A UNANIMOUS vote to fight to save Okehampton Magistrates Court was made by members of the town council last week.
The threat of closure is hanging over the court for the second time.
Saved from the axe three years ago, the weekly court has been reduced to fortnightly sittings, with all criminal cases being relocated to Exeter or other parts of the county.
Now, Okehampton is the only court earmarked for closure in the Devon and Cornwall Magistrates Court Committee Strategic Plan for the next three years.
The proposal was given a big thumbs-down by town councillors at their meeting last week.
Mayor Christine Marsh said: ?I shall keep on fighting for this court. There are lots of small cases that could be heard here, it?s got to be more economical than tying up a county court with petty cases.
?With the expansion that?s going on in the town it?s very short-sighted. It?s just ridiculous, it all comes down to constant centralisation.?
Cllr Marsh said even if West Devon Borough Council?s premises were no longer used as a magistrates? court, there should continue to be a court presence in the town.
She believed using facilities at the police station could be an option.
?They?ve got holding cells already there, you have access for the disabled already, it?s central to Devon and we already have JPs here.?
Rosemary Richards, acting town clerk, said: ?Councillors unanimously agreed the court house should not be closed. We don?t feel we can stand back and do nothing and we will certainly be writing letters of protest.?
West Devon and Torridge MP John Burnett said he had written to the Lord Chancellor?s department to protest at the proposed closure.
Mr Burnett said: ?We should strongly resist this closure. The Government is constantly attempting to centralise courts and other local services and this tendency must be reversed.
?Justice should be done and seen to be done in local magistrates courts, by local people who know the area.?