Placer County Superior Court
History
Placer County was one of the original counties formed in 1850 when California gained statehood.
The first Placer County Court was organized with a temporary wood and canvas courthouse erected in 1851 on Auburn's Court Street. A two-story wooden courthouse was built shortly thereafter and the Court of Sessions was held for the first time on December 10, 1853, in the new structure. In 1891, a grand jury report was released, stating "it is a deplorable fact that the condition of its public buildings is a disgrace to modern civilization and a reflection on our intelligent community."
A new courthouse was built on the site of the 1853 courthouse; the 1853 courthouse was moved aside on rollers and demolished in 1897, and the new courthouse complex (including a jail and a hall of records) was dedicated on July 4, 1898. Starting in 1953, additional courtrooms were created in leased buildings. The 1898 courthouse was refurbished from 1986 to 1990; staff were moved to the DeWitt Complex temporarily during the renovation, but the move became permanent due to a lack of space at the 1898 courthouse. Also in 1990, a court was opened at the main jail, and in 2000 a juvenile court was established.
From the start, a Justice of the Peace was named to conduct court hearings for each township in Placer County, including:
- Township 1 (Roseville), which had an additional location at the railroad depot
- Township 4 (Colfax)
- Township 5 (Foresthill)
- Township 8 (Tahoe City)
- Township 9 (Loomis)
- Township 10 (Lincoln)
In 2008, the court headquarters were moved to Roseville at the Santucci Justice Center.
Venues
The historic Placer County Courthouse is listed as a contributing property of the Old Auburn Historic District, which was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1970.
References
- ^ "Judicial Assignments and Directory". Superior Court of California, County of Placer. Retrieved 4 November 2020.
- ^ "History of the Placer County Court System". Superior Court of California, County of Placer. Retrieved 4 November 2020.
- ^ "National Register Information System – Old Auburn Historic District (#70000138)". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. November 2, 2013. Retrieved November 4, 2020.