The daily court calendar for Modesto, CA and the rest of Stanislaus County is published on the Superior Court’s free Public Portal at stanportal.stanct.org. Open the Calendars tab, choose “Daily Calendars,” and pick your date. The portal lists every case set that day with the case number, party names, hearing type, time, and department.1Superior Court of California, County of Stanislaus. Public Portal The department number is what tells you which courtroom in which building.
The portal is informational, not the official record. Judges continue matters and reassign departments after calendars post, so if there’s any doubt your hearing is still on, call the clerk’s office for your division to confirm.
Searching for Your Hearing
Search by case number if you have one. Every Stanislaus case has a unique number printed on any paperwork the court or the opposing party has served, and entering it returns one result with no guesswork.2Superior Court of California | County of Stanislaus. Case Research Process
If you only have a name, type it exactly as it appears on the filing and narrow the date range. Common names generate long lists. Harassment restraining order cases don’t appear in the online portal at all; those can only be viewed in person at the civil clerk’s office or on a court kiosk.2Superior Court of California | County of Stanislaus. Case Research Process
Sealed and confidential records never show up in public results. Under California court rules, a sealed record is one a court order has closed to public inspection, and juvenile dependency and delinquency matters, family conciliation records, and certain other case types are kept confidential by law.3Judicial Branch of California. Rule 2.550. Sealed Records
Which Courthouse Your Department Is In
Stanislaus County splits its caseload across several buildings. The department on your calendar entry tells you where to go.
- Departments 1 through 15 and 25 are at the Main Courthouse, 800 11th Street, Modesto. Criminal matters and family law hearings are heard here.4Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Department. Court Services5Superior Court of California | County of Stanislaus. Divisions Criminal
- Departments 21 through 24 sit on the 4th and 6th floors of the City Towers Courthouse, 801 10th Street, Modesto. Civil lawsuits, probate, estates, trusts, and conservatorships are heard there.6Superior Court of California County of Stanislaus. Home – Section: Court Locations
- Juvenile Court, both dependency and delinquency, is at 2215 Blue Gum Avenue, Modesto.7Superior Court of California | County of Stanislaus. Justice
- Traffic cases are handled at 2260 Floyd Avenue, Modesto.8Superior Court of California | County of Stanislaus. Traffic Court
- Small claims and unlawful detainer (eviction) cases are heard at the Turlock branch, 300 Starr Avenue, Turlock.9Superior Court of California | County of Stanislaus. Turlock Court (Small Claims and UD)
The Main Courthouse and City Towers sit one block apart in downtown Modesto, so if your hearing involves separate civil and family matters you may need to walk between the two.
What the Hearing-Type Abbreviations Mean
Each calendar entry carries a short label describing the purpose of the appearance. The ones you’ll see most often:
- ARR, Arraignment. The first appearance in a criminal case, where the judge states the charges, explains your rights, and takes a plea.10Judicial Branch of California. The Arraignment
- PTC, Pretrial Conference. A meeting between the judge and attorneys to discuss case progress and any plea or settlement.10Judicial Branch of California. The Arraignment
- CMC, Case Management Conference. A civil check-in where the judge sets deadlines and reviews the discovery schedule.11Judicial Branch of California. Prepare for a Case Management Conference
- OSC, Order to Show Cause. A notice requiring you to appear and explain why a particular action should not be taken, common in family law and contempt matters.
- MSC, Mandatory Settlement Conference. A court-ordered meeting close to trial where a judge pushes both sides to resolve the case.
If the label on your entry doesn’t match anything above, call the clerk’s office for that division before your date. Walking in without knowing what the judge expects can cost you, especially if documents or a settlement position were supposed to be ready.
Appearing by Phone or Zoom
Many Stanislaus hearings allow remote appearance, but each division has its own request method. Using the wrong one usually means the request never reaches the right desk.
- Civil and probate: schedule telephonic appearances through VCourt. Don’t file form RA-010 for case management conferences, law and motion, or ex parte matters; the court waives the notice requirement for those.
