Modoc County Superior Court

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

Modoc County Superior Court
1914 courthouse (photographed in 2012 by Carol Highsmith)
41.48324°N 120.54029°W / 41.48324; -120.54029
Established1874
JurisdictionModoc County, California
Location
Coordinates41.48324°N 120.54029°W / 41.48324; -120.54029
Appeals toCalifornia Court of Appeal for the Third District
Websitemodoc.courts.ca.gov
Presiding Judge
CurrentlyHon. Francis W. Barclay[1]
Court Executive Officer
CurrentlyBrandy Malcolm[1]

History

Modoc County was partitioned from Siskiyou County in 1874.[2] Alturas was named as the county seat and Julius Holliman was appointed as the first county judge.[3]

The first court sessions in Alturas were held in the "community building" which also held the town's social gatherings such as public meetings, church services, and dances. That social hall was built in 1873 when the settlement was known as Dorris Bridge.[4] The first purpose-built courthouse was completed in 1884 by T.B. Reese[5] at Main and Water Streets.[6] By 1911, the courthouse was characterized as "the oldest courthouse in the state, and it is probably the most dilapidated", warning that "many documents of untold value are in daily peril of destruction by fire".[7] The second courthouse was torn down for scrap lumber after the third courthouse was completed.[6]

Frederic DeLongchamps designed the 1914 courthouse, which was built by W.N. Concannon.[8] A site was chosen in 1913 between the new grammar school and Main Street, on land that had been deeded to the county by James J. Dorris.[9] The initial round of bids from prospective contractors were all rejected, as all the bids exceeded $90,000, while the architect's had estimated the cost at $84,000.[10] The cornerstone for the new courthouse was scheduled to be laid on July 2, 1914,[11] but this was delayed to September,[12] and construction was completed on January 31, 1915.[13] On May 6, 1915, the new courthouse was dedicated; the cost was estimated at US$125,000 (equivalent to $3,620,000 in 2022).[14] The dome of the 1914 courthouse was traditionally painted copper, but was repainted in gold in 1974.[15] A modern annex was added in 1993 and dedicated as the Robert A. Barclay Justice Center, honoring the former District Attorney and Modoc County Judge who had served there since 1961.[16]

The 1914 courthouse underwent significant refurbishment in 2014–15 to prepare for its centennial.[17][18]

Venues
🌍
Modoc County Superior Court locations:[19]
1
Water & Main (1883–1914)
2
205 S East St (1914–present)

The courthouse has always been in Alturas, the county seat.

References
  1. "Home page". Superior Court of California, County of Modoc. Retrieved 13 July 2021.
  2. California State Assembly. "An Act to create the County of Modoc, to establish the boundaries thereof, and to provide for its organization". Twentieth Session of the Legislature. Statutes of California. State of California. Ch. CVII p. 124. direct URL
  3. Wells, Harry Laurenz (1881). "IX: Siskiyou County as a political body". History of Siskiyou County, California. Oakland, California: D. J. Stewart & Co. p. 6471. Retrieved 25 July 2022.
  4. Brown, William S.; Sullivan, Joseph A. (1951). "Foreword". California Northeast: The bloody ground. Oakland, California: Biobooks. p. vii. Retrieved 25 July 2022.
  5. "Modoc County, California". Courthouse History. Retrieved 13 July 2021.
  6. "Modoc County Courthouse". Sierra Nevada Geotourism. Retrieved 25 July 2022.
  7. "Modoc Will Have New Courthouse". Sacramento Daily Union. September 21, 1911. Retrieved 25 July 2022.
  8. Deacon, John (2015). "Modoc County". American Courthouses. Retrieved 13 July 2021.
  9. "Select Courthouse Site". Sacramento Daily Union. November 12, 1913. Retrieved 25 July 2022.
  10. "Modoc Board Rejects Bids". Sacramento Daily Union. April 14, 1914. Retrieved 25 July 2022.
  11. "Will Lay Cornerstone". Sacramento Daily Union. June 10, 1914. Retrieved 25 July 2022.
  12. "Masons Will Lay Cornerstone". Sacramento Daily Union. September 14, 1914. Retrieved 25 July 2022.
  13. "Modoc completes new courthouse". Sacramento Daily Union. February 1, 1915. Retrieved 25 July 2022.
  14. "Modoc Dedicates Fine Courthouse". Sacramento Daily Union. May 7, 1915. Retrieved 25 July 2022.
  15. "Modoc County". California Supreme Court Historical Society. Retrieved 13 July 2021.
  16. "Obituary: Robert A. Barclay, Superior Court Judge". The Modesto Bee. April 2010. Retrieved 25 July 2022.
  17. Juillerat, Lee (January 3, 2014). "Object lessons: Modoc County Courthouse". Herald and News. Retrieved 25 July 2022.
  18. Juillerat, Lee (January 18, 2015). "Modoc County courthouse prepares for centennial". Herald and News. Retrieved 25 July 2022.
  19. "Location and Contact Information". The Superior Court of California, County of Modoc. Retrieved 13 July 2021.
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