Modesto bankruptcy court finds a new home

Modesto's division of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court moved Monday into new offices at 1200 I St., Suite 4.

"We've just come up a couple blocks, but it's just beautiful here," said Deborah Martin, operations coordinator for the office. Her second-floor office view is of the Stanislaus County Courthouse grounds. "It looks like a little park out there."

The Bankruptcy Court's seven case managers used to do business at 1130 12th St.

Now they're above a bank and a restaurant in the six-story building at 12th and I that opened in 2006. Members of the Stanislaus County district attorney's office and the Stanislaus County Employees Retirement Association are in the offices above. There's a public parking garage adjacent.

"It's newer. It's prettier. But the job is still the same," Martin said.

Unfortunately, business has been booming.

Modesto's bankruptcy filings have soared 97 percent, rising to 1,325 in the first six months of this year compared with 672 in the same period last year.

Martin said people visiting the court should use the elevator on the I Street side of the building.

The division serves Calaveras, Stanislaus and Tuolumne counties.

Office hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays. The phone number is the same, 521-5160.

This story was originally published August 12, 2008 at 5:11 AM with the headline "Modesto bankruptcy court finds a new home."