With the fair summer weather, grand jury proceedings were held under a large oak tree approximately 150 yd (140 m) from the court house on the south branch of the creek, while the trial jury deliberated on the north branch of the creek under a similar copse.

"[3]: 87 The county seat were moved to Snelling via the election of September 1855, and court was held temporarily in the parlor of the only hotel in town.

[3]: 87  The first permanent courthouse in Merced County was completed there in early 1857 at the cost of US$13,000 (equivalent to $430,000 in 2023) by James O. McGahey and Charles S.

[5][6] After the railroad had completed its line to Merced, a petition was filed in October 1872 to move the county seat there, contested by an election held on December 12 of that year.

[3]: 88  The court was moved again, temporarily, to a brick building owned by Olcise & Garibaldi at Front and L streets, then to the lower story of Washington Hall while a second permanent courthouse was being built.

[9] Court operations were consolidated into a single tilt-up concrete building completed in 2007 to a design by Nacht & Lewis.