Oregon Civil Court Records

Oregon's courts consist of the Supreme Court, Circuit Courts, Tax Court, Court of Appeals, and courts with limited jurisdiction, such as Municipal Courts, County Courts, and Justice Courts.

The Civil Court division of Circuit Courts hears most civil disputes in the state, including a property value worth more than $10,000.

The courts of limited jurisdiction are a part of the state-funded court system. With limited power, the County, Municipal, and Justice Courts only have the authority to handle a small number of cases, such as traffic violations and other less severe cases. Also, claims under $10,000 are within the non-exclusive civil jurisdiction of the Justice Courts.

In Oregon, the Supreme Court is at the top of the judicial system and has the final say on appeal cases and other issues related to the state's constitution.

The Court of Appeals is less powerful than the Supreme Court. But it reviews cases heard in the state's lower courts as part of its appellate duties.

The Tax Court handles all tax-related issues in the state. The chief justice of the Oregon Supreme Court is in charge of this court. Because of this, you can only appeal the Tax Court's decisions to the Oregon Supreme Court and not the Oregon Court of Appeals.

Are Oregon Civil Court Records public? The Oregon Public Records Law states that court records are open to the public. By this law, you can ask for access to court records and look at them or make copies.

But not all Oregon court records are available to the public. Some are private and protected by law due to the record's sensitivity, the party's age, or other legal considerations.

Oregon Bankruptcy Records include bankruptcy filings, court proceedings, and other bankruptcy-related information.

In Oregon, bankruptcy is a legal process that people, businesses, and government agencies that can't pay their bills can use to remove all or most of their debts, as long as they follow the U.S. Bankruptcy Code and other federal rules.

Chapters of the Bankruptcy Code list the types of bankruptcy people can use to clear their debts. But in the Oregon Bankruptcy Records, the most common bankruptcy chapters are as follows:

Chapter 7 Bankruptcy

Chapter 7 bankruptcy allows insolvent people to liquidate non-exempt assets and discharge qualified debts. This type of bankruptcy helps people and businesses in Oregon get out of debt quickly and easily if they pass the means test. This bankruptcy frequently ends company activities and causes loss of assets.

Chapter 11 Bankruptcy

Chapter 11 bankruptcy is a way to get rid of debt in Oregon based on a plan to reorganize debts. Businesses often choose this option because it lets the debtor keep running the business and, with court permission, do the trustee's job and borrow more money.

But this type of bankruptcy is hard to understand, expensive, and may take a long time to file and pay off debts. The debtor has about 120 days (4 months) to file a reorganization plan, but the exclusivity period could be 18 months.

Chapter 13 Bankruptcy

Chapter 13 bankruptcy is a process for wage earners that offers relief from debts for which they are individually accountable.

This bankruptcy option is often open to individuals, self-employed, and sole proprietors. However, the applicants must have at most $1,257,850 in unsecured debts and $419,275 in secured debts.

Like most civil court records, information about chapters 7, 11, and 13 bankruptcy cases will be public unless expunged or sealed. But personal information such as complete social security numbers and children's names will remain confidential without authorization.

How To Find Oregon Bankruptcy Records?

The U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Oregon manages all bankruptcy cases in the state, and there are offices in Portland and Eugene.

At the clerk's offices, you can copy or look at copies of Oregon Bankruptcy Records. Each office has a computer in the lobby that you can use for these records.

You can pay $0.10 per page to print records. If you need help finding it on the computer, the clerk's office staff can find it for you. But there is a $32 search fee and a $0.50 per page copy fee. If you want a certified copy, pay an additional $11.

In addition, the clerk takes care of requests for records that come by U.S. mail. If you want paper bankruptcy records, you can send a written request to the clerk's office through the mail. Each written request must include the debtor's name, case number, the document requested, the requestor's phone number, and delivery address.

You can also fill out the court's contact form to send an email asking for electronic copies of bankruptcy records. All requests must include the bankruptcy case number, the debtor's name, and the requested information or document.

Another option to find these records is through the Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER). By creating an account with this system, you can get bankruptcy records in Oregon online.

Oregon lien laws allow creditors to seize debtor's assets through a lien on the property if they fail to pay their obligation.

State laws can put property liens on land, automobiles, buildings, machinery, equipment, and other real estate and personal property.

In the Oregon Civil Court Records, the most common property liens in the state are the following:

Tax Lien

A tax lien in Oregon is a statutory claim on the property of a person or business that hasn't paid their taxes.

