Linn County Court Records Lookup

The following is for information purposes only

Linn County is home to over 128,598 residents. Its land area of 2,289.5 square miles makes it the 15th largest county in Oregon. The county was established in 1847 and was named after U.S. Senator Lewis F. Linn. Albany is the county seat and the largest city in Linn County. Its court system consists of a Circuit Court, Justice Courts, and Municipal Courts. These courts play a vital role in the implementation of judgments in the county.

The Circuit Court is the highest trial court in Linn County with general jurisdiction over all criminal and civil cases. It typically handles cases beyond the purview of other courts. The court located in Albany has several specialized Divisions for Criminal, Civil, and Family offenses. The Criminal Division is tasked with handling criminal cases such as felonies and cases of capital murder. It shares jurisdiction with the Justice and Municipal Courts on criminal cases that occur in Linn County. It also conducts preliminary hearings. Meanwhile, General Civil Claims, dissolution of marriage, requests for injunctions, probate matters, guardianships, adoption, and juvenile cases are handled by the Civil Division of the Court. In addition, the Family Court Division of the Circuit Courts handles most family-related disputes, including domestic violence.

Justice Courts in Linn County are located in Lebanon and Sweet Home. These Courts have limited jurisdiction over certain classes of criminal, civil, and ordinance violation cases. It presides over cases such as misdemeanor crimes, county ordinance infractions, traffic violations, boating, wildlife, and all state-law offenses punishable by a fine. Small Claims and Civil actions for recovery of money and personal property, where the amount claimed does not exceed $10,000, are included in the Court's Civil Jurisdiction. They also handle landlord-tenant disputes.

On the other hand, the Municipal Courts have limited jurisdiction over certain criminal, traffic, and ordinance violation cases. It is tasked with the handling of cases involving traffic violations, non-felony traffic criminal cases, and most misdemeanors.

According to the Albany Annual Crime Report, Linn County has a total crime rate of 24.98 per 1000 people in 2023. The number of cases filed by Linn County Courts is 10,538. The Circuit Court resolved a total of 4,873 civil cases, 3,373 criminal cases, 1,527 domestic cases, and 945 probate, juvenile, and other civil commitment 1cases. The Clerk of each court is the official custodian of all records generated in that court. Court records in Linn County are generally accessible by the public unless restricted by law or court order. Examples of sealed court records in the county include juvenile, adoption, mental health, domestic violence, and sexual abuse records. Residents may access the court case information via the online portal or at the public access terminals in the courthouse. In addition to online access, interested persons may obtain copies of Circuit Court documents from the Clerk by filling out a Request for Records Research Form.

In summary, the Circuit, Justice, and Municipal Courts make up the trial court system in Linn County. These courts provide a platform for equal justice under the law and an efficient resolution of legal court-related matters. Furthermore, by granting public access to court records through their open handling, Linn County's court system promotes trust and confidence in legal proceedings.