Kerala was once divided into Cochin, Travancore, and Malabar, the latter ruled under the Madras Province by the British. In 1956, these regions merged to form Kerala. Thalassery was then the judicial capital of Malabar, with many notable cases tried there. Justice Krishna Iyer, a legal legend, began his practice in Thalassery.

The Principal Munsiff Court was established in Vatakara in 1896. The first case, Suit No. 1/1986, was an eviction suit, decided ex parte. Later, a Second Class Magistrate Court started in the Taluk Office, initially overseen by the Tahasildar. Eventually, a Judicial First Class Magistrate Court was established, and the Second Class Court ceased operations, shifting its materials to Thamarassery.

In 1914, a Sub Court was set up in Vatakara, covering Vatakara and Koyilandy Taluk. Due to workload, an additional Sub Court was established but later shifted to Koyilandy, reducing Vatakara’s jurisdiction.

Over time, Vatakara regained prominence with three district-level courts: the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal, Family Court, and NDPS Court, restoring its judicial significance.