Judge warns task force: splitting courts across buildings would harm safety and efficiency

During the task force’s citizens communications period, Denise Andre, General Sessions judge in Division One, urged members not to split general sessions and circuit/chancery court systems between separate buildings. She said she has served in the judicial center for 20 years and warned that separation would increase security costs, complicate deputies’ coverage and inmate transports, create difficulties for attorneys who practice in multiple courts, and worsen parking problems for the public.

"To have everything housed in one building, it would be more efficient," Judge Andre said, describing how deputies now move between courtrooms and can cover breaks when the courts are in one facility. She also raised safety concerns for judges, noting that current chambers placement and unsecured parking leave judges vulnerable, and said the new building plan’s secured parking was an important consideration.

Judge Andre asked the task force to consider the practical operational impacts of separating courts—on the sheriff’s department, public defenders, clerks and litigants—before deciding on a split‑site approach. Her remarks framed a recurring theme in the meeting: judges, staff and some members favor a consolidated courthouse approach for security and practical reasons.