternoon. Speakers called for the release of Jacksonville Sheriffs Office body camera footage and for a Florida Department of Law Enforcement investigation into officer-involved shootings. Despite outcry, the Jacksonville Sheriffs Office has still never released body-camera footage from an officer-involved shooting. At Saturdays rally, Kemp said she stands with other mothers who have lost their sons in officer-involved shootings. Release the footage was a rallying cry Saturday as demonstrators recited the names of other black men killed in police-involved shootings.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. Mayor Lenny Curry told hundreds gathered Tuesday morning to march with Jaguars running back Leonard Fournette from Jacksonville City Hall to the Duval County Courthouse that he was listening to their voices. "Were not going to agree on everything -- thats just not human history, human nature. Weve got to find common ground.Jacksonville Sheriff Mike Williams and many of his officers joined the short walk to the Courthouse. Curry said he felt he would be a distraction for law enforcement and could put others in danger if he marched this weekend. There are times where I put law enforcement resources at risk because they have to focus on me if Im there which isnt responsible, Curry said.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. A Jacksonville pastor who was arrested last month while trying to mediate between demonstrators and police during a peaceful protest at the Duval County Courthouse will not face criminal charges. Smith was streaming on Facebook Live the afternoon of May 31 as Jacksonville Sheriffs officers arrested her and other protesters police said resisted orders to clear the area surrounding the courthouse. You did good.As police in riot gear approach the remaining crowd, Smith can be heard telling lingering protesters to go home and volunteering to clean up any litter left behind. As her Facebook Live video showed, she said, she was keeping the peace. My main purpose was to be able to maintain peace, Smith said.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. A group of demonstrators gathered Saturday afternoon in Downtown Jacksonville for a Rally for Justice." According to the Jacksonville Community Action Committee, the march from the Duval County Courthouse to State Attorney Melissa Nelsons Office is being done to press demands, including that Nelson drop charges against some of last weekends protesters. Click the photo below to watch live.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. A pastor spoke out Wednesday in front of the Duval County Courthouse about her arrest Sunday during a protest in downtown Jacksonville. Smith recorded herself on Facebook Live for more than an hour during Sundays protest and captured her eventual arrest at the hands of the Jacksonville Sheriffs Office. Those of you who did see the video, I want you to be able to understand my main purpose was to be able to maintain peace, Smith said in another Facebook Live recorded Wednesday afternoon outside the courthouse. He said JSO did not want a repeat of Saturday night, when a protest turned violent, so it started telling the protesters to disperse. When Smith spoke Wednesday after her release from jail, she sent a message to those who arent from Duval County.

Demonstrators gathering outside of the Duval County Courthouse Tuesday afternoon. If you need help with WJXT’s or WCWJ's FCC public inspection file, call (904) 393-9801.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. Demonstrators returned Tuesday to the Duval County Courthouse for a peaceful protest following the death of George Floyd, who died while in custody of Minneapolis police. The demonstration Tuesday evening outside the courthouse was intended to spread the word," and help us keep it peaceful, according to a flyer. DOCUMENT: Letter from Jacksonville Branch NAACP to Sheriff Mike WilliamsFollowing the downtown protest, Mayor Lenny Curry tweeted:My city has citizens expressing free speech tonight in a peaceful way. The demonstrations come days after a peaceful protest in downtown Jacksonville turned violent, leading to the arrests of 78 people. RELATED: Jacksonville demonstrators bond out, share concerns about how they were treated by policeSaturdays protest and its aftermath prompted a citywide curfew Sunday night.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry issued a citywide curfew Sunday “due to criminal activity that threatens first responders." Due to criminal activity that threatens first responders, other people, and private property Sheriff Williams @jsosheriff and I have decided to implement a citywide curfew. Effective 8pm today until 6am tomorrow I am putting a curfew in place for the City of Jacksonville. Jordan Elsbury, Director of Government Affairs for the city, said the curfew was only for Jacksonville proper. pic.twitter.com/Q3nvXQBZQv — Gsmitter (@gsmitter) May 31, 2020Others who live in downtown and watched the protests unfold from a distance welcome the curfew.

