New Stanislaus courthouse court operations delayed to winter 2026-27

The new Stanislaus County courthouse in downtown Modesto is expected to finish construction in fall 2026, but court operations are not expected to begin there until winter 2026-27.

That means construction completion, building activation, staff relocation and the start of public court services will occur in separate steps. The latest schedule, reported by The Modesto Bee on July 8, places the start of court operations several months after construction is finished.

Another delay for a long-running project

The revised timeline is the latest in a series of schedule changes for a courthouse project that has been in development for more than a decade. The original expectation was that construction would finish in late 2024, followed by an opening soon afterward. A later Judicial Council projection called for construction to finish in June 2025.

Costs have also increased. California Courts lists the project at an authorized amount of $351.9 million, while The Modesto Bee reported that the final cost remains under evaluation and could exceed that figure because of construction delays. The $351.9 million amount should not be treated as the final all-in cost.

What the new courthouse is designed to replace

The seven-story, roughly 309,284-square-foot facility is planned to include 27 courtrooms. California Courts says it will replace the existing Modesto Courthouse, the adjacent Hall of Records building, the Ceres and Turlock courthouses, and three leased facilities.

The goal is to bring court operations into one full-service downtown Modesto location instead of maintaining services across multiple buildings. The project site is generally bounded by G and H streets and Ninth and 10th streets.

Judicial Branch Budget Committee materials dated May 20, 2026, list June 30, 2027, in project-related reporting connected to the new courthouse. That date provides activation and relocation context, but it should not be treated as a confirmed public opening date unless the court issues a specific announcement.

Where court users still go

Until the court issues formal relocation notices, existing locations remain important. The Stanislaus Superior Court lists the main courthouse at 800 11th Street in Modesto, civil services at City Towers at 801 10th Street, family law and some probate services at 1100 I Street, juvenile services at 2215 Blue Gum Avenue, and traffic court at 2260 Floyd Avenue.

Small claims and unlawful-detainer matters continue to be handled at the Turlock Court at 300 Starr Avenue. Court users should follow their hearing notices and check the court’s current location information rather than assume that a case or service has moved.

10th Street has reopened

A nearby traffic change arrived earlier in July. 10th Street between G and H streets reopened to traffic after more than a year of closure related to courthouse construction. The city said it had no current plans to close that block again.

The reopening improves access around the construction area, but it does not mean the courthouse is operational. Residents should continue watching for official notices about activation, relocation dates, courtroom assignments, parking, security screening and the final start of public services.

Sources

• The Modesto Bee: New Stanislaus courthouse delay
• California Courts: New Modesto Courthouse project
• Stanislaus Superior Court: Locations and contact information