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) determines how much debt there is and sends a notice and a payment request to the owner. If the owner doesn't pay, the government will make this claim on the property public so that creditors can find it.

Mechanic's Lien

With the mechanic's or construction lien law, contractors, architects, subcontractors, land surveyors, machinists, builders, and other skilled workers have a better chance of getting paid for their work.

The law states that anyone who does work or service has the right to a lien, whether or not there is an explicit contract.

If you belong to this group, you must file a mechanic's lien within 75 days of the last day that you delivered the services or materials. You can file in the Recorder of Deeds in the county where the property sits.

Mortgage Lien

A mortgage lien in Oregon is a financial claim on a property used to back a loan. With this lien, the lender has the right to take the property and sell it at auction to get the money back if the debtor fails to pay.

Apart from the tax, mechanic's, and mortgage liens, you can also expect judgment and UCC liens in Oregon Property Lien Records.

How To Check Oregon Property Lien Records?

There are several government repositories where you can find lien information.

Most counties have a database where you can check Oregon Property Lien Records. Specifically, visit the Circuit Court in the county that filed the liens.

Most lien searches in Oregon are free if you use the search tool on the county's official website. You can look up general information about liens, lien forms, the policy for paying liens, and more.

Additionally, you can use the UCC search tool of the Oregon Secretary of State to check for UCC liens in the state.

Oregon Civil Driving Violation Records are traffic infractions that tell about a person's driving history or how they use the roads in the state. These are less severe traffic offenses as compared to misdemeanors and felonies.

Some examples of civil driving violations in Oregon are:

• Speeding
• Running a red light
• Failure to yield
• Improper passing
• Driving without insurance

Oregon Civil Driving Violations are non-criminal offenses. Thus, it has no prison term, but you must pay the accompanying fines. The base fines for these traffic violations range from $160 to $2,500.

The severity of the infraction, the driver's record, and if there was an accident might impact Oregon traffic violation fines.

How To Look Up Oregon Civil Driving Violation Records?

You can look up Oregon Civil Driving Violation Records by going to the website of the appropriate court. Usually, these courts have online portals where you can pay for tickets and look up information about these violations.

You can also personally visit the courthouse to find traffic tickets. If you are unsure which court to go to, think about the county or city where the traffic violation happened.

Lastly, you can call or visit the Oregon Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to search for traffic records. It also has an online service that lets you look at your DMV profiles, see your driving records, or order these records.

You can get information about these records by giving the party names, the citation number, and the driver's license number.

Oregon Legal Judgment Records are official files with the court's final decision on a case.

Most civil judgments in Oregon include a monetary award, which suggests that one party must pay money to the other. In Oregon, the Circuit Courts, Justice Courts, Municipal Courts, and County Courts are the ones that carry out judicial functions.

These courts follow Chapter 18 of the Oregon Revised Statutes. It describes how to record judgments and how a judgment register should appear. Also, the law explains how a party to a dispute might enforce a decision and collect its monetary award.

How To Look Up Oregon Legal Judgment Records?

To look for Oregon Legal Judgment Records, you must first identify who is in charge of those records. Mostly, the court clerk maintains these court records and will give them to you upon request.

To find the appropriate court, use the Find a Court tool provided by the state. It shows where the courts are, how to reach them, and their website.

After finding the correct court, you can send a request by mail or in person to see the records. With these methods, you must fill out a request form or write a personal application.

You can also use the Oregon Judicial Case Information Network (OJCIN) if interested. After paying a subscription fee, it gives you access to case dockets.

This kind of Oregon Civil Court Records includes all papers made and submitted during a small claims case. It comprises the litigants' names, the dispute's grounds, filed documents, the dates of hearings and the verdict, and the amount at stake, among other things.

Small Claims Courts of the Circuit Courts in Oregon adjudicate civil disputes involving monetary settlements and damaged property of up to $10,000.

Some of the cases that you can bring to this court are:

• Recovery of bad debts
• Loan repayment
• Personal injury issues
• Breach of contracts
• Improper automobile or appliance repair
• Restitution of the security deposit
• Violation of warranty

To file a claim in Oregon's Small Claims Court, you must complete the Small Claim and Notice of Small Claim form. You must itemize and establish the actual loss if you, the plaintiff, demand monetary damages.

In Oregon, you can't sue a federal employee, state agency, or the federal government in Small Claims Court.

