Hancock County is named for John Hancock, who was a signer of the Declaration of Independence and who lived from 1737 to 1793.
Surrounding County Courthouses:
N – Lee County, Virginia and Scott County, Virginia
E – Hawkins County
S – Hawkins County and Grainger County
W – Claiborne County
Created: January 7, 1844 
County Seat:
Sneedville 1844 – present
County Courthouse – Sneedville
Location: 1237 Main Street / Court Street
Built: 1930 – 1931
Style: Neo-Classical
Architect: Allen N Dryden
Contractor: Emory Construction Company
Description: The building faces southeast and is a two story red colored brick and concrete structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of Sneedville. The southeast front has a large porch with four columns rising to a header at the roof line. The entrance is framed with stone and with a small pediment above. A horizontal cornice runs below the roof line. The roof line is flat. In the interior, the courtroom is located on the second story. The building houses the County Circuit Court, County Chancery Court, County Criminal Court, County General Sessions Court and County Juvenile Court of the 3rd Judicial District.
See: The 3rd Judicial District includes Greene County, Hamblen County and Hawkins County.
History: The county was created in 1844 and Sneedville was selected as the county seat in 1848 when the county was organized. The first court was held at the house of Alexander Campbell and afterward at the old Union Church until 1850, when the first courthouse, a small brick structure was built. The courthouse burned in 1887. The second courthouse was built. The third and present courthouse was constructed in 1930 to 1931.
County Courthouse – Sneedville
Photos taken 2012