The Texas County Justice Center was closed after a bomb threat was received shortly before 11 a.m. Tuesday.
The facility – at Grand Avenue and Spruce Street in Houston – was evacuated and a Missouri State Highway Patrol bomb squad from Jefferson City called in. No device was found. Employees were sent home for the day and court proceedings taking place were rescheduled to Friday.
As deputies stood guard, yellow police tape blocked entrances to the building. An MSHP bomb squad vehicle arrived at about 12:30 p.m. Tuesday.
Inmates at the adjacent Texas County Jail remained in their cells.