San Bernardino Family Lawyer

Are you looking for a family lawyer in San Bernardino, CA?

At Schank Family Law, we are family lawyers recognized by Quality Business Awards for results across San Bernardino and the surrounding region.

If your family is going through a divorce or a custody dispute in San Bernardino, the first court orders can shape your children’s routine and your household budget for a long time. Those early orders are hard to change once a routine is established.

Schank Family Law has practiced family law since Christian Schank founded the firm in 2003, and we serve the Inland Empire through an office in San Bernardino. Our San Bernardino, CA family lawyer represents mothers, fathers, spouses, and grandparents on either side of a case. Request a free case evaluation to begin.

Family Lawyer San Bernardino, CA

A family lawyer represents people in legal matters involving marriage, children, and the finances that connect them. Those matters include divorce, custody and visitation, child and spousal support, restraining orders, and guardianships. Most cases involve both negotiation and court hearings, and many continue after judgment when orders need to be enforced or changed. Handling related issues in one case also avoids conflicting orders from separate proceedings, and a family lawyer explains how each decision affects the others, such as how a custody schedule changes the child support calculation.

Children under 18 make up 26.7% of San Bernardino’s population, according to Census QuickFacts. With that many young residents, custody and child support are central issues in many local family law cases.

Types of Family Law Cases We Handle in San Bernardino

Our attorneys handle the family law matters that San Bernardino residents bring to court most often. Many cases involve several of these issues at the same time.

• Divorce. We represent spouses in contested and uncontested divorces and legal separations. Each case begins with a review of property, debts, income, and the children’s needs. Summary dissolution may be available for short marriages without children or significant property.

• Child custody. Parenting plans determine where children live and how parents share decisions. We negotiate schedules that work for the family and present evidence when parents cannot agree. Move-away requests are handled under the same best-interest standard.

• Child support. Support follows a statewide guideline based on income and parenting time. We make sure every source of income is counted and pursue modifications when circumstances change. We also address childcare and uninsured medical costs, which are allocated in addition to base support.

• Spousal support. Temporary support may be ordered during the case, and long-term support may be set at judgment. We represent spouses requesting support and spouses asked to pay it. Duration often depends on the length of the marriage.

• Property division. Homes, retirement accounts, vehicles, and debts acquired during the marriage must be divided. We identify community and separate property and work toward an equal division. Retirement accounts often require a separate order to divide.

• Fathers’ rights. Fathers have the same standing as mothers in custody and support cases. We help fathers establish parentage and secure meaningful time with their children.

• Restraining orders. We represent people seeking protection from domestic violence and people responding to a request. Temporary orders can affect custody and housing until the hearing. We also explain how a restraining order affects custody and firearm possession.

• Guardianship. A relative or trusted adult may need legal authority to care for a child when parents cannot. We handle guardianships of minors but do not take conservatorship cases.

• Grandparents’ rights. Grandparents can request visitation in limited circumstances. We evaluate whether the legal requirements are met before a petition is filed. Guardianship may be an alternative when parents cannot provide care.

• Military divorce. Service members and their spouses face federal rules on retired pay and benefits. We address those rules alongside California property and support law. Deployment schedules are built into parenting plans.

San Bernardino Family Infographic

Why Choose Schank Family Law as My Family Lawyer in San Bernardino, CA?

Local Recognition and Courtroom Results

In 2024, Quality Business Awards recognized the firm as the leading family law attorney in San Bernardino, with a quality score of 95% or higher. Our attorneys have prosecuted a contempt jury trial that produced 95 counts of contempt for violations of custody orders and negotiated custody, visitation, and child support in a case involving MLB and NFL players. In spousal support matters, the firm has obtained temporary awards of $22,000 per month and more than $60,000 per month. Those results include negotiated settlements as well as contested trial work.

Rooted in the Inland Empire

Christian Schank earned his J.D. from the University of La Verne College of Law in Ontario, here in San Bernardino County. He was admitted to the State Bar of California in 2003 and founded the firm the same year. The firm handles family law exclusively, and San Bernardino clients work with attorneys based at our local office. Our attorneys represent clients throughout the Inland Empire, including families who live in neighboring cities but file in San Bernardino.

