What is the Stanislaus County courthouse for a criminal case in Modesto?

Stanislaus County's criminal cases, felonies, misdemeanors and infractions, are heard at the Main Courthouse, 800 11th Street in Modesto, where the Criminal Clerk's Office sits on the first floor. Out-of-custody arraignments are heard Monday through Friday at 8:30 a.m., in-custody arraignments at 1:30 p.m. The citation, notice to appear or release paperwork gives the court date and time.

Which Stanislaus County courthouse hears your case

The Main Courthouse in Modesto holds the Criminal Division and every criminal department; four other buildings handle traffic, juvenile, civil and probate, and small claims and unlawful detainer cases.

The court's own locations page lists five buildings, and only one of them hears criminal matters.

Courthouse directory for Stanislaus County; only the Main Courthouse hears criminal cases.

The Main Courthouse and City Towers Courthouse are separate buildings a few blocks apart in downtown Modesto. Check the address on your own paperwork before you drive over.

Finding your case and court date

Stanislaus County's own online portal searches public case information; a case that fell off the calendar needs a specific court form, not a phone call.

The court's Search for a Case page links its Public, Justice Partner, and Attorney Portal for case lookup; private attorneys can register separately for added access to cases where they are attorney of record. If a hearing was missed, an attorney can ask to have the case placed back on calendar directly, but a self-represented defendant must apply in person at the Clerk's Office, since only a judge can grant the request; the firm's Stanislaus County CR-02 case calendar request answer walks through that form. General clerk questions go to Criminal.Requests@stanct.org; staff cannot give legal advice.

Arraignment and your first court date

Anyone held in custody must be taken before a magistrate within 48 hours, not counting Sundays and holidays; at arraignment the charge is read and the plea entered.

Penal Code 825(a)(1) requires that "the defendant shall in all cases be taken before the magistrate without unnecessary delay, and, in any event, within 48 hours after his or her arrest, excluding Sundays and holidays." When that 48 hours would end while court is not in session, subdivision (a)(2) extends the deadline "to include the duration of the next court session on the judicial day immediately following," so in practice it runs through the end of the next court session on the following court day; the same subdivision adds a Wednesday rule, so someone arrested on a Wednesday after that day's session ends must reach a magistrate no later than the following Friday, unless the Wednesday or the Friday is a court holiday. This clock applies only to someone held in custody, not to a person who was cited and released, and it is not a deadline for filing charges. Stanislaus County's own criminal FAQ says the defendant must personally appear, and that an attorney may appear on the defendant's behalf unless the court orders the defendant to appear personally; a misdemeanor domestic violence defendant must attend arraignment and sentencing (Penal Code 977(a)(2)); the firm's Modesto domestic violence page covers those charges.

Remote appearances in criminal cases

Zoom appearances in a Stanislaus County criminal case need the court's prior authorization and an emailed request, and Penal Code 977 limits them.

The court's own Remote Appearances page states that Zoom links for criminal hearings are requested by emailing criminalzoomrequests@stanct.org, for counsel and self-represented parties who already have prior authorization; a represented defendant should contact their own attorney instead of emailing the court. Penal Code 977 separately sets who must appear in person: in a misdemeanor-only case the defendant may appear through counsel and, with agreement, handle most hearings remotely except a jury or court trial, though a domestic violence or DUI case can still require the defendant's presence; a felony defendant must be physically present at arraignment, the plea, the preliminary hearing, trial evidence and sentencing unless a waiver allows the pretrial steps to go remote, and the statute bars any remote jury or court trial and any remote felony sentencing except for postconviction relief proceedings and as otherwise provided by law.

Bail and release in Stanislaus County

Bail starts with the county's annual schedule, but a judge setting money bail must weigh ability to pay and may deny bail outright only for a narrow list of offenses.

Under Penal Code 1269b, the court's judges adopt and annually revise a uniform countywide bail schedule for bailable felony and misdemeanor offenses and infractions other than Vehicle Code infractions; the current Stanislaus County Superior Court Bail Schedule took effect January 1, 2026. Before a first appearance, the schedule generally allows release on a signed promise to appear or on a judge's own-recognizance order, except for the offenses Penal Code 1270.1 lists. After a first appearance, Penal Code 1275 requires the judge to weigh protection of the public, the seriousness of the charge, criminal history and the likelihood of appearing, public safety being the primary factor, and a judge may go below the schedule for a serious or violent felony only after finding unusual circumstances on the record. In re Humphrey (2021) requires weighing the person's ability to pay and nonfinancial conditions before relying on money bail alone, and In re Kowalczyk (2026) adds that a judge may deny bail outright, in a noncapital case, only for the offenses in California Constitution article I, section 12(b) and (c), and that any money bail must generally be set in an amount reasonably attainable for that person. A serious or violent felony other than residential burglary, among 1270.1's other listed offenses, needs its own hearing, with two court days' notice to both sides, before bail is set below the schedule or the person is released on own recognizance; a sworn peace officer's declaration under Penal Code 1269c can still raise bail above the schedule on those same charges without that hearing. See the firm's Modesto violent offenses and how California bail amounts are set pages. A misdemeanor-only defendant in custody is otherwise entitled to own-recognizance release under Penal Code 1270 unless the court finds, under Section 1275, that release would endanger public safety or not reasonably assure appearance.

