Santa Clara County Courthouse, California

The downtown San Jose location of the Santa Clara County Superior Court, where most of the civil and criminal cases are held, is located across the street from St. James Park, in the heart of the capital of Silicon Valley. The building is next to its more historic cousin — the Old Courthouse, a neoclassical monument built in 1866 that has played host to some of the most important criminal and civil trials in the region, one of the most notable cases being Santa Clara County v. Southern Pacific Railroad Company in 1886, the decision in which is regarded as the first time corporations where given personhood status in the law. The Old Courthouse survived a major fire in 1931 and was restored after the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake. It continues to serve as a court. (Chris Marshall / CNS)