Find Victorville Divorce Records
Victorville residents file for divorce through San Bernardino County Superior Court. The city does not handle divorce records on its own. All family law cases get processed by the county court system. Victorville has a courthouse at (760) 245-6215 that serves the area, but the main records and case files are maintained by San Bernardino County. You can search for divorce cases online using the county court portal at cap.sb-court.org. The portal lets you look up cases by name or case number at no charge. Most case information is available online, though some documents require an in-person visit or mail request. San Bernardino County charges $0.50 per page for copies and $40 for document certification. If you need a certified divorce decree, expect to pay around $15 to $20 depending on the number of pages in your judgment.
San Bernardino County Court System
San Bernardino County has several courthouse locations. The main San Bernardino Justice Center is at 247 W. Third Street, San Bernardino, CA 92415. This location handles many family law matters and has a civil information line at (909) 708-8678. The Family Law Facilitator can be reached at (909) 269-8829 if you need help with forms or procedures. Self-help services for family law are available at (909) 269-8826.
Victorville residents may also use the courthouse in Rancho Cucamonga, which has a family law division at (909) 350-9764. The Victorville courthouse itself serves the High Desert area. These branch locations can help with filing and basic services, but some records requests may need to go through the main office in San Bernardino. Call ahead to confirm which location has your case file.
To request copies of divorce records, contact the civil division at the courthouse where the case was filed. You will need the case number or both party names. The clerk can search the system and tell you what documents are available. Fees are $0.50 per page for copies. Certification of documents costs $40. This means a certified copy of a five-page divorce decree would cost $42.50 total.
Using the Online Case Portal
San Bernardino County uses the Court Access Portal at cap.sb-court.org. This system lets you search for cases online. Enter a party name or case number in the search box. The portal returns all matching cases. You can filter by case type to show only family law or dissolution cases.
Once you find the right case, click on it to see more details. The register of actions lists every document filed in the case from the petition to the final judgment. You can see filing dates, document types, and sometimes the parties involved. Some documents may be viewable online, but many family law records are restricted due to privacy rules. You may need to request copies from the clerk to see the full contents.
The online search is free to use. You do not need to register or pay to look up case information. If you want to download documents, there may be fees involved. Check the portal for current pricing. Some counties charge per page while others have flat fees for document access.
Requesting Divorce Decrees
To get a certified copy of a divorce decree, start by finding the case number. You can use the online portal or call the court. Once you have the case number, submit a written request to the court. Include the case number, the names of both parties, and specify that you want a certified copy of the judgment. Mail your request to the San Bernardino Justice Center or the courthouse where the case was filed.
Include payment with your request. The fee is $40 for certification plus $0.50 per page. If you do not know how many pages the decree has, include a check for $50 and ask the clerk to refund any overpayment. Most divorce decrees are three to seven pages long. Make checks payable to San Bernardino County Superior Court.
In-person requests can be made at the courthouse during business hours. Bring your ID and be ready to pay at the counter. The clerk will search for your case and prepare copies while you wait or schedule a pickup time. Same-day service is often available if the file is on-site. Files stored off-site may take a few days to retrieve.
Costs and Processing
San Bernardino County copy fees are standard across California at $0.50 per page. Certification costs $40 per document. This is set by state law in Government Code Section 70626. A typical divorce decree with the certification will cost $42 to $43.50. Longer decrees with many provisions may cost more.
Processing times vary. Walk-in requests at the courthouse are often handled the same day. Mail requests take longer, usually one to three weeks. If the file is archived or stored off-site, expect up to four weeks. The court will contact you if there are delays or if they cannot locate the case with the information you provided.
Rush services may be available for an extra fee. Contact the court to ask about expedited processing. Not all courthouses offer this option. Most people find that standard processing is fast enough for their needs.
Help for Victorville Residents
Inland Counties Legal Services provides free legal help to low-income individuals in San Bernardino County. They assist with family law matters including divorce, custody, and support. Their High Desert office serves Victorville and the surrounding area. Call (760) 241-7073 to see if you qualify for services. You can also visit their website at inlandlegal.org for more information.
The court self-help center at the San Bernardino Justice Center has staff who can help you with forms and procedures. They cannot represent you in court or give legal advice, but they can explain how the process works. The center has computers you can use to fill out forms. They also have printed forms and instructions available. The self-help line is (909) 269-8826.
The Family Law Facilitator is another free resource. This office provides assistance with child support, custody, and visitation matters. They can review your paperwork and suggest changes before you file. The facilitator does not handle property division or spousal support issues. Call (909) 269-8829 to schedule an appointment.
Information Needed for Searches
To search for a divorce case, you need basic identifying information. Here is what helps:
- Full name of one or both parties
- Middle name or initial if possible
- Year the case was filed or approximate time period
- Case number if you have it
Common names can produce many search results. Adding the year narrows it down. If you only know the decade, that still helps. The case number is the best search tool because each case has a unique number. Check old legal papers, tax returns, or bank statements from around the time of the divorce. The case number might be on those documents.
If you cannot find the case online, call the court. The clerk can search by name and year. They have access to older records that may not be in the online system. Be ready to provide as much detail as you can about the case.
Who Can Access Divorce Records
California divorce records are public documents. Anyone can request copies from the court. You do not need to be a party to the case or explain why you want the records. The court must provide copies to anyone who pays the fees. This is California law under the Government Code and court rules.
Certain information is protected from public view. Social Security numbers, bank account numbers, and addresses of children are redacted. Parties file a confidential information sheet that keeps these details private. The rest of the case file is open to the public unless a judge orders it sealed.
Sealed cases are rare. A judge will only seal records if there is a strong legal reason such as risk of harm or trade secret protection. Personal embarrassment or a desire for privacy is not enough. Most divorce files remain fully accessible to the public.
Older Victorville Divorce Cases
San Bernardino County Superior Court has divorce records going back many decades. Even very old cases should be in the archives. The court is required by law to keep divorce judgments permanently. If you need records from the 1980s or earlier, contact the court. Older files may be stored off-site, which means retrieval takes longer. Expect to wait three to four weeks for archived files.
For divorces finalized between 1962 and June 1984, you can also request a Certificate of Record from the California Department of Public Health. This certificate shows the names of both parties, the date, the county, and the case number. It does not include the actual divorce decree or any details about the settlement. The fee is $18 per certificate, and processing can take six months or more. Mail requests to P.O. Box 997410, Sacramento, CA 95899-7410. For the full divorce decree, contact San Bernardino County Superior Court.
Nearby Cities in San Bernardino County
Other large cities in San Bernardino County include San Bernardino, Rancho Cucamonga, and Fontana. Divorce records for residents of these cities are also handled by San Bernardino County Superior Court. Use the same online portal and contact numbers to search for cases filed in any county city. The court system serves all residents of the county regardless of which city they live in.