San Benito County Superior Court

San Benito County Superior Court
2014 courthouse
Map
36°51′11″N 121°24′16″W / 36.85306°N 121.40456°W / 36.85306; -121.40456
Established1874
JurisdictionSan Benito County, California
Location
Coordinates36°51′11″N 121°24′16″W / 36.85306°N 121.40456°W / 36.85306; -121.40456
Appeals toCalifornia Court of Appeal for the Sixth District
Websitesanbenito.courts.ca.gov
Presiding Judge
CurrentlyHon. J. Omar Rodriguez[1]
Court Executive Officer
CurrentlyTim Newman

The Superior Court of California, County of San Benito, also known as the San Benito County Superior Court or San Benito Superior Court, is the California superior court with jurisdiction over San Benito County.

History

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Plaza Hall in San Juan Bautista State Historic Park (left)

San Benito County was partitioned from Monterey County in 1874.[2]

Angelo Zanetta purchased and rebuilt Plaza Hall in San Juan Bautista in 1868; it had been constructed originally in 1815 and Zanetta was anticipating that he could resell the building to the newly-formed San Benito County to serve as a courthouse. When Hollister was named the county seat instead, Zanetta made it his family home.[3]

The first county courthouse was a two-story wooden building leased from F.I. Hodges that originally stood at the intersection of Monterey and Fourth in Hollister. Court operations began from April 6, 1874.[4]: 327  This building was used until the new courthouse was completed in May 1888, whereupon it was moved to San Benito Street and used as a Japanese lodging house.[4]: 327  John Breen was appointed as the first County Judge.[4]: 327 

Former courthouses
1888 courthouse
1963 courthouse

The murder trial against John T. Prewett[5] drew many visitors to the courthouse, convincing the county Board of Supervisors "that a new court house is an absolute and pressing necessity", but an election on April 12, 1887, was defeated as the bonds proposed to be issued, US$30,000 (equivalent to $1,020,000 in 2023), was thought to be too low. A second election on June 7, 1887, authorizing the issue of US$40,000 (equivalent to $1,360,000 in 2023) in bonds passed; four lots were purchased. The cost of the land was US$4,500 (equivalent to $153,000 in 2023) and the successful bidder for construction was Knowles & Whitmore, at US$35,987 (equivalent to $1,220,000 in 2023), working from plans drawn up by J. Gosh. The new courthouse was completed on May 7, 1888.[4]: 327 

This third courthouse in Hollister served until 1961, when it was damaged in an earthquake.[6][7] A new courthouse was built in 1963.[8] By 2006, the 1963 building was noted to have "extremely poor security, is functionally deficient, and is among the worst in the state in terms of physical condition", described as "outdated and undersized".[9]: 5  The present courthouse was completed in 2014 and occupied in March of that year.[10][11]

Venues

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Map
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150m
160yds
2
1
San Benito County Superior Court locations:[12]
1
440 5th St (1888–1961; 1963–2014)
2
450 4th St (2014)

The courthouse is in Hollister, the county seat. A new courthouse was completed in early 2014, consolidating operations from several different buildings in downtown Hollister.[10]

References

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  1. ^ "Judicial Assignments". Superior Court of California, County of San Benito. Retrieved 13 July 2021.
  2. ^ California State Assembly. "An Act to create the County of San Benito, to establish the boundaries thereof, and to provide for its organization". Twentieth Session of the Legislature. Statutes of California. State of California. Ch. LXXXVII p. 95. direct URL
  3. ^ "Plaza Hall". San Juan Bautista Historic Walking Trail. Retrieved 21 July 2022.
  4. ^ a b c d Tinkham, George H. (1910). "XI: The Story of San Benito County". History and Biographical Record of Monterey and San Benito Counties. Los Angeles: Historic Record Co. pp. 323–334.
  5. ^ Duke, Thomas S. (1910). "The murder of Dr. A. W. Powers in San Benito County". Celebrated criminal cases of America. San Francisco: The James H. Barry Company. pp. 272–275. Retrieved 21 July 2022.
  6. ^ "San Benito County". California Supreme Court Historical Society. Retrieved 13 July 2021.
  7. ^ "From the archives: Hollister hit by two quakes". SFGate. April 10, 2009. Retrieved 21 July 2022.
  8. ^ "San Benito County, California". Courthouse History. Retrieved 13 July 2021.
  9. ^ Office of Court Construction and Management, Administrative Office of the Courts (September 8, 2006). Superior Court of San Benito, County of San Benito: New Hollister Court Project Feasibility Report (PDF) (Report). Judicial Council of California. Retrieved 21 July 2022.
  10. ^ a b "San Benito County, Hollister Courthouse". California Courts. Retrieved 21 July 2022.
  11. ^ Deacon, John (2015). "San Benito County". American Courthouses. Retrieved 13 July 2021.
  12. ^ "Locations & Contact Info". The Superior Court of California, County of San Benito. Retrieved 13 July 2021.
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