"Rule of thumb" for courthouses

[Fiddlin Nero]

Occasionally a courthouse, police station, commercial trait, and WLTK can turn what would otherwise be a scientist city into a distant viable city, but it takes a lot of effort to do this.

I'd second Higher Game, it's not just the courthouse, but the combination with the others that make it valueable. I work out from my core until I meet my needs, which may change from game to game.