- Criminal: Zoom links are requested by emailing criminalzoomrequests@stanct.org, and the option is limited to attorneys and self-represented parties with court authorization.
- Family law: file Request for Remote Appearance forms RA-010 and RA-020. If approved, the returned RA-020 is marked “Granted” with the department phone number.
- Juvenile: remote appearance is at the judge’s discretion, and contested dependency hearings require all parties to agree. If allowed, the attorney or District Attorney sends the Zoom link.
- Small claims and unlawful detainer: call the Turlock Clerk’s Office at (209) 530-3100, option 6, then option 3.
- Traffic: for a first hearing or arraignment, schedule through Calendly and select “YES” for Zoom. For other traffic hearings, email Traffic.Requests@stanct.org or call (209) 530-3100, option 1.
California Government Code section 70630 authorizes courts to charge a remote appearance fee.12California Legislative Information. California Government Code 70630 The fee is $25 in most California courts, with an additional $25 late fee for registering after the deadline. Criminal, traffic, and juvenile matters are generally exempt, as are parties with a fee waiver.13Superior Court of California | County of Stanislaus. Remote Appearances If you can’t afford court fees generally, you can apply for a fee waiver using form FW-001.14Judicial Branch of California. Ask for a Fee Waiver
If You Miss the Hearing
Consequences start quickly and depend on the case type.
In a criminal case, failing to appear after release on your own recognizance is itself a misdemeanor under California Penal Code section 1320. If you were released on bail for a felony, the failure to appear becomes a separate felony under Penal Code section 1320.5. The judge will almost certainly issue a bench warrant, and the law presumes you intended to evade the court if you don’t appear within 14 days of the scheduled date.
In traffic cases, missing a date or failing to pay can bring an added civil assessment of up to $100, a hold on your driver’s license, and potentially a warrant. In civil and family law, the judge can enter a default judgment against you, meaning the other side wins without any further input from you; in custody matters, that can mean losing parenting time you could otherwise have negotiated.
If you realize ahead of time that you can’t make it, call the clerk’s office for your division before the hearing date. Judges have discretion to continue a matter, and a request made in advance has a far better chance than an explanation after the fact.
Getting Into the Courthouse
Hours and Phone
Clerk’s offices at every Stanislaus location are open 8:15 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.15Superior Court of California | County of Stanislaus. Operating Hours The main court number is (209) 530-3100. Courtrooms often start at 8:30 a.m., so if your hearing is first thing, plan to arrive before the clerk’s office even opens.
Security and Phones
Every courthouse has a metal-detector screening and bag scan at the entrance. Build in 10 to 15 extra minutes for lines on busy mornings. You can bring a phone inside, but photographing or recording in a courtroom, through courtroom windows, or in adjacent hallways requires prior approval from the judge of that courtroom. Photography and recording are banned outright at the Juvenile Court on Blue Gum Avenue, in jury assembly and deliberation rooms, at clerk’s windows, and in the Self-Help Center at the Main Courthouse.16Stanislaus County Superior Court. Local Rules – Rule 1 – General Silence your phone and keep it in your pocket.
Parking and Transit
Metered street parking and paid garages are available near the Main Courthouse and City Towers in downtown Modesto. Stanislaus Regional Transit (StaRT) and Modesto Area Express (MAX) routes stop within a few minutes’ walk of both, with the Modesto Transit Center as the closest hub. The Turlock branch at 300 Starr Avenue has its own surface lot with generally easier parking.
Interpreters and Disability Accommodations
Court interpreters are provided at no cost. Request one as soon as you have a date; many courts use form INT-300, submitted to the Interpreter Coordinator’s Office.17Judicial Branch of California. Request an Interpreter For a disability accommodation such as a wheelchair-accessible courtroom, assistive listening device, or sign language interpreter, submit form MC-410 directly to the court’s ADA Coordinator at least five court business days before your hearing. MC-410 is confidential and should not be filed electronically with your other court papers.18California Courts. How to Request a Disability Accommodation for Court (MC-410-INFO)