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The San Bernardino Justice Center at 247 West Third Street handles criminal cases for a jurisdiction that runs from the valley floor all the way up into the San Bernardino Mountains, so a DUI arrest in Redlands and a DUI arrest in Big Bear Lake can end up on the same courthouse calendar. Clerk's hours there run Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., in the heart of downtown San Bernardino, just blocks from the county government center. If your case lands here, you're dealing with the busiest criminal courthouse in the county, prosecuted by the San Bernardino County District Attorney, whose main office sits nearby on the same street. Knowing how to get downtown, where to park, and what the clerk's office expects before your arraignment date can make that first morning far less stressful.
San Bernardino Justice Center — court & DMV details
Why your case is here
The San Bernardino Justice Center at 247 West Third Street is the criminal courthouse for the central valley cities — San Bernardino, Colton, Grand Terrace, Loma Linda, Highland, Redlands, and Yucaipa — and its jurisdiction climbs into the San Bernardino Mountains, so DUIs from Big Bear, Lake Arrowhead, Crestline, and Running Springs are heard here too. Mountain-road and pursuit DUIs on State Routes 18, 138, 189, and 330 funnel down to this courthouse. (Note: Fontana, Rialto, and Bloomington are in the West Valley district and route to Rancho Cucamonga.)
Getting Downtown to the Justice Center
Downtown San Bernardino gives you more parking choices than some of the county's other courthouses: a 3 hour metered lot sits at the northeast corner of Arrowhead Avenue and Third Street, right by the building, and all day lots are posted at Mount View and Fourth, along Arrowhead between Fourth and Fifth, and south of Second Street, with another 3 hour lot at Arrowhead and Fifth. If you'd rather skip the lots entirely, Omnitrans' sbX Green Line rapid bus stops at the Civic Center Station on E Street at Court Street, a stop whose own signage names the San Bernardino County courthouse as a destination. Once inside, expect the same security screening, a bag check and a walk through metal detector, that every San Bernardino County courthouse uses, so budget a few extra minutes before your calendar call.
Arraignment Day at the County's Busiest Criminal Courthouse
The Justice Center keeps standard court hours, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and documents or payments dropped in the building's drop box before 4 p.m. are processed that same day. Because this is the county's main criminal courthouse, arraignment calendars can run long, and the lobby and security line are typically busiest right at the 8 a.m. opening, so arriving earlier rather than later is worth it. The court's website doesn't publish specifics on remote or video arraignment appearances for this location, so if a mountain commute makes an in person date difficult, ask the clerk's office directly or have Ron check on your behalf before assuming it's an option.
DUI Programs and Probation Across the Valley and Mountains
A DUI conviction out of the San Bernardino Justice Center still requires completing a state licensed DUI program, with program length and requirements set by your record and the specific program the court orders, and if probation is ordered, it's supervised by San Bernardino County Probation, the same structure used countywide. The DMV side of a San Bernardino area DUI runs on its own 10 day clock, separate from the criminal case, and Inland Empire Administrative Per Se hearings are now handled regionally, by phone, rather than through a walk in Driver Safety Office, so request yours right away and follow up by phone at the number above. Because the mountain communities feed into this same courthouse, conflicts between a program's meeting schedule and a long commute down from Big Bear Lake or Lake Arrowhead come up often, and are worth raising with your assigned provider early.
The 10-day DMV deadline
Your San Bernardino Justice Center case runs in parallel with the DMV's separate case against your license, and the DMV's 10-day deadline to request a hearing starts at arrest. How the DMV hearing works →
How Ron defends a DUI at the San Bernardino Justice Center
DUI cases from across the central valley and the mountain communities funnel into the San Bernardino Justice Center, where the San Bernardino County District Attorney's office, headquartered steps away on Third Street, handles the prosecution. After arraignment, Ron reviews the stop, the chemical test evidence, and any body camera or dash camera footage, then works through pretrial conferences with the DA's office toward either a negotiated resolution or, where it's warranted, motions and trial. The court takes criminal filings and fine or program documents through a drop box at the building, and the clerk's office can confirm current scheduling and appointment options for your specific department. Ron's office is in Irvine, a drive west on the 10, and he works each San Bernardino case personally rather than handing it to support staff, while separately requesting and preparing for your DMV hearing so your license case doesn't fall behind your criminal one.
Where will my San Bernardino or Redlands DUI be heard?
What about a DUI in Big Bear or Lake Arrowhead?
Do Fontana and Rialto cases go here?
How do I keep my license?
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Ron defends DUI cases across Southern California from his Irvine office — and works directly with you, not a call center.
Learn more about Ron Chini →