The courthouse was abolished on the 30th July 1988 as it was no longer needed. The back rooms were used for Berry Police Station until duties were transferred to Nowra in 1994.
The courthouse was assessed by B. Burke, M. Lidbetter, B. Meek and M. Meek and was approved and listed by the National Trust on 28th of October 1992.
Most of the original cedar fittings built by the Ettingshausens were removed between 1992 and 1994 to be reused in other court houses.
The courthouse was auctioned on 24th of September 1994 at Elders Auction Rooms in Berry. It was bought by Anthony Graham.
Since then there has been a long and vigorous fight by local residents against development proposals and to get the courthouse back into community hands.
At a Special Policy and Planning Committee meeting of Council on Tuesday 27th of April 1999 a unanimous decision was taken that the detailed acquisition proposal submitted by the Berry Alliance be adopted. This proposal was that the council purchase the Berry Courthouse with the help of the Berry Alliance. Contracts were signed and exchanged on the 31st May 1999, for the purchase of the courthouse by the Shoalhaven City Council from Anthony Graham for $350,000 ($35,000 from the Berry community). The building was purchased in July 1999 and a lease signed with the Berry Court House Conservation Committee, which was formed from the Berry Alliance and other interested groups and individuals, for 10 years.