Marion County Court Records Lookup

The following is for information purposes only

Marion County is Oregon's 5th most populous county. The county has 345,815 residents and a land area of about 1,181 square miles. Marion County was established in 1843 and named after Francis Marion, a military officer who served in the Revolutionary War. Its county seat is the City of Salem. Marion County has three Trial Courts: Circuit, Municipal, and Justice Courts.

The Circuit Court is the general jurisdiction trial court in Marion County. Legal issues beyond the jurisdiction of other lesser courts are brought before Marion's Circuit Court. The court typically hears felony-related cases and some misdemeanor trials. Civil lawsuits resolved at the county's apex court include probate of wills, property disputes, marriage dissolution issues, and general civil claims without financial limits. The Circuit Court Juvenile Division in Marion County presides over criminal matters involving minors aged 18 or less. County residents can resolve civil claims involving less than $5,000 at the Small Claims Division of the Circuit Court. The county also has a Justice Court handling felony pretrials, misdemeanors, and ordinance violations. Small claims not more than $10,000 and FED (Forcible Entry and Detainer) actions are within the purview of the Justice Court in Marion County. Cities and towns in the county establish Municipal Courts for traffic offenses and city violations in their respective municipalities. Marion County's Municipal Courts are located in:

• Aumsville
• Aurora
• Donald
• Gervais
• Hubbard
• Jefferson
• Keizer
• Mt. Angel
• Silverton
• Woodburn

According to the Oregon Uniform Crime Data, Marion County's law enforcers reported at least 27,000 criminal offenses annually between 2020 and 2023. The County's Circuit and Justice Courts handle 6,000+ criminal cases within the same timeframe, maintaining a 90% clearance rate yearly. The two trial courts finalize about 20,000 cases each year. Court Clerks are the court records custodians in Marion County. Some criminal and civil case information records are available online via Oregon's Online Record Search. Interested persons can also complete request forms to access public case documents created in the Circuit Court. Then, send completed forms by email, mail, or in-person visits. Note that Court Clerks can only provide documents filed within their jurisdiction. Also, Court Clerks do not allow the public to view confidential and sealed records.

In summary, the Circuit, Municipal, and Justice Courts in Marion County provide fair and efficient resolution of legal matters. County residents can view or obtain public court records. This transparency promotes public trust and strengthens the judicial process.