Temple studied at the American Academy in Rome and the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris, and taught at the University of Illinois School of Architecture in Urbana.

[5] The building was completed for approximately $500,000, which was significantly less than the original appropriation, and city residents and officials gathered for a dedication ceremony on October 15, 1933.

The building has a steel frame and integral concrete beam floors, with cladding that includes a coursed granite base and Minnesota Kasota travertine limestone on the north, east, and west elevations.

The entablature above the third story windows projects slightly from the vertical surface of the building, set off by a limestone stringcourse.

A decorative parapet at the top of the building features a carved limestone frieze with a stylized Ionic order capital and shield design.

Pairs of bronze light stanchions with granite bases flank each door, each with an embossed chevron and geometric designs.

[5] The most significant interior space is the two-story courtroom that occupies the central portion of the second floor, and its adjacent judges' chambers, library, and restroom.

Flat geometric patterns and chevron designs reflect the architectural details of the building's exterior, as do the fluted classical pilasters.

The interior of the east doors, which provide the main entry to the courtroom, are covered with leather and trimmed with metal studs.

[5] In 2006, The Spirit of Law and Iowa Reports, paintings created by artist Xiaoze Xie under the auspices of GSA's Art in Architecture program, were installed in the Davenport Courthouse.

The artist hoped that the paintings, installed in the jury assembly room, would "prompt visitors to consider the connections between history and the present and between ideas and realities.