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The Troup County Board of Commissioners has approved a bid for the planned new courtroom inside the government center.

Back in February, the board unanimously approved a request from court service and the sheriff’s office to seek bids to finish the empty courtroom space on the third floor of the government center. 

Space was included for an additional courtroom on each floor when the courthouse was built, but they were not finished due to the lack of an immediate need. Now, as court cases rise, an additional courtroom is needed.

“It’s [currently] just an empty shell that was never finished when the government center was built. But now we have a need for it. We need more courtroom space,” said Assistant County Manager Jay Anderson.

For 20 years, six courtrooms have been sufficient, but demand is growing, so the courts are asking to finish out another courtroom. Plans for the new courtroom began in March of last year. 

The new courtroom will be similar to others in the government center in style but different in function. The new courtroom is designed with more seating for the public and no jury box. 

The courtroom will be used for cases where a jury isn’t needed, such as motion hearings or bench trials.

Anderson said the contractors were required to attend a mandatory pre-bid meeting so they could understand the scope of the work with the existing conditions. The contractors will need to move materials up three floors and do so without interrupting other court proceedings.

All materials and waste will need to come in and out through the dock area, Anderson said.

“Depending on the courtroom schedule, they will need to have all deliveries before 8 a.m. or after 5 p.m. to not bring stuff through the hallways with citizens,” Anderson said.

The project received four bids. Staff recommended going with the low bidder, Principal Construction, at $565,400.

The build-out was originally estimated to cost upwards of $750,000 when the project was first approved in February.

Anderson said they expect to get started no later than May and have the project completed by December.

Court Services Director Lindsay Mobley said the new courtroom will improve conditions for both citizens and the courts. The new courtroom will help citizens sit in the courtroom, as opposed to outside, but it is also going to help move cases faster, she said.

“We have four judges now in our Superior Court circuit, and they’re aggressive.  They’re wanting to move these cases as fast as they can, get them out of the jail and move them all through the [Department of Corrections] system,” Mobley said.

“This will help us to move a lot more cases in a day, as opposed to having to have several court dates,” Mobley said.