Hidalgo County may be just weeks away from the much-delayed move into its new courthouse. The county is to send a request to the city of Edinburg by next week for a final re-inspection of the 7-story building.

The re-inspection is required to ensure the myriad construction flaws that have plagued and delayed the opening of the courthouse have been repaired. It is the last step before obtaining a certificate of occupancy that's needed to begin the move-in process.

The certificate is also needed before the Texas Commission on Jail Standards can conduct its inspection of the prisoner holding facilities in the courthouse. The expected opening of the new courthouse before the end of the year would come three years after it was scheduled to open.