Sevier County’s justice system has new digs, and they are a big step up in both size and security. On Monday, April 6, officials opened the Rex Henry Ogle Courts Building, shifting General Sessions and Circuit Court into a purpose-built facility next to the historic downtown courthouse. County leaders describe the roughly $34 million project as a way to centralize court operations and boost protection for judges, jurors, and visitors, with new entry procedures that will change how people get to court in downtown Sevierville.
New entry rules and screening
The new courthouse building at 127 Commerce Street now runs on a single point of entry, screened and staffed by the Sevier County Sheriff’s Office. Everyone coming through the door will face tighter rules: cell phones, purses, backpacks, and weapons are not allowed, and anyone carrying those items will be told to take them back to their car before they can enter. Vice Mayor Bryan McCarter summed up the approach, saying, “We’re prohibiting the typical items ... but we’re also doing bag screen,” in an interview with WVLT. County leaders say the stricter access is a direct response to the old courthouse layout, which had multiple doors that were harder to control.
Below-grade inmate routing
Behind the scenes, inmate transport is getting a quiet overhaul of its own. The building includes a below-grade tunnel that routes inmates straight into central courtroom areas, so they no longer move through public corridors. “This facility actually takes the inmates through a below grade tunnel into the center part of the building,” McCarter told WVLT. Officials say the setup is designed to protect both inmates and the public while making transfers to multiple courtrooms more efficient.
Funding, name and next steps
According to county records, the project is funded primarily with local dollars, supplemented by a court fee and a bond package with a 20‑year term limit. Commissioners also voted to name the facility for Judge Rex Henry Ogle, as recorded in Sevier County Board of Commissioners meeting minutes. Those minutes note that officials plan to hire an architect and gather public input to figure out the best uses for the space that the courts are leaving behind in the historic courthouse. Some services, including the General Sessions Clerk Juvenile Division, will stay at 125 Court Avenue during the transition.
How we got here and staffing
Groundbreaking on the Rex Henry Ogle Courts Building took place in October 2023, and local reporting during construction tracked the roughly $34 million budget and the project’s steady progress toward completion, as reported by WATE. County officials provided regular updates while the work moved ahead, and the project was described as the largest construction effort the county has taken on in recent years. To get the new facility fully up and running, the county has advertised openings for court-security bailiffs and related roles ahead of the move, according to a Sevier County job posting.
