Fayette County is named for Gilbert du Motier, marquis de La Fayette, who was a French general who fought in the American Revolutionary War and who lived from 1757 to 1834.
Surrounding County Courthouses:
N – Tipton County and Haywood County
E – Hardeman County
S – Benton County, Mississippi and Marshall County, Mississippi
W – Shelby County
Created: September 29, 1824 
County Seat:
Somerville 1824 – present
County Courthouse – Somerville
Location: 1 Courthouse Square – Main Street / Highway 64
Built: 1925 – 1926
Style: Beaux Arts
Architect: George Mahan Jr.
Contractor: Forcum & James Lumber Company of Obion
Description: The building faces south and is a two story buff colored brick and concrete structure. The building is located on the landscaped grounds of Courthouse Square in the center of Somerville. The south front has a projecting porch with four large columns rising to a wide header. A cornice runs below the flat roof line. On the center of the roof is a large green colored copper dome rising to a clock tower. The main entrance is located on the south side. In the interior, hallways run the full length and width of the first story. In the center is a rotunda bordered with three foot high marble wainscoting. The stairs are made with marble. The large courtroom is located at the center of the second story. The building houses the County Chancery Court of the 25th Judicial District. The building was renovated in 1984 to 1985.
See: National Register of Historic Places – Somerville Historic District
County Justice Center – Somerville
Location: 705 Justice Drive / South Main Street
Built: 2006 – 2008
Style: Modern
Architect: Barge Waggoner Sumner & Cannon Inc.
Contractor: Reed Construction
Description: The building faces north and is a one story red colored brick, concrete and glass structure. The building is located on spacious landscaped ground on the southern edge of Somerville. The north front has a large center portico with four columns rising to a sloped roof section. The entrance is recessed. With a large square flat dome behind the portico. The east and west wings are lower and have vertical windows. In the interior is a large rotunda under the dome. A long wide hall extends north to the courtrooms. The building houses the County Circuit Court, County General Sessions Court and County Juvenile Court of the 25th Judicial District.
See: The 25th Judicial District includes Hardeman County, Lauderdale County, McNairy County and Tipton County.
History: The county was created in 1824 and Somerville was selected as the county seat. The first courthouse in 1824 was the log home of Robert G Thornton. In 1833, Joseph Coe built the second courthouse which was a brick structure. The third courthouse designed by Jones & Baldwin and constructed in 1878 at a cost of $75,000. The building was destroyed by fire in 1925. The cost of construction of the fourth and present courthouse was $106,000. The electric contract was awarded to Fowler Electric Company of Memphis, brick was purchased from Fant and Anderson of Memphis and the heating and plumbing contract was awarded to C A Oliver of Somerville. During construction, the court met at the Eagle Hotel and Lipsky’s Opera House. The County Justice Center was constructed in 2006 to 2008.
County Courthouse - Somerville
Small Courtroom
County Justice Center - Somerville
Photos taken 2011 and 2018