County bans firearms in courthouse

Young County Commissioners voted on Feb. 10 to post signs warning that citizens may no longer carrying firearms inside the Young County Courthouse.

County Judge Win Graham informed the Commissioners that since all non-court functions moved to the County’s new annex building, the building now houses only court functions.

Texas law prohibits civilians from carrying firearms in courthouses and court offices, with some exceptions including on-duty peace officers, active judicial officers, some county employees and military and criminal justice personnel.

The law requires the County to post signage at the entrances to the Courthouse.

The Commissioners engaged in “a spirited debate” and ultimately voted to post the signs, Judge Graham said.

“Initially, it seemed that this motion would not pass; however, some commissioners changed their votes upon realizing that even without the signs, it is illegal for anyone to carry a firearm inside the Courthouse without prior permission,” he said.

It is a third-degree felony to carry a firearm onto the presmises of the court or court offices unless authorized by the court.

In 2015, the Texas Attorney General opined that the “premises of any government court: does not extend to the entire building unless the entire building holds only courts and offices essential to the operation of the government court, according to the Texas Municipal League.

“The attorney general believes that if a building is a multi-use building that also includes a court, then licensed carry is prohibited in only the portion of the building where the court and court offices are located,” the TML wrote in a 2022 issue of Texas Town & City.