Court Calendar in Modesto, CA: Look Up Hearings by Case or Name

To check the court calendar in Modesto, CA, use the Stanislaus County Superior Court’s Public Portal at stanportal.stanct.org. Open the Calendars tab, pick “Daily Calendars,” choose your date, and the portal lists every case set that day by department number, with case number, party names, hearing type, and time.1Superior Court of California, County of Stanislaus. Public Portal Because the court runs out of several buildings in Modesto and Turlock, the department number on your entry is what tells you which courthouse to go to.

Looking Up Your Hearing

The portal is free to search. Viewing the daily calendar and basic case information costs nothing, and you don’t need an account.

Treat what you see as informational, not the official record. Judges continue matters and reassign departments after the calendar posts. If anything on your entry looks off, or if you don’t see the case you expect, call the clerk’s office for the division handling your case to confirm before your hearing date.

Searching by Case Number or Name

The cleanest search is by case number. Every Stanislaus case has a unique one, and it appears on any paperwork the court or the other party has served on you.2Superior Court of California | County of Stanislaus. Case Research Process One number, one result.

If you don’t have the case number, search by party name spelled exactly as it appears on the filing. Common names produce long lists, so narrow the date range when you can.

Not everything shows up in a public search. Harassment restraining order cases 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 records, juvenile dependency and delinquency matters, family conciliation records, and other case types kept confidential by law are excluded from the portal entirely.3Judicial Branch of California. Rule 2.550. Sealed Records If yours is one of those, contact the relevant division directly.

Which Courthouse Your Department Sits In

The department listed on your calendar entry tells you the courtroom. The division tells you the building. Stanislaus County Superior Court splits its caseload across several locations:

  • Criminal matters (felonies, misdemeanors, infractions) and family law hearings are held at the Main Courthouse, 800 11th Street, Modesto.4Superior Court of California | County of Stanislaus. Divisions Criminal
  • Civil and probate cases (lawsuits, contracts, estates, trusts, conservatorships) are heard at the City Towers Courthouse, 801 10th Street, Modesto.5Superior Court of California County of Stanislaus. Home – Section: Court Locations
  • Juvenile Court, both dependency and delinquency, operates from 2215 Blue Gum Avenue, Modesto.6Superior Court of California | County of Stanislaus. Justice
  • Traffic cases (Vehicle Code violations and infractions) are at 2260 Floyd Avenue, Modesto.7Superior Court of California | County of Stanislaus. Traffic Court
  • Small claims and unlawful detainer (eviction) cases go to the Turlock branch, 300 Starr Avenue, Turlock.8Superior Court of California | County of Stanislaus. Turlock Court (Small Claims and UD)

Between the two downtown buildings, Departments 1 through 15 and 25 are at the Main Courthouse on 11th Street, and Departments 21 through 24 are at City Towers on 10th Street.9Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Department. Court Services The buildings are one block apart, but going to the wrong one still costs you time you may not have before a hearing starts.

What the Hearing Type Means

Each calendar entry carries a short label for the purpose of the hearing. The ones you’ll see most often:

  • Arraignment (ARR). The first appearance in a criminal case. The judge states the charges, explains your rights, and takes your plea.10Judicial Branch of California. The Arraignment
  • Pretrial Conference (PTC). A meeting between the judge and the attorneys about how the case is progressing and whether a plea or settlement is possible.10Judicial Branch of California. The Arraignment
  • Case Management Conference (CMC). Used in civil cases. The judge reviews the timeline, checks on discovery, and sets deadlines.11Judicial Branch of California. Prepare for a Case Management Conference
  • Order to Show Cause (OSC). A notice requiring you to appear and explain why the court should not take a specific action. Common in family law and contempt matters.
  • Mandatory Settlement Conference (MSC). A court-ordered meeting close to trial where a judge pushes both sides to resolve the case.

