The Franklin County Courthouse was the hardest hit of any such facility in the state, with rising water forcing an evacuation of the lower level as power was cut off.
Months later, the building is still not in use, and court operations have been farmed out to other sites.
"This is the worst flood in Franklin County history," Chief Circuit Judge Thomas Wingate told lawmakers Tuesday. "This one was way worse than '78, and it was way worse than the /97 flood. Our architect never anticipated that this would happen. This is a catastrophic event."
Some affected court records once housed in the basement clerk's office are being sent off for restoration.
A bill in the last legislative session created a Court of Justice Reserve Account, but those funds are restricted and can't be used until the General Assembly authorizes it — something that can't happen until the legislature reconvenes in January or for a special session. Meanwhile, court officials say the costs are mounting.