San Joaquin County - American Courthouses

San Joaquin County is named for Saint Joachim which in Spanish is “Joaquin”.

Courthouses:

N – Sacramento County

E – Amador County, Calaveras County and Stanislau County

S – Stanyslau County

W – Alameda County and Contra Costa County

Created: February 18, 1850

County Seat:

Stockton 1850 – present

Old County Courthouse – Stockton

Location: 222 East Weber Avenue / North Hunter Street

Built: 1962 – 1964

Style: Modern

Architect: Mayo, Johnson, DeWolf, Clawsley & Whipple

Contractor: Stolte, Inc. of Oakland

Description: The building faces north and is a seven story buff colored brick, concrete and glass structure. The rectangular shaped building is located in the center of Stockton. The north and south sides have horizontal windows with horizontal green colored panels between. The east and west ends are buff colored brick, The north side has a central entrance and there are vertical pillars with green colored tiles behind. The main entrance is along the west side with a glass panel section adjoining the lower building on the south side. The Goddess of Justice from the second courthouse constructed in 1890, stands on a pedestal at the west side entrance. On the south side of the building is the Canlis Administration Building.

County Courthouse – Stockton

Location: 180 East Weber Avenue / Hunter Street

Built: 2012 – 2015

Style: Modern

Architect: NBBJ Architects of San Francisco

Contractor: Turner Construction Company

Description: The building faces north and is a thirteen story glass and concrete structure. The rectangular shaped building is located on Hunter Square in the center of Stockton on the west side of the old County Courthouse. The transparent entry lobby is positioned adjacent to the tower and expressed as a grand public room framed by a tall colonnade and broad entry steps. The courtrooms with windows allowing filtered natural light to their interior and the chambers are clad in a precast concrete reflecting the colors and character of the surrounding farmland. The courtroom waiting galleries, emphasizing transparency in justice, are expressed as a large bay window attached to a polished white colored precast frame. The flat roof over hangs the building. The building houses the County Superior Court – Civil and Criminal, County Family Court, County Juvenile Court, County Probate Court and County Small Claims Court.

Note: San Joaquin County was one of the 27 original counties created in 1850 after California became a state.

History: The county was created in 1850 and Stockton was selected as the county seat. C M Weber donated the land comprising Courthouse Square in 1851. The first courthouse was both the courthouse and city hall designed by Ayres and Higgins and built by Theodore Winter in 1853 to 1854 at accost of $83,920. The second courthouse was designed by Elijah E Myers and built by J A Moross in 1887 to 1890 at a cost of $250,000. The building was demolished in 1961. The third courthouse was constructed in 1962 to 1964 and is still standing. The fourth and present courthouse was constructed in 2012 to 2015 at a cost of $308,401,000.

County Administration Building – Stockton

Location: 44 North San Joaquin Street / East Weber Avenue

Built: 2007 – 2009

Style: Modern

Architect: Fentress Architects

Contractor: Hense Phelps Construction Company

Description: The building faces northwest and is a five story red colored brick, concrete and glass structure. The building is located in the center of Stockton on the east side of the old County Courthouse. The northwest corner has a large blue colored glass front which slopes upwards over the plaza. The first story has vertical concrete pillars. The entrance lobby rises to the top of the glass section. The roof line is flat.