CALABASAS : Branch of Malibu Court Reopens

The Calabasas branch of the Malibu Judicial District reopened this week after being closed since the Jan. 17 earthquake.

“We were able to handle most cases scheduled for Calabasas in Malibu, although it was crowded there,” Judicial District Manager Ruth Goziker said. “We were holding court at the information counters and in kitchens--everywhere. But it worked very well.”

The Calabasas courthouse, 5030 N. Parkway Calabasas, opened Thursday after being closed since the quake, in which the building sustained about $40,000 of damage to walls, windows, floor tiles, light fixtures and other furnishings, Goziker said.

There was no structural damage, she said.

“It was a mess,” Goziker said. “But the landlord responded quickly and got the building repaired right away.”

The front driveway of the building, which is used for traffic, small claims and civil cases, may be unusable due to a 15-foot fissure, Goziker said.

Night court is scheduled to begin again Monday.

Cases scheduled during the period of closure that were not heard in Malibu were postponed several weeks, said Brenda Wilderman, a court clerk in Calabasas.

“We’ve got plenty of time to hear all the cases,” Wilderman said. “We’re fine.”