The Sixth District Court of Appeals will soon call Sunnyvale home. On Aug. 5, ceremonial shovels went into the ground to mark the start of construction on the new courthouse. Among those digging in was California’s Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Patricia Guerrero, who donned the same pink hard hat that was worn more than two decades ago in Santa Ana at the groundbreaking for the last new court of appeals.

“[This courthouse] will provide adequate or more adequate space in public waiting areas, our service counter, the clerk’s office, and mediation rooms,” said Guerrero. “It’s for the community as well as for the justices. It’s important not only for our judicial staff but for the public that we serve.”

The courthouse will be much larger than its current location on the 10th floor at 333 Santa Clara St. in Downtown San Jose. Sixth Appellate District Administrative Presiding Justice Mary J. Greenwood says the Sunnyvale site, which is very close to Sunnyvale City Hall, will fit the community, while still protecting its intent.

“Courts have a purpose, and buildings have a design that is ideally meant to serve that purpose,” said Greenwood. “Here we are in Sunnyvale, which is Silicon Valley, and if you look at the beautiful Sunnyvale City Hall, you’ll see that Sunnyvale is a modern community, and we needed to recognize and complement that.

“The rendering of the design is an attempt to be able to live in the modern world, but to recognize the fundamental purpose of what we do, which is to interpret the law, to administer justice, and to promote the rule of law,” continued Greenwood. “That’s really what we are here to do, in our own quiet way, with our writings and our thoughts.”

The Sunnyvale location will be built on the former site of the Santa Clara County Superior Court, land that’s already owned by the state. That means once the Sunnyvale location is built, the state will save on rent money. It costs $2,078,832 to rent the Downtown San Jose location for 2026-27.

The court handles cases in Santa Clara, San Benito, Santa Cruz and Monterey counties. This new courthouse is expected to improve security, accessibility and operational efficiency. It will also have better on-site parking.

“New courthouses like this one for the Sixth Appellate District remind us of our unwavering commitment to equal access to justice, ensuring that everyone, regardless of their background, can find support, dignity, and receive a fair shot within these walls,” said Shelly Curran, administrative director for the Judicial Council.

Construction is expected to take at least two years. Funding comes from a portion of the $1.9 billion allotted in this year’s state budget for court infrastructure.

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