Multnomah County Court Records Lookup

The following is for information purposes only

Founded in 1854, Multnomah County is the smallest but most-populated county in Oregon. The county covers a land area of 431 square miles and has over 808,000 residents. More than half of the county's population resides in the City of Portland, which is also the county seat. Multnomah County's court system comprises both Circuit and Municipal Courts.

The Multnomah County Circuit Court exercises general jurisdiction over all legal proceedings outside the authority of Municipal Courts. It typically hears most criminal proceedings involving felonies and misdemeanors. Personal injury, contract disputes, eviction actions, foreclosures, and general civil claims for more than $10,000 are resolved at the Circuit Court's Civil Division. Other specialized Divisions of Multnomah's Circuit Court include Family Law, Juvenile, Probate, and Small Claims Divisions. The Family Law Division oversees protection orders, divorce, child custody, and gender/name change cases. Legal matters handled by the Juvenile Division include termination of parental rights, juvenile delinquency, dependency, and Measure 11 crime. The Probate Division resolves guardianships, administration of decedents' estates, conservatorships, and involuntary commitments. Financial disputes between $750 and $10,000 are within the purview of the Circuit Court Small Claims Division. The Municipal Court in Troutdale hears ordinance violations, minor misdemeanors, and traffic offenses.

Multnomah's Circuit Court finalizes more than 2,000 felonies and over 3,500 misdemeanor cases annually since 2021, per Oregon Judicial Branch Statistics. On the other hand, the Municipal Court disposes about 120,000 traffic offenses and over 50,000 violation cases yearly. According to the Oregon Uniform Crime Data, the county's law enforcement agencies report more than 75,000 offenses yearly. Court records filed in Multnomah County's Circuit Court are accessible online via the state's Online Record Search. Members of the public can request copies of court records by filling out the online request form. Alternatively, they can download and complete records request forms. Afterward, submit completed forms by mail, email, or in person at the Multnomah County Courthouse. Note that adoption, juvenile records, custodial and medical records, as well as mental helath and personal identifying reocrds are confidential and not open to the public.

In summary, the Circuit and Municipal Courts form Multnomah County's court system. The main objective of these trial courts is to uphold the rule of law by delivering fair and impartial justice. To ensure accountability and trust in the justice system, the county judiciary provides public access to court records.