[2] Angelo Zanetta purchased and rebuilt Plaza Hall in San Juan Bautista in 1868; it had been constructed originally in 1815 and Zanetta was anticipating that he could resell the building to the newly-formed San Benito County to serve as a courthouse.

[4]: 327  This building was used until the new courthouse was completed in May 1888, whereupon it was moved to San Benito Street and used as a Japanese lodging house.

[4]: 327 The murder trial against John T. Prewett[5] drew many visitors to the courthouse, convincing the county Board of Supervisors "that a new court house is an absolute and pressing necessity", but an election on April 12, 1887, was defeated as the bonds proposed to be issued, US$30,000 (equivalent to $1,020,000 in 2023), was thought to be too low.

A second election on June 7, 1887, authorizing the issue of US$40,000 (equivalent to $1,360,000 in 2023) in bonds passed; four lots were purchased.

[8] By 2006, the 1963 building was noted to have "extremely poor security, is functionally deficient, and is among the worst in the state in terms of physical condition", described as "outdated and undersized".