An Inland Empire lemon law attorney in Riverside and Pomona

If your vehicle has been in and out of an Inland Empire dealership for the same problem, an Inland Empire lemon law attorney can tell you whether California's lemon law requires the manufacturer to take it back. The law is the Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act. When a manufacturer cannot fix a warranty defect after a reasonable number of attempts, it must replace the vehicle or refund it, at the buyer's choice.

The Inland Empire spans two large counties with two separate Superior Courts, and Riverside's court changed its civil filing locations in August 2026. This page explains where cases go, which of our offices serves you, what the process asks of you, and what to document if heat is part of your vehicle's story. It is general information as of October 2026, not legal advice.

Our Riverside and Pomona offices

• Riverside: 11801 Pierce St., Suite 200, Riverside, CA 92505, serving Riverside, Corona, Norco, Eastvale, Jurupa Valley, Moreno Valley, Perris, Menifee, Hemet, Lake Elsinore, Murrieta and Temecula.
• Pomona: 2655 N. Pine Street, Pomona, CA 91767, serving the west end of the Inland Empire, including Ontario, Upland, Montclair, Chino, Chino Hills, Rancho Cucamonga and Fontana, along with Pomona and the eastern San Gabriel Valley.

Pomona sits in Los Angeles County, so a Pomona resident's case is usually an L.A. Superior Court matter; see our Los Angeles lemon law page. Clients in San Bernardino, Redlands, Victorville, Hesperia, Apple Valley and the desert communities work with either office by phone. You do not need to drive in. Call (310) 853-3461.

Where Inland Empire lemon law cases are filed

Riverside County Superior Court

Under a court order effective August 1, 2026, the Superior Court of Riverside County assigns unlimited civil cases, which include most buyback claims, to three courthouses by city and ZIP code:

• Riverside Historic Courthouse, 4050 Main Street, Riverside, for most of western and central Riverside County, including Riverside, Corona, Moreno Valley, Perris and Hemet.
• Palm Springs Courthouse, 3255 E. Tahquitz Canyon Way, Palm Springs, for the desert region, including Palm Desert, Indio, Coachella, Cathedral City and Blythe.
• Menifee Justice Center, 27401 Menifee Center Drive, Menifee, for Menifee, Temecula, Anza and Aguanga.

In its July 2026 announcement, the court said unlimited civil cases from Lake Elsinore, Hemet, Winchester, Homeland, Wildomar and Murrieta now go to the Historic Courthouse in Riverside, after it reviewed filing data to balance caseloads while considering travel distance. The court advises confirming the filing location before filing or traveling. That is our job, not yours.

San Bernardino County Superior Court

The San Bernardino Superior Court lists three civil division locations that take limited and unlimited civil cases: the San Bernardino District at 247 West 3rd Street, San Bernardino; the Rancho Cucamonga District at 8303 Haven Avenue; and the Victorville District at 14455 Civic Drive. A December 2023 court release said new civil filings continue at the San Bernardino Justice Center or through e-filing, while Rancho Cucamonga and Victorville accept drop-off papers for cases heard in their civil courtrooms.

Will I have to drive to court?

For most clients, no. Lawyers file the papers and handle hearings. Many cases resolve without the client testifying, through a pre-suit offer, a settlement after records are exchanged, or mediation. You may need to answer written questions under oath, and for manufacturers that opted in to the 2025 procedures, either side may take a deposition of up to two hours early in the case. If the case goes to trial, you would testify. We tell you early if that is likely and prepare you.

Heat, EVs and air conditioning: what to document

Heat comes up often in complaints about air conditioning, cooling systems and EV batteries. The U.S. Department of Energy's fueleconomy.gov says air conditioning is the main reason fuel economy drops in hot weather, that very hot conditions can cut a conventional vehicle's fuel economy by more than 25 percent, and that the effect can be even larger, in percentage terms, for hybrids, plug-in hybrids and EVs.

Some range loss in heat is normal physics, not a defect. A lemon law claim is about a warranty defect that the manufacturer has not fixed, such as an AC system that keeps failing, a battery that will not charge or reports faults, or a cooling system that keeps throwing warnings. To build that record:

• Describe the symptom the same way each visit: "AC blows warm after 10 minutes on the freeway," not "car runs hot."
• Photograph dashboard warnings and app alerts with the date, outdoor temperature and mileage visible when you can.
• Ask the dealer to note on the repair order when it tested the vehicle and whether it tried to reproduce the problem under similar conditions.
• Keep the repair order even when the dealer writes "could not duplicate." It still counts as an attempt.

Our guide to EV battery and charging problems under the lemon law covers what counts as a defect.

How the case works, start to finish

1. Repair history. Under Civil Code § 1793.22(b), within 18 months or 18,000 miles, the law presumes a reasonable number of attempts after two repairs of a defect likely to cause death or serious bodily injury, four repairs of the same problem, or more than 30 cumulative days out of service. The first two also require direct notice to the manufacturer at least once, if the warranty or owner's manual clearly required it. Long commutes put miles on fast, so some drivers pass 18,000 miles early; a claim can still succeed outside the presumption. See how many repair attempts it takes.
2. Free review of your contract and repair orders.
3. Notice. For opted-in manufacturers, written notice at least 30 days before suing if you want to seek a civil penalty. See the AB 1755 changes.
4. Filing in Riverside or San Bernardino Superior Court if needed, followed by disclosures and mediation.
5. Resolution by repurchase, replacement or settlement. See how long it takes.

What you can recover

A refund under Civil Code § 1793.2(d)(2) covers the price paid or payable, taxes, registration and official fees, and incidental costs such as towing and rentals, minus a mileage offset: the price times miles driven before the first repair visit for the defect, divided by 120,000. Under Civil Code § 1794, a willful violation can add a civil penalty of up to two times actual damages, and a prevailing buyer recovers attorney's fees and costs. Run your own numbers in the buyback calculator.

Deadlines

For manufacturers that opted in to the 2025 procedures, a lawsuit generally must be filed within one year after the express warranty expires and no later than six years after delivery, with time added for repair periods and notice. Check the Department of Consumer Affairs list. For other manufacturers, the deadline is generally four years under the Commercial Code's warranty statute of limitations; tolling rules can apply. Call promptly.

Se habla español

Our team speaks Spanish and can handle your case in Spanish, from the first call through the end. The state also publishes a Spanish-language lemon law Q&A.

Reach our Inland Empire team

LaCour Trial Lawyers handles California lemon law claims with trial counsel leading each case. Call (310) 853-3461 or use the free, confidential review form.

Frequently asked questions

This guide is general information about California and federal law and about public records as of its date. It is not legal advice, and reading it or contacting us does not create an attorney–client relationship. Allegations in lawsuits are claims, not findings. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Attorney advertising.