The state government would last week not rule out cutting Magistrates Court sittings at Scottsdale and St Helens after announcing, on September 24, that the Smithton circuit court had been axed.

The government announced on September 24 that Smithton's monthly court would no longer sit in the North-West town people because it was too expensive.

Dorset Mayor Barry Jarvis said that the council would ``fight tooth and nail'' to keep its Magistrate's Court at Scottsdale.

``The people who decide these things have to realise that regional areas, like Dorset, have very limited public transport opportunities and closing the court would effectively remove many residents' possibility of getting to court,'' Cr Jarvis said.

``It would be very disappointing to lose our Magistrates Court for the sake of a few dollars rent each year.''

Attorney-General Vanessa Goodwin said no decision had been made to cease sitting in other locations but the court was reviewing all its operations ``in an effort to operate effectively within the budget allocated''.

The Magistrates Court has been asked to find $800,000 in operational and wage savings by the government over the next four years.

The savings task comes on top of budget cuts by the former government.

The Law Society of Tasmania slammed the decision, saying it would end up costing the government more in locking up people who failed to appear.