Court records in Multnomah County, Oregon, are maintained by the county court clerk's office and are accessible through online tools, official court portals, and directly at the clerk's office. MultnomahCourt.us will help you find publicly available information about county court cases. Additionally, you can use the Oregon eCourt Case Information (OECI) system, the free OJD calendar and case search, and also visit the Court Records office on the third floor of the Multnomah County Courthouse.
Multnomah Court System Overview
Multnomah County belongs to the Fourth Judicial District of Oregon. It is the only county in this district — one of the largest by case volume in the entire state court system. The Multnomah County Circuit Court handles criminal, civil, family, probate, and juvenile cases. Oregon uses a unified circuit court system, so there is no separate magistrate court as an independent entity — all levels of jurisdiction are concentrated in one circuit court.
Courts Serving Multnomah
Residents of the county are served by several courts of different jurisdictions:
Multnomah County Circuit Court (state court of general jurisdiction)
U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon (federal district court)
U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Oregon
Portland Municipal Court
The Portland Municipal Court handles violations of city ordinances. Cases related to state law — criminal charges, civil claims, family law — are referred to the circuit court.
What Types of Cases Multnomah Courts Hear
The Multnomah County circuit court is a court of general jurisdiction. Here are the main categories of cases:
- Criminal: felonies, misdemeanors, violations
- Civil: claims of any size, including small claims cases
- Family law: divorce, custody, child support, protective orders
- Probate: estate administration, guardianship, conservatorship
- Juvenile cases: juvenile offenses, child protection
- Traffic violations, DUI
- Adoption, paternity establishment
District Court Cases in Multnomah
In Oregon, the circuit court acts as both the district court and the court of first instance for all categories. Serious criminal cases — felonies — begin with a grand jury indictment or a preliminary hearing. After that, the case is referred to a circuit court judge. Civil claims over $10,000 are also heard here, as are appeals from arbitration decisions. Cases are assigned to judges according to the court's internal rules; Multnomah has a significant number of judges due to the large workload.
Magistrate Court Cases in Multnomah
Oregon does not have separate magistrate courts. Instead, the circuit court handles cases of all levels. Misdemeanors, traffic violations, DUI cases, preliminary hearings in criminal cases — all of this falls to the same circuit court. Small claims cases are limited to $10,000 according to ORS 46.405. Civil cases up to $10,000, except small claims, can also be heard under a simplified procedure. Some judges specialize in certain categories — for example, specific days are allocated for traffic violations or mass arraignments.
Family Law, Probate, and Juvenile Matters in Multnomah
Family law. Divorce, custody determination, child support, protective orders against domestic violence (FAPA), paternity establishment, and termination of parental rights are all handled by the circuit court. The court has a separate division for family matters, which simplifies the coordination of hearings.
Probate. The probate division of the circuit court handles estate administration of deceased persons, appointment of guardians and conservators, and trust matters. Applications are submitted to the court clerk's office.
Juvenile matters. Cases involving minors — both offenses and child protection — are heard in a separate juvenile division. Juvenile case records are confidential according to Oregon law. The Multnomah County Juvenile Court is located at:
How Cases Move Through the Multnomah Court System
- Case initiation. A criminal case begins with an indictment or a prosecutor's complaint. A civil case starts with the filing of a complaint with the court clerk. A family or probate case begins with a petition.
- Judge assignment. The clerk's office assigns the case to a specific judge according to the internal schedule.
- Initial hearings. In criminal cases — arraignment (announcement of charges and defendant's response). In civil cases — scheduling conference or case management conference.
- Pre-trial phase. Parties exchange evidence (discovery), file motions. In criminal cases, plea negotiations may occur.
- Trial or resolution. The case concludes with a trial, settlement, plea, or default judgment.
- Post-judgment. Criminal cases — sentencing. Civil cases — enforcement of judgment or appeal to the Oregon Court of Appeals.
Court Administration, Local Rules, and Public Access in Multnomah
The court is headed by the Presiding Judge, who is responsible for administrative management. Daily operations are coordinated by the Trial Court Administrator.
Local rules (Supplementary Local Rules) for the Fourth Judicial District are published on the official Multnomah County Circuit Court page. These rules supplement the general Oregon Rules of Civil Procedure and Uniform Trial Court Rules.
Public access to records. Under Oregon law, most court records are public. Exceptions include juvenile cases, some family cases with protective orders, sealed and expunged records. Public record requests can be submitted through the Court Records office on the third floor of the Multnomah County Courthouse. For law enforcement records — through the county sheriff's public records portal.
Attending hearings. Most hearings are open to the public. Some hearings are held remotely via video conference — information about specific hearings can be found in the OJD court calendar.
Court Records and Related Court Resources in Multnomah
- Online case search. The Oregon eCourt Case Information (OECI) system is the official case registry for state circuit courts. Basic information (calendars, case summaries) is available for free through OJD. Advanced access through OJCIN OnLine requires a subscription.
- Court calendar. The schedule of hearings is published on the OJD website and updated daily.
- Forms and self-representation resources. The Oregon Judicial Department provides forms for civil, family, and small claims cases on its website. An information center for self-represented individuals operates in the courthouse.
- Court clerk's office and record requests. The Court Records office issues copies of decisions, transcripts, and case documents. Certified copies require payment of a set fee.
- Police and jail records. The county page explains how to obtain police reports, arrest records, and jail information. For posting bail, contact the sheriff's correctional facilities.
- Criminal history checks. The Oregon State Police conducts criminal history checks based on fingerprints. Checks are also available for employers and volunteer organizations through ODHS.
- Crime statistics. The county sheriff's interactive dashboard allows viewing of reported crime data. Arrest statistics in Portland are published by the Portland Police Bureau.
- Vital records. Birth, death, marriage, and divorce certificates are issued by the Oregon Center for Health Statistics. Historical records can be found through the Oregon State Archives.
- County archive. The Multnomah County records inventory in the State Archives covers historical court journals, tax records, and maps.
- Property and tax information. Property records, assessments, and deed information are available through the County Clerk's office. Property taxes can be paid through the county portal.
If you need a starting point for searching county court records, use MultnomahCourt.us — the resource is regularly updated and contains links to current official sources.