Burst pipe forces Compton courthouse to close for 2nd time this month

COMPTON, Calif. (KABC) -- The Compton courthouse is closed for the second time this month because of flooding from a burst pipe.

The pipe burst over the weekend, leaving the courthouse's public elevators, stairwells, jury room and much of the lobby inaccessible, according to a public notice. This is not unlike an incident over New Year's Day weekend when a pipe burst caused major damage to courtrooms, offices, elevators and more.

"I tried to leave a piece of evidence with the judge that I needed in my case, and they said that they didn't have the capability to process anything," Arta Wildeboer said. "So really all they were doing today was making sure that all the people that needed to be here were here and to be able to give them a new date."

The public notice said the courthouse would be immediately transferring all imperative and in-custody matters to a different courthouse. Court staff were outside the building helping people navigate and answer questions to help the process go as smoothly as possible.

"It, honestly, was not that bad. The court was very organized, everybody got out into lines for their specific court room that they needed to be in," Wildeboer said. "And, they came and explained what was going on, that a pipe had burst, and they just quickly helped everybody figure out what their issue was and get them checked in."

The public notice said the court is working with partners at the Judicial Council of California, who own and operate the facility, to assess the damage and obtain an estimate of when the courthouse will reopen.

Compton courthouse users are encouraged to visit the court's website for updates on the closure and call 310-761-4300 to check on a case's status.