While the Ministry of Justice says the Gore sittings are "going well", the 70km of travelling between Balclutha and Gore remains one of the major issues faced by Balclutha court users. There is no public transport between the two centres and some have had to hitchhike to court.
The ministry's district courts general manager Tony Fisher said criminal hearings in Gore had been working well but earlier this year, a defendant sat outside the Balclutha police station from 8am, hoping police would be able to offer him a ride.
During the sitting of the Balclutha District Court in Gore on Monday, Judge John Macdonald sympathised with the difficulties some Balclutha people faced in trying to get to their scheduled appearances in Gore. He asked the court how someone who was disqualified from driving was going to get to a court date in Gore.
"The court has been taken away from them in Balclutha."
Since December, Balclutha District Court sessions have been heard in the Gore District Court, although the registrar's office in Balclutha, which is in a separate building from the courtroom, is not affected.
An engineer's report commissioned by the Ministry found the 1925 brick building was at high risk of collapsing completely in a significant shake, and needed strengthening work, costed at more than $165,000. It is one of seven courts nationwide to be closed.
The move prompted the mayor, local lawyers, and other court users to fight for the return of court services, fearing the move heralds the complete loss of court services in the town.
"The ministry should be straight up and tell us where things stand. It's frustrating that it's nine months on and we're still travelling to Gore for court.
"It's obvious from the inaction and lack of dialogue where this is going - the loss of our court services."
Mr Fisher said the immediate priority after closing the courthouse was to get services operating again by using alternative venues.
Disputes hearings and family court hearings were transferred to the St John hall, after discussions with the Balclutha court users.
However, family court hearings have returned to the Dunedin District Court.
Mr Fisher said the ministry had not yet done "detailed engineering assessments" of the Balclutha courthouse to advise on strengthening, meaning long-term options - including strengthening costs - would not be determined until later this year.
Courts in Christchurch, Dunedin and Masterton were the ministry's priority.
An initial estimate of $2 million to make all courthouses safe looks far too low. Strengthening the Masterton courthouse alone will cost an estimated $3.5 million.
