Jurisprudence

Col. John Thornton, Elisha Cameron, and James Gilmore served as the county's first administrative judges. They met at Owen's Tavern until a brick courthouse was built and later burned. In 1869, a second courthouse was constructed. A wooden statue called the "Lady of Justice" adorned the top of the courthouse and was surrounded by four clocks. The courthouse was razed in 1934. The statue and one of the clocks were preserved and are displayed in the third courthouse located on the square. A fourth courthouse was built in the mid-1980's and named in honor of Circuit Court Judge James A. Rooney.

Liberty, Missouri · United States