photo by: Chris Conde/Journal-World

The Douglas County Judicial and Law Enforcement Center is pictured on Nov. 27, 2023.

A burst water pipe flooded a jury room on Monday, requiring the court to close one courtroom and some offices at the Douglas County Judicial and Law Enforcement Center for repairs that could be lengthy.

A fire suppression line ruptured from freezing temperatures above the ceiling of the jury deliberation room for Division 7 in the basement of the judicial center, said Karrey Britt, spokesperson for Douglas County. Other county services will be unaffected but some hearings scheduled for the courtroom will need to be moved, she said.

“District Court anticipates being able to continue all operations. They are making temporary accommodations for affected court staff,” Britt said.

Division 7 is overseen by Judge Carl Folsom III, who handles primarily domestic and civil cases.

Britt said that the court is working to find a temporary alternative courtroom for any upcoming hearings and the parties involved in those hearings will be notified about any changes.

A remediation group is on site cleaning up the flooded areas, and it is unknown at this time what the full extent of the damage is and what it will cost to repair, Britt said.

“The Court is making changes on the assumption of at least a two-week interruption but will reassess as more information becomes available,” Britt said.

The county has been considering plans to renovate the nearly 50-year-old building due to safety concerns and storage issues, as the Journal-World reported. Britt said that while the District Court is confident the court will continue to run smoothly while the flooded rooms are repaired, the temporary accommodations are “not ideal and would not be workable on a long-term basis.”