Dodge County declares judicial emergency, relocates court services to former AT&T building

A judicial emergency and a temporary relocation of Dodge County court and several county offices were the focus of multiple special meetings this year after county officials identified potentially hazardous conditions at the courthouse.

Chief Judge Sarah Wall of the Oconee Judicial Circuit declared a judicial emergency in early February, citing conditions that disrupted court operations, postponed a scheduled grand jury and created immediate needs for alternative hearing space. The Board of Commissioners voted on Feb. 6 to request the Chief Judge’s emergency declaration and to authorize the county manager to spend up to $25,000 for testing and temporary relocation costs; commissioners later increased that emergency authorization by $10,000 when testing and relocation needs grew.

The commissioners and the Dodge County Eastman Development Authority agreed that the former AT&T building at 643 Pearl Bates Road offered the quickest path to restore court functions. At a joint Feb. 22 session the Development Authority agreed to sell or long‑term lease the property to Dodge County (the authority indicated a nominal sale or reversionary lease was acceptable). The Board then authorized county staff to begin renovation planning with Graham & Studstill General Contractors so the building could be adapted for courtrooms and secure county offices.

County Manager Spencer Barron told the board the testing ‘‘would determine if there was contamination and the degree of it’’ and that early steps — including testing by certified industrial hygienists and temporary relocation of staff — were meant to protect employees and the public. Judges and court staff said the lack of a usable courthouse had backlogged criminal and civil dockets and complicated grand jury scheduling.

To accelerate work, the Board adopted a resolution in March waiving the normal competitive‑bid cycle under state emergency authority so contractors could begin work promptly to ready the building for non‑jury court matters. Commissioners also designated the Courthouse Annex and the Law Enforcement Center as official locations for non‑jury proceedings while renovation proceeded.

The Board reaffirmed its intent to preserve the historic courthouse where feasible; legal counsel told the public the emergency steps were to maintain continuity of government, not to foreclose restoration. Officials said renovation and re‑occupancy timelines depended on testing results and construction work; the Board expected limited court activity at the AT&T site as soon as tests and initial renovations were complete.

What happens next: County officials said they will publish testing results, keep the public informed of construction milestones, and coordinate with judges to resume essential court business from the temporary site until the courthouse is safe for full re‑entry.