Malheur County
Malheur County was established in 1887 and named after the Malheur River in eastern Oregon. The county has a land area of 9,887 square miles and a population of over 31,000 residents. Its county seat is Vale.
Courts operating within Malheur County include a Circuit Court, a Justice Court, a County Court, and Municipal Courts. The Malheur County Circuit Court has general jurisdiction over several types of legal disputes. The court hears criminal cases, civil claims, juvenile matters, and traffic cases. Other matters within the court's jurisdiction include adoption proceedings, probate matters, and mental commitment cases. Meanwhile, the Justice Court shares jurisdiction with the Circuit Court in all criminal cases except felonies. The court also has jurisdiction over ordinance violations, civil claims involving $7,500 or less, and traffic cases. Additionally, the justice court judge may serve as a municipal judge for cities in the county. The Municipal Courts in Malheur County handle parking and other ordinance violations at the local level. Finally, the jurisdiction of the County Court is limited to juvenile cases and probate matters.
Malheur County public court records are official documents and materials detailing court proceedings within the county. These records include case indexes, transcripts, court dockets, pleadings, petitions, warrants, and court orders. Designated court staff file, organize, and preserve these documents, ensuring their availability for public access. As a result, interested persons may access several categories of Malheur County public court records, including the following:
- Civil records
- Criminal records
- Probate records
- Small claims records
- Traffic records
- Family law records
Anyone may access public records of the Circuit Court either online through the OJD Record Search Portal or by completing the online Record Request Form to obtain official copies. Case records of other courts may be accessed at the courthouse where the case was heard. However, the court may protect certain case files from public access due to their confidential nature. Examples of these confidential court records include adoption records, juvenile records, and mental health records.