How To Look Up Oregon Small Claims Records?

You can find Oregon Small Claims Records in three fundamental ways.

With the OJD Records and Calendar Search, you can access court calendars and essential information on small claims cases in Oregon for free.

Like in Oregon Legal Judgment Records, you can also use the OJCIN to look up small claims records in Oregon.

Lastly, call, email, or visit the courthouse that tried an Oregon small claims lawsuit to find case records.

Oregon Divorce Court Records are documents proving the dissolution of marriage in the state. It has essential information about the divorce, like the names of the people involved and when and where the final divorce occurred.

These court documents are confidential and will not be publicly available for 50 years. Only the parties identified on the record, their immediate family members, legal representatives, and court-authorized government agencies, can have them during this time.

There are three types of divorce court papers available in Oregon, and these are:

Divorce Certificate

A divorce certificate shows that the couple's marriage ended on a specific date. It also lists the names of the two people involved in the divorce and the place where the final divorce occurred.

Divorcees and authorized people can get this document in two forms:  plain divorce certificate and certified divorce certificate.

A plain divorce certificate is a standard copy with all the vital information about the separation. Since it is a copy of the original document and doesn't have an official seal, you can't use it for official matters.

On the other hand, a certified copy of a divorce certificate has the same information as a regular certificate but has an official seal. This copy is necessary for all official matters, like tax and legal issues.

Divorce Decree

A divorce decree in Oregon displays a court's final decision and the judgment order finalizing the separation. A court must issue a divorce judgment regardless of whether the marital breakdown involves a trial.

If the couple opts for a divorce without a trial, the divorce order will depend on the conditions of the settlements they reached. However, the presiding judge will decide the settlement terms if the divorce includes a trial.

Once you obtain this paper, you can find information on child custody, visiting rights and schedules, spousal and child support, asset division, and debt settlements.

This divorce paper is available exclusively to the divorcees and their counsel and is enforceable against both parties.

Divorce Record

A divorce record is a comprehensive case file for the dissolution of a marriage. It describes the full court action and the divorce court's ultimate decision. Thus, it comprises the divorce decree and divorce settlement conditions.

A copy of the divorce record is helpful if one of the parties decides to contest the final verdict.

How To Look Up Oregon Divorce Court Records?

In Oregon, the Clerks of Circuit Courts keep divorce court records and give them to people who ask for them. To look up these records, you must send your requests to the Circuit Court's Dissolution of Marriage Records Unit in writing or in person.

The process of getting divorce case files and how much it costs vary from county to county. So, get in touch with your Circuit Court to learn the appropriate procedure and its cost.

Also, the Vital Records Office of the Oregon Center for Health Statistics can issue divorce certificates. You can get these certificates in person or by mail.

You must first accomplish the Order Form to request an Oregon divorce certificate by mail or in person.

Oregon Probate is a legal process in which a court oversees the distribution of a deceased person's assets. Most Oregon Probate Courts deal with protective proceedings like guardianships and conservatorships.

But aside from guardianships and conservatorships, you can also discover the following probate-related cases in Oregon Probate Court Records:

• Clear title to land
• Stocks, investments, savings, and loan accounts under the deceased person's name
• Collection of deceased debts
• Settlement of disputes about the decedent's assets
• Resolution of will conflicts

Probate is not always necessary in Oregon. If the deceased person had a bank account or property with someone else, the live co-owner will often automatically own that property.

When a person dies and leaves behind only a few assets, like personal belongings or household goods, the legitimate heirs may get these items without judicial intervention.

Where can you find Oregon Probate Court Records? Since 1859, county probate judges have decided wills and estates. Even though the Circuit Court keeps some of the records, the clerk of each County Court maintains most of them.

In summary, the first step in obtaining Oregon Civil Court Records is identifying the record keeper. Usually, the court clerks are the record custodians in the state.

You can use the Find a Court tool if you don't know how to contact or visit your court clerk. It gives you the court's contact information, location, and website. The search will be easier if you know the Oregon court that filed the lawsuit.

You can also log in to an OJCIN account online to follow civil court cases in Oregon. But If you don't have an account yet, you can create one for $150. Note that on the OJCIN, you cannot look at sealed court case records and confidential case dockets.

The Judicial Department also has an Online Records Search that allows you to view unofficial information about court cases in Circuit Court for free. Enter the case number or the full names of the people involved in the case to search using this tool.