WILLIAMSON COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) — The Williamson County Commissioners discussed new developments for the new justice complex they plan to build on Tuesday.
The location of where the justice complex will be located has yet to be determined, but the project management firm the county hired—Kitchell/CEM, Inc.—said they identified 10 potential locations in Williamson County to build it.
“In justice, we still do this in person,” said Shawn Dick, the district attorney for Williamson County. “The less space we have, the less work we can get accomplished, the slower the system becomes.”
Dick has been working as the district attorney since 2017, and he said that the current facilities have been long overdue a change.
“If you walk up and down the courthouse during the day, you’ll see lawyers trying to privately meet with their clients or their clients’ families, and everyone’s in the courtroom, sort of like you’re in a bus terminal,” Dick said. “That’s just not conducive for lawyers to be able to negotiate and communicate with their clients, to then come in and communicate with the state.”
Program Manager Rebecca Clemons said that the county currently houses 700 to 725 inmates on a daily basis, with the maximum capacity of 900 inmates. Clemons also said that employees in other parts of the justice system have been shuffled around different facilities to make more space.
“Due to our population growth and rapid growth throughout the county, we’re just going to be out of space very quickly,” Clemons said. “It’s more fiscally responsible to go ahead and plan for something that can allow for our maximum build out one day.”
Clemons added that the hope is to have this new justice complex done in about five years.
Valerie Covey, who serves as the Williamson County Commissioner for Precinct 3, echoed that sentiment, emphasizing the urgency building a new justice complex.
“Williamson County continues to grow, but it grew at a very quick pace, and bigger than and faster than we anticipated,” Covey said. “Building a new justice complex will accommodate not only the current problems that we have—and help accommodate the space needs—but also the future growth that we anticipate.”
To address space issues in the short term, the commissioners approved purchasing and retrofitting a building near the current justice center for one million dollars last week to house some employees. In spring 2026, the new Williamson County Administrator Building will open, which will free up space in the current building in downtown Georgetown.
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