Merced County covers a wide stretch of the San Joaquin Valley, from the Coast Range foothills on the west to the Sierra foothills on the east. The 2020 Census counted 281,202 residents. Merced, the county seat, had 86,333, followed by Los Banos at 45,532 and Atwater at 31,970. Livingston, Gustine and Dos Palos round out the six cities.
From our Sacramento office, Atwater is about 100 miles straight-line, Merced about 106 and Los Banos about 113. We handle Merced County process serving and court filing from that office. Send the documents on a Service Request or email them to Service@ValproAttorneyServices.com.
Merced District and West County District
Merced Superior Court divides the county into two districts. The West County District is the Los Banos courthouse, and it covers five ZIP Codes: 95322 (Gustine and Santa Nella), 95374 (Stevinson), 93620 (Dos Palos), 93635 (Los Banos) and 93665 (South Dos Palos). Everything else belongs to the Merced District. A case is heard where it arose, where disputed land is located or where a party lives, and the court can transfer a case filed in the wrong district.
Some proceedings stay in Merced no matter where they start. The local rules list contested probate, conservatorships and guardianships, juvenile dependency, civil case management, mandatory settlement conferences, jury trials, adoptions and drug court.
Old Merced Courthouse, 627 West 21st Street. The Civil Division is here. It handles civil, small claims, probate, adoption, juvenile dependency, civil harassment, name changes, unlawful detainers, elder abuse, conservatorships, guardianships and emancipation. The Civil clerk works 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Limited civil law and motion is in Courtroom 9 on Mondays at 1:30 p.m. and Wednesdays and Thursdays at 10:00 a.m. Unlimited civil law and motion is in Courtroom 8 at 8:15 a.m. on weekdays.
Ogletree Jr. Courthouse, 2260 North Street. Formerly the New Merced Courthouse, it takes family law and criminal matters. The criminal clerk's office on the first floor opens at 7:45 a.m. Family Court Services is on the second floor.
Juvenile justice cases are heard separately, at the Iris Garrett Juvenile Justice Correctional Complex on West Sandy Mush Road.
Robert M. Falasco Justice Center, 1159 G Street. The Los Banos Division accepts all small claims, limited and unlimited civil filings, including adoption, probate, conservatorship, guardianship, civil restraining orders and name changes, and all family law filings. It also hears traffic, criminal, juvenile, civil and small claims matters. Its office runs 7:45 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The old Dos Palos and Gustine branches no longer hear matters.
Drop boxes, e-filing and paper copies
Every Merced courthouse has an official drop box, available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The court says documents deposited before 4:00 p.m. are filed the same day. At the Old Merced Courthouse, the box is near the double doors on the southwest corner.
E-filing is required for attorneys. Under Local Rule 2, represented parties must e-file in limited, unlimited and complex civil actions and in family law and probate matters other than child support agency cases, unless the court excuses them. Self-represented parties are exempt. Criminal cases accept e-filing only for subsequent filings. The court uses Odyssey eFileCA, and Tyler Technologies has charged a $1.00 minimum credit card convenience fee on e-file transactions since September 1, 2024.
Rule 2 also sets timing. An e-filed document is deemed filed only once the clerk accepts it. If same-day service of a document is required, it must be e-filed by 5:00 p.m. on the day it's due.
For paper filings, the Civil Division returns conformed copies only when the filing includes a self-addressed stamped envelope. The counter takes cash and money orders, and a personal check requires a financial declaration.
Our Merced County court filing service handles e-filing and runs to either district. Details on what to send are on the Court Filings page. General information, not legal advice.
Papers to serve in Merced County?
Small claims in Merced County
Small claims can be filed with the Civil Division in Merced or at the Los Banos Division. Merced also offers small claims night court on the second Wednesday of each month at 5:00 p.m., by request when the case is filed. The court's small claims advisor takes calls from 8:00 a.m. to noon, and a settlement office keeps morning hours on Mondays and Tuesdays.
Valley towns, the west side and the foothills
Highway 99 runs through Livingston, Atwater and Merced, with Delhi, Winton, Planada and Le Grand nearby. The former Castle Air Force Base borders Atwater, and UC Merced sits northeast of Merced. Campus and business-park addresses can have their own access rules, so name the building and any gate in your Letter of Instruction.
The west side follows Interstate 5 and State Route 152. Santa Nella, Gustine, Los Banos and Dos Palos are spread across farmland, and Pacheco Pass climbs toward the Santa Clara County line past San Luis Reservoir. To the northeast, Snelling and the Merced River foothills are thinly settled. Remote areas are subject to different timelines.
When a Merced County address turns out to be stale, skip tracing can look for a current one. Our post on skip tracing for legal cases explains how it works.
Sheriff and private service
The Merced County Sheriff's Civil Bureau also serves civil process. Its page blocked automated access when we checked in October 2026, so confirm its current requirements and hours with the Sheriff directly.
Any adult who is at least 18 and not a party can serve a summons. Our guide on who can serve papers in California explains when a paid server registers, and the proof of service guide covers the proof filed afterward. From January 1, 2027, AB 747 provides that three good-faith attempts on 3 different days at 3 different times show reasonable diligence for substituted service (CCP § 415.20(b)(2)), and clerks' registers of process servers become public (Bus. & Prof. Code § 22355). The AB 747 guide has more. General information, not legal advice.
Companies are usually served through their agent for service of process; see serving corporations.
Start a Merced County request
Start a Service Request, upload up to 5 PDFs and choose Rush or Standard. Get every update by email. Call 855-582-5776, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Neighboring county hubs: Stanislaus County, Madera County, Fresno County and Mariposa County.