A criminal case in San Bernardino County is filed and heard at one of four criminal courthouses, based on the area where the case arose, so go to the courthouse named on your paperwork. Your first court date is usually the arraignment, where you learn the charges, enter a plea, and the judge addresses bail or release. Depending on the charge, diversion or a collaborative court may be available.
Which courthouse hears your case
San Bernardino County Superior Court hears felony and misdemeanor cases at four locations: the Criminal Division at the San Bernardino Justice Center, and the Rancho Cucamonga, Victorville, and Joshua Tree districts. Under the court's Local Rules 131 and 1301, the presiding judge designates by general order where criminal cases are filed and heard, and the court's Where Can I File? page lists the communities, and even stretches of highway, that each criminal courthouse covers (see also the court's Local Rules). Go to the courthouse named on your citation, notice to appear, or complaint. Some cities have a courthouse that takes no felony or misdemeanor filings: Fontana's criminal cases are heard at Rancho Cucamonga, and Barstow's at Victorville. The firm's answer on which San Bernardino County courthouse will hear your case lists the exact communities each of the four districts covers.
What happens at your arraignment
The arraignment is usually your first court date. The judge tells you what you are charged with, advises you of your rights, including the right to a lawyer, takes your plea, and sets bail or release conditions along with your next court date (see the California Courts self-help guide on the arraignment). Bring a photo ID and your case papers, such as a citation, jail release papers, or bail receipts (see the court's Criminal Division page). If you miss this or any later court date without an excuse the court accepts, the court can issue a bench warrant for your arrest.
How bail works before that date
The San Bernardino Superior Court publishes a felony and misdemeanor bail schedule, effective January 1, 2026, that sets amounts for people arrested without a warrant, before they see a judge (see the court's Felony/Misdemeanor Bail Schedule). The schedule describes itself as a guideline: every bailable offense is subject to an individualized decision, and pre-arraignment amounts are not binding at arraignment, where the judge can consider the charges, your record, the facts of the case, and what both lawyers present. Depending on the charge and your record, you may also be released on your own recognizance, meaning without posting money bail.
What happens after your arraignment
What comes next depends on whether you are charged with a felony or a misdemeanor. A felony case moves toward a preliminary hearing, where a judge decides whether there is enough evidence for you to be held to answer and go to trial; the hearing itself does not decide guilt, and the prosecution's main evidence is tested through cross-examination at that stage (see the California Courts self-help overview of pretrial activities in a criminal case). A misdemeanor case has no preliminary hearing and instead moves through pretrial or settlement conferences. Either way, expect the prosecution to turn over police reports and other evidence early, expect your own lawyer to review that evidence along with any available body-worn camera or lab results, and expect at least one hearing aimed at settling the case before any trial.
Diversion and collaborative courts
Depending on the charge and your background, a San Bernardino County case may qualify for diversion, which can pause a prosecution before any conviction, or for a collaborative treatment court, some of which take cases only after a conviction, with programs built around mental health treatment, substance abuse, and military service. The court listed Adult Drug Court, Adult Mental Health Court, and Veterans Treatment Court among its collaborative treatment courts in a May 2024 announcement, and its Criminal Division page posts the application for mental health diversion. Eligibility, the application process, and what a program actually requires vary by program and by charge; the firm's answer on San Bernardino County military diversion and veterans court referral walks through how that specific pathway works, including who qualifies and which charges are excluded by law.
Public defender or your own lawyer
If you cannot afford a lawyer, the court will appoint one, typically the San Bernardino County Public Defender's Office, usually at the arraignment (see the California Courts guide to the arraignment). You can also hire a private attorney instead. If your appointed lawyer is not there when your case is called, see the firm's answer on what to do if your public defender does not show up for court.
What to bring and how to check your case
Keep track of your case through the court's online portal (Criminal/Traffic Court Case Information Online), which provides case information and court calendars. Bring your citation or any paperwork you received, a photo ID, proof that you have complied with any court orders, and the name of your attorney, if you have one, to every court date. If your case is based in Victorville, Rancho Cucamonga, or a nearby High Desert or West Valley community, see the firm's pages on criminal defense in Victorville and Rancho Cucamonga.
The Law Offices of David S. Chesley can review your charging document and tell you which courthouse and process actually apply to your case; reach the firm at (800) 755-5174.