Deed Discrepancy Might Cloud Round Top Courthouse Decisions

Precinct Courthouse?

Many, many years ago, Fayette County had eight justice of the peace precincts, as opposed to the four that exist today. Some of them had their own small courthouses where trials and other judicial proceedings took place. Three of those courthouses still exist today in Round Top, Fayetteville and Muldoon.

According to former County Attorney John Wied, the County sought to divest itself of these properties in the 1980s to alleviate maintenance costs. The deed for the Round Top Courthouse is on file at the Fayette County Clerk’s Office, dated Sept. 11, 1984.

The deed states that “the Commissioners Court of Fayette County, Texas, did, at a regular meeting, a quorum being present, on the 10th day of October, 1983, authorize the conveyance of the tract or parcel of land hereinafter described, to the City of Round Top.”

The deed goes on to describe the property known as the Round Top Town Square.

The County sold it to the City for $1, according to the deed, which was signed by then-County Judge Dan R. Beck and the Mayor of Round Top at the time, Robert Sterk.

However, the Commissioners Court minutes from the Oct. 10, 1983, meeting tell a different story. The minutes state that item No. 7 from that meeting was a discussion of the Round Top Courthouse with Don Nagel, who was the Mayor of Round Top at that time.

The minutes state “No action taken.” Nor is there any mention of any vote taking place.

At the Record’s request, staff at the Fayette County Clerk’s Office searched the Commissioners Court minutes from 1983 and 1984 – even after the date of the deed. County Clerk staff could find no other mention of the Round Top Courthouse nor any votes taking place to authorize the transfer of property from the County to the Town of Round Top.