The new Hancock County Judicial Center building is nearly finished.

The Hancock County Commissioner’s office says construction is essentially finished and now they’re working on things like occupancy permits and elevator inspections.

The county is hoping to take possession of the building in December and move in offices in January and then hold a ribbon-cutting after they’re settled in. The groundbreaking for the building was held in June of 2023. 

Commissioner Tim Bechtol says the new three-story building at 209 West Main Cross will house Probate and Juvenile Court which are currently located in a building just east of that location.

As Bechtol mentioned in the audio above, juvenile probation offices will be on the second floor and adult probation on the first floor.

The Domestic Relations Court will also be moving from the courthouse into the new building.

CASA, Court Appointed Special Advocates, will also move its offices into the new building.

The new facility is named the Allan H. Davis Judicial Center after the longtime judge for the Probate and Juvenile Court.  

There will be staff parking behind the building and the Hancock County Commissioners said they have come to a long-term deal with MCPA to use the northwest corner of their parking lot for public parking.  

As for the current Probate/Juvenile Court building, Commissioner Tim Bechtol has said he’d like to remove the additions that were added to it over the years and preserve the original historic structure, but what will happen to it has not yet been decided.