Marion County
Marion County was created as one of Oregon's first districts in 1843 and was redesignated as a county two years later. The county is one of the state's larger communities, inhabited by over 350,000 people. Salem, its county seat, is also the capital of Oregon.
The Circuit Court, Justice Court, and Municipal Courts are the key courts in the Marion County court system. The Circuit Court operates as a court of general jurisdiction from three locations within Marion County. It oversees the entire process involved in both felony and misdemeanor cases and resolves civil disputes relating to landlord-tenant disputes, personal injury claims, and business litigation.
The Municipal Courts play important roles in the cities in which they are located by hearing legal matters that occur and are triable within their geographical boundaries. These courts address all types of violations and misdemeanors except those relating to drugs. Additionally, Municipal Courts also handle misdemeanors created by their city charters, as well as traffic crimes.
The most accessible court to the county residents is the Justice Court. This court facilitates quick and inexpensive access to justice by resolving eviction cases and hearing traffic and county ordinance violations. Moreover, it has jurisdiction over small claims matters involving amounts less than $10,000, as well as civil claims ranging from $750 to $10,000.
Marion County court records are documents that are not deemed confidential or sealed by court rule or state law and can be accessed by the public. These records include motions, judgments, opinions, evidence, and filings submitted concerning a case. The Trial Court Administrator of the Circuit Court serves as the official custodian of these records in Marion County.
Upon request, the public can access these case records both online and physically in the courthouse:
- Criminal case record
- Civil case record
- Traffic case record
- Probate case record
There are several ways to search court cases or obtain copies of court records in Marion County. To create a balance between privacy concerns and public access, the Oregon Judicial Department offers an Online Records Search to find case information. However, the official court documents can be viewed at no charge using the public access terminals located in the records lobby in the Downtown Courthouse.
Lastly, you can request copies of records or audio recordings by completing and submitting a Records Request Form or Audio Recording Request Form by mail to:
Marion County Circuit Court
Attn: Court Records
PO Box 12869
Salem, OR 97309