Published: May 19, 2020, 9:09 am Updated: May 19, 2020, 10:13 amJACKSONVILLE, Fla. Tuesday morning unsuspecting passersby noticed something different on the Duval County Courthouse. It was the word Satan spelled out and spray-painted in red across several of the courthouse pillars. In this photo, one of the letters is still faintly visible on a pillar. One of the letters "A" from the word Satan is still faintly visible on the pillar. It had been removed before 10 a.m.News4Jax is working to learn more about the incident, including whether surveillance videos captured the act.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Two civil rights organizations joined together for a motorcade protest in downtown Jacksonville Tuesday morning. The controversy that they are voicing outrage over revolves around the actions of Florida Circuit Court Judge Tyrie Boyer and Jacksonville attorney Michael Kalil on April 24, which are under investigation by the Florida Bar. Now, both the Jacksonville NAACP and the Northside Coalition are calling for an investigation because they said it was unfair for Kalil to win the seat in that manner. “We are concerned that Jacksonville attorney Michael Kalil violated the qualification process so he could win an election as a circuit court judge by default and without an election," President of Jacksonville NAACP Isaiah Rumlin said. He has not announced any intention to withdraw from the race since calls for him to do so began in April.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Just a year ago, the old City Hall was imploded and the old Duval County Courthouse was demolished. Today, all that’s left on the Bay Street site is a field of green grass. The bidding was opened at 2 p.m for the opportunity to build on the prime property on the downtown Jacksonville riverfront, but only two developers expressed interest — one company out of New York and another based in Miami. Mayor Lenny Curry, who has become known for tearing buildings down in downtown Jacksonville, spoke about the proposals Wednesday. We obviously want to develop the area but we know we have investors with capital that is liquid that are ready to go,” Curry said.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - A new plaque has been unveiled in the Duval County Courthouse lobby as a token of appreciation for the Hispanic and minority laborers who helped build it. The bronze plaque is the product of a 2014 Jacksonville City Council bill acknowledging the efforts involved in construction of the courthouse, which opened in 2012 as part of a $350 million project. "This plaque recognizes the contributions of those smaller contractors that were so vital in the construction of this wonderful building," Chief Judge Mark Mahon said Wednesday. "This is a great place for judges to come and it's a real tribute to justice in our community." "Without the small businesses, this building just wouldn't have been able to survive and go on.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - The Duval County Clerk of Courts has not performed wedding ceremonies since Florida's same-sex marriage ban ended in 2015. The business features a walk-in wedding chapel. Shubert has performed nearly 20 weddings since opening his "Walk-In Wedding Chapel" one month ago inside Maddy D's cafe on West Adams Street. "We give them a beautiful, beautiful Christian wedding ceremony, give them a God blessing and take photos of them," Shubert said. Courthouse wedding ceremonies no longer take place in Duval, Baker or Clay counties.

Operation Green Light will continue throughout the week through Oct. 18 during regular 8 a.m. until 5 p.m., at the Duval County Courthouse, the Duval County Tax Collectors office as well as any tax collectors branch location during those hours. The Duval County Clerks of Courts says this is a great way for people to get their lives back on track. The last Operation Green Light was four years ago and it was a one-day event raising more than $500,000. According to the Duval County Clerk of Courts, the money raised through the first Operation Green Light helped more than 30 entities throughout the county. Here's how Operation Green Light works in Nassau County:The Nassau County Clerk of Court offices will work to help restore driver licenses of people who have suspended drivers licenses due to overdue traffic fines.

As a result, the Duval County Courthouse has sought to make these difficulties easier for victims and witnesses through their Pet Therapy Program. The next logical step was to start looking at other pet therapy programs around the country to see if one could be implemented in Jacksonville." After seeing other successful courthouse therapy teams in Florida, the Duval County Courthouse started their own dog therapy program in 2012. Therapy dogs aren't subjected to the stringent requirements of service dogs, however, they do have to be certified through outfits like Independent Therapy Dogs, Inc. and the Alliance of Therapy Dogs. The Pet Therapy Program has been a success for the most part, although there has been some concern among defense attorneys who have argued that having a dog present could prejudice a jury.

Everytown for Gun Safety and Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America want Congress to pass legislation requiring background checks on all gun sales and a strong gun violence prevention law, also known as a red flag law. Moms Demand Action was formed after the Sandy Hook Elementary School mass shooting in 2012. Many of those active in the group have experienced loss from gun violence in their own families. There was some tension at the Jacksonville rally when the gun control supporters encountered a group of counterdemonstrators in support of gun rights, but there were no confrontations. Florida passed a red flag law after the mass shooting last year at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland.