Merced County, Robert M. Falasco Justice Center

Merced County, Robert M. Falasco Justice Center


Completion Date: 1st Qtr 2016
Occupancy Date: September 16, 2016
Gross Square Footage: 29,511
Total Courtrooms: 2
Authorized Project Budget: $26,388,000
Architectural/Engineering Firm: Williams + Paddon
Construction Manager at Risk: Swinerton Builders
Fund: Senate Bill 1407
Initial Funding Year: FY 2009–2010

Merced County, Robert M. Falasco Justice Center, Los Banos

The Superior Court of California, County of Merced operates in court facilities that serve population centers principally located near the Interstate 5 and Highway 99 corridors. The courthouse for western Merced residents lies in Los Banos.

The former Los Banos Courthouse was a county-owned, shared-use building constructed in 1980. The court occupied approximately a third of the building's 15,000 square feet, with a single courtroom and associated space for court operations. The court conducted felony, misdemeanor, traffic, drug court, limited civil, and small claims calendars there. The facility was overcrowded, functionally deficient, and significantly lacking in security features to current standards.

The new courthouse replaced the former courthouse with a modern, secure, and functionally appropriate courthouse. It expanded court services in western Merced County by providing a jury assembly room and adding a family law division and family law proceedings, including mediation and self-help services. It also provides one additional courtroom to accommodate a planned new judgeship. Acquisition of the site for the courthouse, 4.6 acres at G Street on the north side of Mercey Springs Road, was completed in January 2012.

California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Compliance

Judicial Council staff complied with CEQA by filing a categorical exemption for this project's preferred site on August 12, 2011.

 

Contact Info

Judicial Council of California
Facilities Services

455 Golden Gate Avenue
8th Floor
San Francisco, California
94102-3688

E-mail
Facilities@jud.ca.gov