Justice James E. C. Perry Courthouse Annex dedicated in Seminole County

A newly completed courthouse annex named for Justice James E. C. Perry was dedicated in Seminole County on the occasion of a public ceremony at the county's 5 Points Complex. The annex, described by officials as about 104,000 square feet of usable space, will house offices for the Clerk of the Court, the Public Defender, the State Attorney and the Seminole County Sheriff's Office.

The host of the ceremony, speaking on behalf of the Seminole County Board of County Commissioners, thanked attorneys who helped research the naming and said the annex is the first phase of the county's 5 Points Master Plan. "This has been a true team effort," the host said, urging applause for the commissioners and past leaders who helped bring the project to fruition.

Judge John Gluso delivered an extended tribute that traced Justice Perry's life from his upbringing in New Bern, North Carolina, through military service and legal training at Columbia Law School. Gluso said Perry overcame racial barriers early in his career: according to Gluso, Perry was denied admission to the Georgia bar because of the color of his skin before successfully challenging that decision. Gluso recounted Perry's community work, including the creation of the Jackie Robinson Sports Association, which Gluso said served 650 at-risk youth, and noted his subsequent judicial service.

Justice James E. C. Perry, who served on the Florida Supreme Court from 2009 until his retirement in 2016, thanked family, friends and the judiciary and reflected on his career and public service. He also urged the audience to prioritize health screening, saying, "No one should die from prostate cancer if it's caught in time," and encouraged men to get checked.

Marcus H. Burgess, president of Saint Augustine's University, read a university proclamation honoring Perry's achievements as an alumnus and public servant and noted Perry's years of service on the university's Board of Trustees. The county presented Perry with a rendering of the annex and announced that a portrait and a timeline of his work will be displayed in the building's entrance hall.

The ceremony closed with a benediction invitation and a ribbon cutting; attendees were invited to view the portrait and timeline and join refreshments in the annex.

The event was largely ceremonial and celebratory; no formal votes or policy actions were recorded at the ceremony. The annex will serve as a centralized facility for several county court functions as part of the broader 5 Points development.