Washington County
Washington County occupies a land area of approximately 724 square miles in northwestern Oregon. The county was initially created as Twality District in 1843 but renamed in 1849 to honor George Washington, America's 1st President. Washington County's population, 599,541, is the second highest in Oregon. The City of Hillsboro is the county seat and largest city in Washington.
Washington County's judicial system includes the Circuit, Municipal, and Justice Courts. As the general jurisdiction court, the Circuit Court handles all legal proceedings beyond other courts in Washington County. It typically handles criminal proceedings such as misdemeanors and felony-related cases. The apex court also addresses non-criminal cases, including contested wills, adoptions, divorces, and other family law cases.
Washington County's Juvenile Court is a division of the Circuit Court, and it oversees juvenile delinquencies, child protective orders, and termination of parental rights. The county's Justice Court hears minor criminal and civil cases. This includes traffic offenses, minor misdemeanors, ordinance violations, and small claims lawsuits under $10,000. Washington County has Municipal Courts in Hillsboro, Beaverton, and King City. These courts are tasked with resolving traffic crimes and city ordinance violations.
Washington County public court records show details of all judicial processes in the county's trial courts. Information on these documents includes case types, hearing dates, docket entries, appeals, court orders, names of parties involved, fines, witness statements, and court judgments. According to the Oregon Public Records Law, public access to Washington County court records encourages public trust and transparency in the county's judiciary. Individuals can obtain these records to carry out background checks or for academic research. Anyone can request the following public court documents in Washington County:
- Civil records
- Family law records
- Criminal records
- Property records
- Traffic records
- Probate records
In Washington County, sealed and confidential court records containing juvenile, medical, drug, and adoption cases are available only to record owners. Other individuals must obtain special court orders before requesting access to confidential court records. To obtain court records, requesters must request forms. Then, send by mail or in person at:
Washington County Circuit Court
Public Records Review Room 110J
150 North 1st Avenue
Hillsboro, OR 97124
The state's judiciary provides an online request form for individuals interested in making requests remotely. Washington County court records are accessible online via the Online Records Search.
