Coweta

County's process of finding a long-term solution for the

county's overcrowded courtrooms took a step forward

Tuesday morning.

The Coweta

County Commission voted unanimously to fund $27,000 for a

study that will analyze the county's future space needs

for court personnel and staff.

The study

is the latest signal from county officials that the days

for Coweta County's historic courthouse are numbered, at

least for legal matters.

The

commissioners have always maintained that other uses can

be found for the courthouse, including a possible museum

or visitors' center.

Commissioner

Lawrence Nelms also reiterated that a new judicial

center, if built, would be very close to the existing

courthouse in downtown Newnan.

Assistant

county administrator Eddie Whitlock said the study will

look at the county's current space needs, along with

trying to project what future space is needed.

"I

think the folks who built the courthouse more than 100

years ago did a pretty good job in planning," he

said.

Whitlock

could not provide a time line for how long the study

would take or when a new judicial center could be built.