FRANKFORT, Ky., Nov. 26, 2025 – The public and media are invited to a groundbreaking ceremony for the planned Jessamine County Judicial Center at 1 p.m. EST Wednesday, Dec. 3, in Nicholasville. The event will take place at the construction site at 309 N. Main St.
The Kentucky General Assembly authorized the Jessamine County project in 2020. The new three-story structure will contain approximately 69,908 square feet and house all court services. Construction is set to be completed in 2028. The project cost is $48 million.
New judicial centers improve upon older, inadequate facilities, greatly enhancing the delivery of court services. The Jessamine County Judicial Center will support the latest data, computer, video and networking technology. The facility will also provide the highest level of Kentucky court security through a single-point entry with magnetometers and security personnel.
Chief Justice of the Commonwealth Debra Hembree Lambert said she appreciates the legislators and county officials who support the improvements for Jessamine County.
“More than 800,000 cases work their way through the courts each year, making judicial centers busy and important facilities essential to their communities,” she said. “These modern structures are created to be safe and efficient for everyone who passes through their doors.”
Brandstetter Carroll architectural firm designed the building. WEHR Constructors is the construction manager for the project. RSA Advisors is the financial agent. The firms are all based in Kentucky.
Chief Justice Lambert and Jessamine County Judge-Executive David K. West will be among the speakers at the ceremony. Other state and local officials are expected to attend.
Process for Constructing Judicial Facilities
The Administrative Office of the Courts oversees the construction and maintenance of Kentucky court facilities in accordance with House Bill 734, which was passed by the 2000 General Assembly. As a result of this legislation, the AOC created a process to fairly and objectively determine court facility needs.
Once funding is authorized, the AOC Division of Capital Construction works with local communities to assemble a project development board. This board ensures that county and court officials have input on all aspects of the project, including decisions on the site, architect and contractor.
The voting members of the PDB are the county judge-executive, chief circuit judge, chief district judge, circuit court clerk, citizen-at-large and a Kentucky Bar Association designee. The AOC serves in an advisory capacity throughout the project.
As the operations arm for the state court system, the AOC is based in Frankfort and supports the activities of nearly 3,300 court system employees and 412 elected justices, judges and circuit court clerks. The AOC also executes the Judicial Branch budget.
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