diff --git a/aoimage.cpp b/aoimage.cpp
index dc22591..2139fcc 100644
--- a/aoimage.cpp
+++ b/aoimage.cpp
@@ -30,10 +30,16 @@ void AOImage::set_image_from_path(QString p_path)
 {
   QString default_path = ao_app->get_default_theme_path() + "chatmed.png";
 
+  QString final_path;
+
   if (file_exists(p_path))
-    this->setPixmap(p_path);
+    final_path = p_path;
   else
-    this->setPixmap(default_path);
+    final_path = default_path;
+
+  QPixmap f_pixmap(final_path);
+
+  this->setPixmap(f_pixmap.scaled(this->width(), this->height(), Qt::IgnoreAspectRatio));
 }
 
 void AOImage::set_scaled_image(QString p_image)
diff --git a/aoscene.cpp b/aoscene.cpp
index 126a604..f5e3a69 100644
--- a/aoscene.cpp
+++ b/aoscene.cpp
@@ -55,6 +55,8 @@ void AOScene::set_legacy_desk(QString p_image)
   int final_w = w_modifier * f_desk.width();
   int final_h = h_modifier * f_desk.height();
 
-  this->resize(final_w, final_h);
-  this->setPixmap(f_desk.scaled(final_w, final_h));
+  //this->resize(final_w, final_h);
+  //this->setPixmap(f_desk.scaled(final_w, final_h));
+  this->resize(vp_width, final_h);
+  this->setPixmap(f_desk.scaled(vp_width, final_h));
 }
diff --git a/courtroom.cpp b/courtroom.cpp
index 1072e2c..7578c14 100644
--- a/courtroom.cpp
+++ b/courtroom.cpp
@@ -109,6 +109,9 @@ Courtroom::Courtroom(AOApplication *p_ao_app) : QMainWindow()
 
   ui_emotes = new QWidget(this);
 
+  ui_emote_left = new AOButton(this, ao_app);
+  ui_emote_right = new AOButton(this, ao_app);
+
   ///////////////////////////////////////
 
   ui_defense_bar = new AOImage(this, ao_app);
@@ -297,6 +300,8 @@ Courtroom::Courtroom(AOApplication *p_ao_app) : QMainWindow()
 
   //implementation in emotes.cpp
   construct_emotes();
+
+  set_char_select();
 }
 
 void Courtroom::set_mute_list()
@@ -340,9 +345,9 @@ void Courtroom::set_widgets()
   this->resize(m_courtroom_width, m_courtroom_height);
   this->setFixedSize(m_courtroom_width, m_courtroom_height);
 
-  ui_background->set_image("courtroombackground.png");
   ui_background->move(0, 0);
   ui_background->resize(m_courtroom_width, m_courtroom_height);
+  ui_background->set_scaled_image("courtroombackground.png");
 
   set_size_and_pos(ui_viewport, "viewport");
 
@@ -448,6 +453,12 @@ void Courtroom::set_widgets()
 
   set_size_and_pos(ui_emotes, "emotes");
 
+  set_size_and_pos(ui_emote_left, "emote_left");
+  ui_emote_left->set_image("arrow_left.png");
+
+  set_size_and_pos(ui_emote_right, "emote_right");
+  ui_emote_right->set_image("arrow_right.png");
+
   //emote buttons
 
   set_size_and_pos(ui_defense_bar, "defense_bar");
@@ -613,11 +624,39 @@ void Courtroom::done_received()
 
   set_mute_list();
 
+  set_char_select();
+
   show();
 
   ui_spectator->show();
 }
 
+void Courtroom::set_char_select()
+{
+  QString design_ini_path = ao_app->get_theme_path() + "courtroom_design.ini";
+  QString default_ini_path = ao_app->get_base_path() + "themes/default/courtroom_design.ini";
+
+  pos_size_type f_charselect = ao_app->get_pos_and_size("char_select", design_ini_path);
+
+  if (f_charselect.width < 0 || f_charselect.height < 0)
+  {
+    f_charselect = ao_app->get_pos_and_size("char_select", default_ini_path);
+    if (f_charselect.width < 0 || f_charselect.height < 0)
+    {
+      qDebug() << "W: did not find courtroom width or height in courtroom_design.ini!";
+    }
+  }
+
+  this->resize(f_charselect.width, f_charselect.height);
+  this->setFixedSize(f_charselect.width, f_charselect.height);
+
+  ui_char_select_background->resize(f_charselect.width, f_charselect.height);
+
+  ui_char_select_background->set_image("charselect_background.png");
+  ui_char_select_background->move(0, 0);
+
+}
+
 void Courtroom::set_char_select_page()
 {
   ui_char_select_background->show();
@@ -758,6 +797,8 @@ void Courtroom::enter_courtroom(int p_cid)
 
   testimony_in_progress = false;
 
+  set_widgets();
+
   ui_char_select_background->hide();
 
   ui_ic_chat_message->setEnabled(m_cid != -1);
@@ -1047,7 +1088,7 @@ void Courtroom::handle_chatmessage_2()
   QString chatbox = ao_app->get_chat(m_chatmessage[CHAR_NAME]);
 
   if (chatbox == "")
-    ui_vp_chatbox->set_image("chatmed.png");
+    ui_vp_chatbox->set_scaled_image("chatmed.png");
   else
   {
     QString chatbox_path = ao_app->get_base_path() + "misc/" + chatbox + ".png";
@@ -1766,6 +1807,8 @@ void Courtroom::on_change_character_clicked()
   sfx_player->set_volume(0);
   blip_player->set_volume(0);
 
+  set_char_select();
+
   ui_char_select_background->show();
   ui_spectator->hide();
 }
diff --git a/courtroom.h b/courtroom.h
index 0b1d3c9..6e3d5f8 100644
--- a/courtroom.h
+++ b/courtroom.h
@@ -47,6 +47,8 @@ public:
   void set_char_select_page();
   void set_background(QString p_background);
 
+  void set_char_select();
+
   void done_received();
 
   void set_mute_list();
diff --git a/emotes.cpp b/emotes.cpp
index 2409ff9..34db884 100644
--- a/emotes.cpp
+++ b/emotes.cpp
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 void Courtroom::construct_emotes()
 {
   //constructing emote button grid
-  const int base_x_pos{10};
+  const int base_x_pos{0};
   const int base_y_pos{0};
 
   const int x_modifier{49};
@@ -44,15 +44,6 @@ void Courtroom::construct_emotes()
     }
   }
 
-  ui_emote_left = new AOButton(ui_emotes, ao_app);
-  ui_emote_right = new AOButton(ui_emotes, ao_app);
-
-  set_size_and_pos(ui_emote_left, "emote_left");
-  ui_emote_left->set_image("arrow_left.png");
-
-  set_size_and_pos(ui_emote_right, "emote_right");
-  ui_emote_right->set_image("arrow_right.png");
-
   connect(ui_emote_left, SIGNAL(clicked()), this, SLOT(on_emote_left_clicked()));
   connect(ui_emote_right, SIGNAL(clicked()), this, SLOT(on_emote_right_clicked()));
 }