[6][7][8][9][10] During the conference, which was attended by U.S. President Richard M. Nixon, U.S. Attorney General John N. Mitchell, and over 400 members of the legal community, Chief Justice Burger said, "The time has come, and I submit that it is here and now at this Conference, to make the initial decision and bring into being some kind of national clearinghouse or center to serve all the states and to cooperate with all agencies seeking to improve justice at every level[11]."

A motion was carried by voice vote to designate Williamsburg as the permanent location of the headquarters for the National Center for State Courts (NCSC).

[13] Justice Paul C. Reardon of Massachusetts acknowledged the crucial factors in favor of Williamsburg were the availability of valuable land at nominal rent, $1 million pledge of support by Virginia Governor A. Linwood Holton, access to facilities of the respected William and Mary Law School at the College of William and Mary, and the proximity of a county courthouse.

In effect, the location of NCSC in Williamsburg was to create a judicial administration complex featuring a national research organization, a law school and a working court.

In his memoir, Governor Holton wrote, "I recognized that the new National Center for State Courts would be both a valuable economic and intellectual asset, and I was determined to have it located in Virginia[14][15] ."

[16] The construction and interior decoration were completed on schedule and on budget, and staff of several departments began to move into the new building during the week of January 16, 1978.

[37] Each year, NCSC's Annual Report provides a broader understanding of the scope and relevance of the organization's work and commitment to improving the administration of justice and promoting the rule of law in state courts and around the world.