District Court Sees Refresh With New Carpet, Seating

The 90th District Courtroom inside the Young County Courthouse is in the midst of a modest facelift, with District Judge Phillip Gregory overseeing updates designed to balance modern function with historic character.

Workers recently installed new carpet and technology upgrades that allow attorneys to plug into USB portals at separate counsel tables.

The courtroom’s old 12-foot shared counsel table has been retired and replaced with the original, individual tables positioned on either side of a podium.

Court staff searched the courthouse for matching chairs to furnish the jury box and counsel tables, creating a cohesive look.

In the coming weeks, both the counsel tables and the bench will be resurfaced with granite.

“This is a cathedral of justice,” Judge Gregory said, adding that the goal is to preserve a more formal atmosphere while improving how the court functions.

The improvements are being funded through surplus dollars in the county’s 2025 fiscal year budget.

Judge Gregory said this project marks the first step in a plan to restore the historic courtroom, which was constructed between 1929 and 1932 as part of a Works Progress Administration project.

Chief among future priorities is the repair of the water-damaged but still striking cathedral ceiling, a focal point of the Depression-era courthouse.