Look, trying to track down a court record in San Bernardino County isn't exactly like a Google search for pizza. It’s more like a digital scavenger hunt through a system that’s half-stuck in the nineties and half-modernized. If you’ve spent any time staring at the Superior Court of California, County of San Bernardino website, you know exactly what I mean.
Maybe you're trying to check on a neighbor's "mysterious" legal drama or you're actually a lawyer who just needs to find a hearing date. Either way, the San Bernardino case number search process is the gatekeeper.
Honestly, the biggest headache isn’t finding the search bar; it’s understanding the weird codes the court uses. If you don't have those two-letter prefixes right, the system will basically look at you like you’re speaking a foreign language.
The Secret Code of San Bernardino Jurisdictions
Most people think a case number is just a string of digits. In San Bernardino, it’s a geographical map. The court uses a two-letter jurisdiction code that tells you exactly which courthouse is holding the file. If you see "RS," that’s Rancho Cucamonga. "VS" means Victorville.
It’s easy to get these mixed up, especially since these letters don't always appear on the documents you’re holding. You might see a case listed as "FSB12345," but the search portal wants the jurisdiction code instead.
Here is the "translation" most people need:
- SS or DS: San Bernardino Civil
- JS: San Bernardino Criminal
- RS: Rancho Cucamonga
- VS: Victorville
- BS: Barstow
- FS: Fontana
- MS: Joshua Tree
- PS: Probate
Wait, it gets weirder. If you have a case number like RFL012345, "RFL" is actually the case type (Rancho Family Law), but for the search, you’d likely use "RS" plus the numbers. It’s confusing. I know.
Using the Public Portal Like a Pro
The "Public Portal" (formally known as the Court Access Portal or CAP) is your best friend here. It’s where the actual San Bernardino case number search happens.
You’ve got two main ways to dig:
- Case Number Search: This is the fastest. You need a minimum of five characters. Do not put spaces. If there’s a dash, include it. Example: TR-21-000000.
- Party Search: This is what you use when you’re "researching" someone. You need a first and last name. Pro tip: Use a wildcard asterisk (
*) if you aren't sure of the spelling. If you type "Johnm*", it’ll catch "Johnman" and "Johnmon."
One thing to keep in mind: The court is currently in the middle of a massive project to turn mountains of paper records into digital files. Because of this, anything filed before 1998 is a total crapshoot online. If you're looking for an old inheritance case or a 1980s property dispute, you’re probably going to have to actually drive to the courthouse or call the clerk.
The Cost of Peeking at Documents
Finding the case exists? Free.
Actually reading the documents? That’s where they get you.
The San Bernardino Superior Court charges $0.50 per page for remote access to civil documents. There is a "mercy cap" of $50.00 per document, but if you’re looking at a 200-page lawsuit, it’s going to hurt your wallet. You can pay online, though the system sometimes goes down for "misdemeanor payments," which is a known glitch as of early 2026.
What You Can't See (The Privacy Wall)
Don't expect to find everything. California Rules of Court (Rule 2.503) are pretty strict about what stays private.
You aren't going to find adoption records. Juvenile cases? Forget about it—those are locked tighter than a bank vault. Even in divorce cases, some sensitive financial disclosures or custody details are redacted or just flat-out restricted from public online viewing.
If the portal tells you "Access Restricted," it’s not a glitch. It’s the law. In those cases, you might still be able to see the "Register of Actions" (a list of what happened and when), but the actual PDFs of the motions won't be clickable.
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Real-World Troubleshooting
What if you search and get zero results?
First, check your prefix. If you’re searching for a traffic ticket (Citation Number), there’s a separate tab for that on the portal. Don’t try to put a ticket number into the Case Number field. It won't work.
Second, check the date. If the case was filed yesterday, the clerk might not have keyed it into the system yet. There’s a human element to this. Someone has to sit there and type the data in.
Finally, check the "Business Search" if you’re looking for a company. The portal has a specific tab for businesses that requires a login, unlike the general party search which is often more open.
Moving Forward with Your Search
If you’ve hit a wall online, your next move is the clerk’s office. The main San Bernardino District Criminal Division is at 247 West Third Street. If you’re dealing with Family Law, you’ll head to 351 North Arrowhead Avenue.
Actionable Next Steps:
- Identify your jurisdiction code using the list above (RS, VS, SS, etc.).
- Navigate to the CAP portal and ensure you are in the correct tab (Case vs. Citation).
- Use the asterisk wildcard for name searches to account for spelling errors or middle initials.
- Check the Register of Actions first before paying for document downloads to ensure the file actually contains the information you need.
- Visit the courthouse in person for any records dated before 1998, as these are rarely digitized in full.