What Is Important To Understand About Family Law Cases?

What Are Important Aspects of a Family Law Case?

Judges in San Bernardino apply California’s statewide family law standards, which put children’s welfare and full financial disclosure at the center of every case.

1. The children’s best interest controls custody. Judges focus on the children’s health, safety, and welfare, including each parent’s involvement and any history of family violence. Courts also consider each child’s ties to school and community.

2. Temporary orders matter. The custody schedule and support amounts set early in a case often influence the final judgment, so the first hearing deserves full preparation.

3. Disclosure is required. Both spouses must exchange financial information in a divorce, and a final judgment cannot be entered until disclosures are complete.

4. Conduct during the case counts. Missed exchanges, social media posts, and conflict in front of the children can become evidence, and avoiding common custody mistakes protects your position.

5. Orders can change. Custody and support can be modified after judgment when circumstances change, and orders can be enforced when the other party does not comply.

6. Domestic violence findings affect custody. A finding of domestic violence creates a legal presumption against awarding custody to the abusive parent, which that parent must overcome with evidence.

Custody, Support, and Property Rules in California

California law sets the same rules for every San Bernardino family case. Divorce is no-fault, so neither spouse needs to prove wrongdoing. Community property, meaning assets and debts acquired during the marriage and before separation, is generally divided equally, while separate property stays with its owner. Gifts and inheritances received by one spouse remain that spouse’s separate property.

Custody has two parts. Legal custody covers major decisions about the children, and physical custody covers where they live. Courts treat these as separate custody decisions, and either can be shared or sole.

Child support is calculated with a statewide guideline that considers each parent’s income and time with the children. Long-term spousal support depends on statutory support factors such as the length of the marriage and each spouse’s earning capacity. Debts follow the same rules as assets, so credit cards and loans taken during the marriage are generally shared.

What Is The Family Law Case Timeline?

Most San Bernardino divorces and custody cases follow a similar sequence, though timing depends on the issues and the court’s calendar.

• Filing and service of the petition, with any request for temporary orders

• Exchange of financial disclosures between the parties

• Family Court Services mediation for parents who disagree about custody

• Negotiation or settlement conferences on remaining issues

• Trial on unresolved issues and entry of judgment

A mandatory waiting period applies before a divorce can become final. Each party files an Income and Expense Declaration before a support hearing, so income records should be gathered early. Many cases settle well before trial, and settlement conferences give both sides a chance to resolve the case before trial. The choice between contested and uncontested paths affects both cost and timing.

What Should You Bring to Your Family Law Consultation?

The documents you need depend on your case, though income records and existing orders help in nearly every matter.

• Any court papers you have filed or received

• Recent pay stubs, tax returns, and account statements

• A calendar showing the children’s schedule and each parent’s time

• Messages, police reports, or other records related to safety concerns

• Any written agreements between you and the other parent

At the consultation, we review your documents, explain how the law applies to your situation, and outline next steps, including whether temporary orders should be requested. If you have already been served, bring the papers and note the date you received them. Notes on recent incidents, with dates, help us assess any safety concerns.

San Bernardino Family Court and Local Resources

San Bernardino family law cases are heard at the court’s Family Law Division at 351 North Arrowhead Avenue, a location dedicated to family law matters. The building is open on weekdays, and copy requests and file viewing can be scheduled online. Parents who cannot agree on custody are referred to the court’s Family Court Services before a custody hearing.

The Superior Court of San Bernardino County also publishes self-help family law videos covering child support basics, property and debts, and representing yourself in family court. The same page links to a list of supervised visitation providers, which can be important when a court orders supervised parenting time.

Reach Out to Schank Family Law to Schedule a Consultation

A San Bernardino family lawyer from our firm can help you protect your children and your financial future. Start with a free case evaluation, where an intake specialist reviews your situation and determines whether an attorney consultation is the right next step. Contact us to request yours.