1. At least one of the spouses must have lived in San Bernardino County for at least three months prior to divorce.
In order to legally file for divorce in San Bernardino County, at least one of the spouses must have lived in that county (officially) for three whole months prior to the petition. In addition to this, at least one of the spouses must have lived in the state of California for at least six months prior to the divorce petition. These three/six month periods must come immediately prior to the petition for divorce.
2. The courthouse in which you file divorce depends on where in San Bernardino County you or your spouse resides.
There are multiple courthouses in San Bernardino County that handle family law cases. If you want to find out which one your case will be handled in, you can visit “Where Can I File?” – a service of the San Bernardino County Courts or contact the San Bernardino divorce Lawyer at our firm directly. Below is a list of San Bernardino County courts that handle family law proceedings.
- Joshua Tree District Court – Joshua Tree, CA
- Family Law and Probate Division of the San Bernardino District Court – San Bernardino, CA
- Victorville District Court – Victorville, CA
Contact our firm to learn which court your San Bernardino divorce case will be handled in.
3. Paternity cases in San Bernardino County are handle in the court closest to where the children reside.
Slightly differing from divorce proceedings, paternity and parentage cases are handled in the court closest to where the children reside, not necessarily where the parent or parents reside. Either the mother or the father can file paternity actions in order to determine who the actual father of the child/children is.
4. Divorce fees are different in San Bernardino County courts from fees in other family law courts.
Court fees and filing fees differ from county to county. The San Bernardino Courts publicly disclose all family law related fees and expenses. Below is a list of fees for common petitions.
- Petition for dissolution of marriage - $435
- Motion or order to show cause - $60
- Response to a petition to dissolve marriage - $435
5. If you live in San Bernardino County, you don’t necessarily have to file for divorce here.
If you live in San Bernardino County but your spouse lives in a different county, you may file for divorce in that other county so long as your spouse has lived in that other county for at least three months and in the state of California for at least six months. Where you file for divorce depends on county of residence, length of residence, and which party is filing for divorce.
If you have any questions regarding a divorce, the San Bernardino family lawyers at Family Law Advocacy Group are here for you. Call us today for an evaluation of your case!