It’s your first day in divorce court and you’re wondering where the best place to park is. Of course, you want to find a parking spot as close to the courthouse as possible so you won’t be late. However, you’re also interested in not paying too much, especially since you could spend hours at the courthouse waiting for your moment and then for your hearing to proceed, all the while the charges rack up at the meter or in the garage.
One of the options is the Parking Pay Stations and parking spaces that line Fayetteville and Davies streets, as well as the surrounding blocks. Metered parking areas near the courthouse are identified by blue signs that indicate the time limits for parking. These are not the best option since they are often time limited, but can be useful if you are only picking up or dropping off forms with the clerk of court’s office.
If you choose to use the spaces, you must remember the number of the space where you parked and then find a pay machine. There you will enter the space number and can pay with coins or a credit card. The parking rates are: 5¢ = 3 minutes, 10¢ = 6 minutes, 25¢ = 15 minutes, and $1.00 = 1 hour.
If you need to stay longer at the courthouse, several parking garages are available in the area. McLaurin Parking Co. runs several garages within one or two blocks walking distance. The closest is located at 436 South Salisbury Street, behind the Sheraton hotel. The first 15 minutes are free, and after that the parking rates there are $1.00 per 30 minutes and do not exceed $12.00 (six hours).
The Salisbury Street Deck is next to it, but the difference is that this deck charges $1.00 from the start, so regardless of whether you’re in the spot for a half-hour or only 10 minutes, you’ll still have to pay. The same charges apply for the Hanover deck across the street.
The City Center Parking Deck can be found at 429 South Wilmington Street and has entrances on Wilmington, Cabarrus, and Blount Streets. As with the deck at 436 South Salisbury, the first 15 minutes are free with each half-hour costing $1.00 with a maximum charge of $12.00 for the day. The Blount Street Parking Deck is two blocks north of the City Center deck and charges the same rates.
The Alexander Square Parking Deck is approximately two blocks north of the courthouse. Much like the Cabarrus Deck, it charges $1.00 per half-hour with a maximum charge of $12.00. However, it should be noted that if you lose your parking ticket, they also charge a $12.00 fee on top of your parking charge.
Lastly, the Wake County Parking Deck is about two blocks west of the courthouse at 412 South McDowell Street. While it is a bit of a walk and charges $1.00 per 30 minutes without any free parking time, the maximum amount charged for the day is only $10, making it the cheapest parking deck if you expect to be at the courthouse for five hours or more.
Whatever you decide, it is always a good idea to ask your Raleigh divorce lawyer how long the divorce hearing may take and plan accordingly.
