Lincoln County Justice Court officials are back home in theirexpanded and renovated building, and the county’s new jail shouldbe filling up next week, officials said.

After three months in the board of supervisors’ room at thegovernment complex, justice court officials moved back to theirbuilding last Thursday. The first activity in the building’s newcourtroom was held Tuesday with plea day, and the courtroom saw itsfirst trial Wednesday, said Jan Oster, justice court clerk.

“Court today and everything Tuesday went smoothly,” Oster saidWednesday afternoon.

Court employees are still moving some records and getting usedto their new surroundings, but they are happy to be back home.

“We’re really enjoying it,” Oster said. “It’s nice and veryaccommodating.”

In addition to the new courtroom, the court’s two judges havenew offices, and there is a conference room for attorneys, officersand others. For security, a door in the back of the courtroom isconnected to the jail, so inmates can be moved to justice courtwithout ever having to go outside.

Also, Oster said the waiting area for citizens is about twice asbig as the old area.

A wall with several service windows separates employees from thewaiting area. Oster said that was a great improvement in thatemployees could have a little more privacy and would not bedistracted by whatever is happening in the hall or waitingarea.

“It’s just a lot better,” Oster said. “It’s more of an officesetting than it was.”

Other county officials will also benefit from the court buildingrenovation.

Oster said constables will have their own work area, and CoronerMorris Henderson will have a private entrance to his office.Previously, Henderson and office visitors had to go through thecourt’s waiting area. Henderson’s office accommodations, though,will not be finished until the overall jail project is completed inSeptember.

Oster said she appreciated supervisors, Chancery Clerk TillmonBishop and his staff and citizens for their understanding whilejustice court officials were displaced in the governmentcomplex.

“Everybody’s been more than helpful while we’ve been intransition,” Oster said.

The transition from the current jail facility to the new jailbuilding is continuing, with jail officials and inmates expected tomove early next week, said Lincoln County Sheriff Lynn Boyte.

Boyte said telephone company and county officials are stillworking out a “few little bugs” in the 911 phone lines, computersand routing operations.

“It’s a big undertaking when you start moving this stuff,” Boytesaid. “I want to make sure everything is working in the properway.”

Once the communication work is done, Boyte said it be can bechecked Friday and over the weekend. Then, officials and inmatescould move Monday.

The jail was housing 57 inmates Wednesday. Boyte said cellassignments have already been made for when inmates are moved.

The new part of the jail facility will be able to house 84inmates. Overall, once renovations to the existing jail are done,the facility will have a capacity of 128.

Boyte said the new section of the jail is geared toward maleinmates only. Therefore, Lincoln County’s few female prisoners arebeing housed at the Lawrence County Jail.

“Part of the old jail will be female only,” Boyte said.

The targeted completion date for existing jail renovations isSept. 11.