Who prosecutes and defends a case, and is there a treatment court

Stanislaus County's main criminal-justice offices sit apart from the court itself, and one department runs the county's CARE Court and other collaborative calendars.

Criminal-justice offices serving the Main Courthouse, each separate from the court itself.

Penal Code 987(a) requires the court to appoint counsel for anyone who appears at arraignment without a lawyer, wants one and cannot afford one, and Government Code 27706(a) commits the Public Defender to represent that person "without expense to the defendant," through the preliminary examination and every later stage. The firm's public defender versus private attorney answer compares that choice. The court's current judicial assignments, revised October 16, 2026, list one department for "CARE Court; SARB; Collaborative Court," and the Superior Court's own history page traces its Adult and Juvenile Drug Courts to 1995 and 1996.

Missed court dates and bench warrants

Missing a scheduled date can lead to a bench warrant, and the Clerk's Office will not discuss an open warrant by phone.

Stanislaus County's criminal FAQ states that bench warrant information is not given over the telephone; checking one means coming into the Clerk's Office in person to review the file. Penal Code 978.5 lets a judge issue a bench warrant for a missed appearance, but after a signed citation with no bail posted, Penal Code 853.8 says the magistrate "shall issue" one within 20 days; willfully breaking that written promise to appear is also its own misdemeanor under Penal Code 853.7. Willfully failing to appear to evade the court is a further misdemeanor or felony under Penal Code 1320 after release on own recognizance, or a separate felony under Penal Code 1320.5 after release on bail in a felony case, with that intent presumed after a willful 14-day absence under 1320, and open to that finding under 1320.5. Under Penal Code 1305, the court must also declare bail forfeited for a failure to appear without sufficient excuse, generally vacated if the defendant appears within 180 days.

What to bring, hours, and finding someone in custody

Stanislaus County's Main Courthouse keeps weekday hours, and a separate Sheriff's tool, not the court's own records, shows who is currently booked into county jail.

The court's criminal division page says to bring proper identification, a copy of the citation or promise to appear, and any documents showing compliance with judicial orders or probation terms. Main Courthouse hours are Monday through Friday, 8:15 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.; the Criminal Division's own phone line, (209) 530-3100 extension 4, is staffed Monday through Friday, 8:15 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. To check whether someone is currently booked into the Stanislaus County jail, use the Sheriff's Office's own Who's in Jail search tool, which looks up a person by name, date of birth or 7-digit booking number. For records held in a different California county, see the firm's criminal court records from multiple California counties answer.

Talk to a lawyer about a Stanislaus County case

If you or a family member has a criminal case in Stanislaus County, talk to a lawyer before the court date. The Law Offices of David S. Chesley offers a free, confidential consultation, available 24 hours a day, with payment plans and service in Spanish. Call (800) 755-5174 or request a free consultation. See also the firm's Modesto criminal defense page, and its Modesto DUI page for a DUI arrest, which adds a separate DMV licensing process to the court case.

Frequently asked questions

Does every Stanislaus County courthouse hear criminal cases?

No. Only the Main Courthouse at 800 11th Street hears criminal cases; the nearby City Towers Courthouse handles civil and probate matters, and traffic, juvenile, and small claims and unlawful detainer cases are heard in three other buildings.

What happens if the 48-hour deadline falls while court is closed?

The 48-hour clock covers only a person held in custody and skips Sundays and holidays. When it expires with court closed, Penal Code 825(a)(2) carries it through the end of the next court session on the following court day; a Wednesday arrest made after that day's session reaches court by Friday unless either day is a court holiday.

Can my lawyer appear for me at the Main Courthouse?

Often, yes. In a misdemeanor-only case you may appear through counsel alone unless the court orders your personal appearance, with narrower exceptions for domestic violence and DUI cases. A felony case generally requires your own physical presence at arraignment, the plea, the preliminary hearing, trial evidence and sentencing.

How do I check whether someone is in Stanislaus County jail custody?

Use the Stanislaus County Sheriff's own "Who's in Jail" search tool at scsdonline.com rather than calling the court; the court's own records show the case, not current custody status.

Does Stanislaus County have a drug court or other collaborative calendar?

Yes. The court's current judicial assignments list one department for CARE Court, School Attendance Review Board matters and other collaborative-court calendars, and the court traces its Adult and Juvenile Drug Courts back to 1995 and 1996.

What if I already missed my court date?

If you have a lawyer, their office can ask to have the matter placed back on calendar; if you do not, you must apply in person at the Clerk's Office, since only a judge can grant that request, and bench warrant information is never given by phone.