Find Ontario Divorce Records

Divorce records for Ontario residents are kept at San Bernardino County Superior Court. Ontario is in San Bernardino County, so all divorce cases from this city go through the county court system. The main courthouse for San Bernardino is the San Bernardino Justice Center at 247 West Third Street. Call (909) 708-8678 for civil information. For family law help, call the Family Law Facilitator at (909) 269-8829 or the Self-Help Center at (909) 269-8826. The Rancho Cucamonga courthouse at 8303 Haven Avenue is closer to Ontario and handles some family law cases. Call (909) 350-9764 for info about this location. San Bernardino County has an online case portal where you can search for divorce records by name or case number. Basic searches are free. To get a certified copy of a divorce decree, the fee is forty dollars plus fifty cents per page. Some counties charge fifteen dollars for a divorce decree but San Bernardino uses the standard certification fee for all documents.

San Bernardino County Courts

San Bernardino County is large and has multiple courthouse locations. The main courthouse is the San Bernardino Justice Center at 247 West Third Street in San Bernardino. This building has civil, criminal, and family law divisions. The civil information line is (909) 708-8678. Family law services include the Family Law Facilitator at (909) 269-8829 and the Self-Help Center at (909) 269-8826. These services are free and can help with forms and procedures.

For Ontario residents, the Rancho Cucamonga courthouse is often more convenient. This courthouse is at 8303 Haven Avenue in Rancho Cucamonga. Call (909) 350-9764 for general info. Many family law cases for the western part of the county get filed and heard at this location. The courthouse handles divorce, custody, support, and other family matters.

When you file for divorce in Ontario, the case goes into the San Bernardino County system. You get a case number. The court assigns the case to a judge and a courthouse. All documents you file become part of the permanent record. This includes the petition, response, financial forms, and the final judgment. The court keeps these files indefinitely.

To find out where a specific case is assigned, call the clerk or use the online portal. The portal shows which courthouse has the case and the department number. This tells you where to go for hearings or to get copies in person.

Search Cases Online

San Bernardino County has an online Court Access Portal at cap.sb-court.org. This portal lets you search for cases by name or case number. The system is free to use for basic searches. You do not need to create an account. Just go to the site and enter the search info.

To search by name, enter the last name and first name of one party. If you have the case number, enter that instead. The portal shows a list of matching cases. Click on a case to see the Register of Actions. This is a timeline of all filings and events. You can see when the petition was filed, when the response came in, when hearings took place, and when the judgment was entered.

Some documents may be available to view or download online. Family law cases have privacy rules. Financial disclosures and custody evaluations are usually sealed. But the basic case info and the final judgment are public. You can see the outcome of the case and when it was finalized.

If you need a certified copy, you may be able to order it through the portal or you can go to the courthouse in person. A certified copy has the court seal and clerk signature. You need this for official uses like remarriage or name changes. San Bernardino County charges forty dollars for certification plus fifty cents per page. This is the standard certification fee for all documents in the county.

Request Certified Copies

To get a certified copy of a divorce decree in person, go to the courthouse where the case was filed. If the case is in San Bernardino, go to 247 West Third Street. If it is in Rancho Cucamonga, go to 8303 Haven Avenue. Bring the case number if you have it. If not, bring the names of both parties and the year the divorce was filed or finalized.

Tell the clerk you need a certified copy of the divorce decree. The clerk will look up the case and tell you the fee. The standard fee is forty dollars for certification plus fifty cents for each page. Most divorce decrees are only a few pages so the total cost is usually around forty to forty-five dollars. Pay at the counter with cash, check, or card. The clerk will prepare your copy. If the file is on-site, you may get it the same day. If the file is in storage, it may take longer.

For mail requests, write a letter with the case number or party names and approximate date. Say you want a certified copy of the divorce decree. Include a check or money order for forty dollars plus extra for pages. Make the check out to San Bernardino Superior Court. Mail to: San Bernardino County Superior Court, 247 West Third Street, San Bernardino, CA 92415. Do not send cash. The court will process your request and mail the copy to you. Allow a few weeks for processing.

Note: San Bernardino County does not offer the reduced fifteen dollar fee for divorce decrees that some counties have. All certified copies cost forty dollars for the certification plus page fees. This is set by county policy.

California Divorce Law

To file for divorce in California, one spouse must live in the state for six months. The same person must live in the county where they file for three months. Family Code Section 2320 sets this residency rule. If you just moved to Ontario, wait until you meet the time requirement before filing in San Bernardino County.

California is a no-fault state. You do not need to prove your spouse did anything wrong. You just state there are irreconcilable differences. This means the marriage cannot be saved. Family Code Section 2310 lists the two grounds for divorce. Irreconcilable differences is what most people use. The other is incurable insanity, which is rare.

After the court enters a judgment, there is a six month wait before the divorce is final. The six months start when the respondent was served with the divorce papers. Once six months pass and the judge signs the judgment, the divorce is complete. Both parties are single and can remarry. Family Code Section 2339 explains the waiting period.

Divorce records are public in California. Anyone can request a copy of a divorce decree. Some parts of the file may be sealed like financial disclosures or custody evaluations. But the fact of the divorce and the final judgment are open records. This allows people to verify marital status or get copies for legal reasons.

How to Start a Divorce

To file for divorce in San Bernardino County, fill out form FL-100, Petition for Dissolution of Marriage, and form FL-110, Summons. You can get these forms at selfhelp.courts.ca.gov/divorce-forms. All California courts use the same forms. Download and print them for free. The filing fee is around $435 to $450. If you cannot afford it, fill out form FW-001 to request a fee waiver. The court looks at your income and expenses and may waive all or part of the fee.

After you file, you must serve the other party. Someone over 18 who is not part of the case must deliver the papers. You can hire a process server or use the sheriff. The person who serves the papers fills out a Proof of Service form. You file this with the court to show that service happened.

The other party has thirty days to respond. If they do not respond, you can ask for a default. If both parties agree on all issues, you can file a stipulated judgment. If you disagree, you may need mediation or a trial. Most cases settle before trial.

• FL-100 Petition to start the case
• FL-110 Summons for the other party
• FL-120 Response form
• Financial disclosure documents
• FL-180 Judgment to finalize the divorce

Free Legal Help

San Bernardino County has a Family Law Facilitator office that provides free help with child support and other family law issues. Call (909) 269-8829. They can explain forms and procedures. They do not represent you in court. The Self-Help Center at (909) 269-8826 also helps with forms and questions about the process. They cannot give legal advice but they can guide you through the steps.

If you need a lawyer but cannot afford one, contact Inland Counties Legal Services. They help low-income people with family law cases in San Bernardino County. Call to see if you qualify. The San Bernardino County Bar Association also offers a lawyer referral service. You can get connected with an attorney for a reduced-rate consultation.

Many people in California represent themselves in divorce cases. This is allowed by law. The court provides forms and instructions. You are responsible for following all rules and deadlines. If you need help, ask the self-help center or talk to a lawyer. Some lawyers offer limited scope services where they help with part of your case while you handle the rest.