If an abbreviation on your entry doesn’t match any of these, call the clerk’s office for the division before your date. Some hearings expect you to arrive with documents ready or a settlement position in mind, and turning up unprepared can cost you more than the trip.

Appearing Remotely

Most divisions allow some form of remote appearance, but the request method differs and sending it the wrong way can mean it never gets processed.

  • Civil and probate: schedule telephonic appearances through VCourt. Don’t file form RA-010 for case management conferences, law and motion hearings, or ex parte hearings; the court waives the notice requirement for those.
  • Criminal: email criminalzoomrequests@stanct.org. Zoom is available to attorneys and to self-represented parties who already have court authorization.
  • Family law: file forms RA-010 and RA-020. If approved, the returned RA-020 will be marked “Granted” with the department’s phone number.
  • Juvenile: remote appearance is at the judge’s discretion, and for contested dependency hearings all parties must agree. When permitted, the attorney or District Attorney provides a 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 a fee for remote appearances.12California Legislative Information. California Government Code 70630 The fee is $25 in most California courts, with an added $25 late fee if you register after the deadline. Criminal, traffic, and juvenile matters are generally exempt, as are parties with an approved fee waiver.13Superior Court of California | County of Stanislaus. Remote Appearances If you cannot afford court fees, apply using form FW-001.14Judicial Branch of California. Ask for a Fee Waiver

If You Miss Your Hearing

Consequences start faster than most people expect, and they vary by 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. On a felony where you were released on bail, the failure to appear is a separate felony under 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 your scheduled date.

In traffic cases, missing the date or failing to pay a fine can add a civil assessment of up to $100, put a hold on your driver’s license, and lead to a warrant. In civil and family cases, the judge can enter a default judgment, meaning the other side wins without your input. In a custody matter, that can mean losing parenting time you might 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. Judges have discretion to continue a matter, and a request made in advance is far more likely to work than an explanation afterward.

Interpreters and Disability Accommodations

California courts provide language interpreters at no cost. Request one as soon as you have a hearing date. Many courts use form INT-300, which asks for your case number, the language, and your hearing date; submit it to the Interpreter Coordinator’s Office and follow up to confirm.15Judicial Branch of California. Request an Interpreter

For a disability accommodation, such as a wheelchair-accessible courtroom, an assistive listening device, or a sign language interpreter, submit form MC-410 to the court’s ADA Coordinator at least five court business days before your hearing. Don’t file MC-410 electronically with your other court papers; it is a confidential document. You can also call the court or make the request in person.16California Courts. How to Request a Disability Accommodation for Court (MC-410-INFO)

Hearing Day Logistics

Clerk’s offices at every Stanislaus County court location are open 8:15 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.17Superior Court of California | County of Stanislaus. Operating Hours The general court number is (209) 530-3100. Courtroom proceedings frequently begin at 8:30 a.m., so a first-thing morning hearing means arriving before the clerk’s office opens.

Every courthouse has security screening at the entrance: metal detector, bags scanned. Leave anything that could be mistaken for a weapon at home or in the car, and add 10 to 15 minutes on busy mornings when lines stack up.

You can bring a cell phone into the building. Using it to photograph or record inside a courtroom, through courtroom windows, or in adjacent hallways requires prior approval from the judge of that courtroom. Photography and recording are banned entirely at the Juvenile Court on Blue Gum Avenue, in jury assembly and deliberation rooms, at clerk’s offices and windows, and in the Self-Help Center at the Main Courthouse.18Stanislaus County Superior Court. Local Rules – Rule 1 – General Silence your phone before you walk into the courtroom and keep it in your pocket.

The Main Courthouse and City Towers sit one block apart in downtown Modesto. There is limited metered street parking and paid garages nearby, and several Stanislaus Regional Transit (StaRT) and Modesto Area Express (MAX) routes serve downtown, with the Modesto Transit Center as the closest hub. The Turlock branch at 300 Starr Avenue has its own surface lot and is generally easier to park at.