Multnomah County is the most populous of Oregon’s 36 counties, with a population of more than 800,000 residents. Geographically, it is the smallest of Oregon’s Counties, with a landmass of 1,207 square kilometers. Created in 1854 and named after native people in the region, Multnomah County has its county seat in Portland, the largest city in the state.

Courts in Multnomah County

The Multnomah County Court system comprises 4 Circuit Courts and a Municipal Court. The Multnomah County Circuit Court is the primary trial court in the county and has authority over all criminal and civil cases. The Circuit Court also has specialized Divisions, such as the Family Court, which presides over family law cases such as divorce and child support. The Probate Division handles matters concerning the estates of the deceased, including wills and estates. The Juvenile Court Division focuses on lawsuits involving minors. The Circuit Court also presides over the Small Claims Division for recovery of damages or personal property for less than $5,000.

Multnomah County Municipal Court has limited jurisdiction over some traffic, criminal, and ordinance violation cases, such as traffic violations, municipal ordinance violations, vehicle impoundments, and non-felony traffic criminal cases.

Where to Find Public Court Records in Multnomah County

Public court records are all documents and papers maintained by the courts from legal proceedings open to the public. Persons seeking public court records from Multnomah County may complete the Online Record Search made available by the Multnomah County Circuit Court Records Department. Record seekers may request the record delivery by mail, email, or in person. The Clerk of Court is the record custodian for Public Court records from the Municipal Courts. Record seekers may order to utilize the Public Records Center to request public court records online.

Types of Public Court Records in Multnomah County

Access to public court records provides transparency and ensures a properly functioning legal system. The following court records are available to the public in Multnomah County:

• Civil Court Records: They include landlord/tenant disputes, small claims, land disputes, employment disputes
• Criminal Court Records: Felonies and misdemeanors, including, murder, burglaries, simple assaults, petty theft, and driving under the influence
• Traffic Court Records: Infractions such as speeding and traffic tickets
• Family Court Records: Divorce proceedings and child custody and support
• Probate Court Records: They include wills, guardianships, trusts, and name change

Confidential Court Records in Multnomah County

Confidential court records in Multnomah County refer to court documents restricted from public view. Confidential court records are sealed by a court order to protect sensitive information or the privacy of the person named on the court document. Confidential court records include juvenile court records, adoption records, mental health records, domestic violence protection orders, and grand jury proceedings.

Confidential court records also include personal identifying information within a court document. In such instances, the record custodian may redact such information to avoid unwarranted invasion of personal privacy. Information typically redacted from a public court record includes home addresses, medical information, tax identification numbers, crime victim information, and Social Security numbers.

Juvenile Delinquency in Multnomah, OR

Unfortunately, in many areas of the Multnomah County, juvenile delinquency offenses are on the rise. There are many reasons for the inflation in youth offenders. The juvenile sentence in Oregon often depends on the severity of the crime, the number of charges, and other family matters.

In 2017, a total of 1071 juvenile cases were reported for every 100,000 people age 10 to adulthood in the jurisdiction of Multnomah County. Of that total, 100% of those proceedings were delinquencies which equaled 1070 court cases. Another 0% were dependency cases that accounted for 0 of the juvenile cases.

A lot of counties, including, Multnomah County, are focusing on family counseling and relationships rather than punishment for juvenile crimes. Future Multnomah County juvenile delinquency tallies will show whether or not this approach is working.

Government of Multnomah County, OR

http://oregon.gov/

County Seat:	Portland
Government Type:	County
Authority:	Home Rule
Year Organized:	1854
Total Square Miles:	466
2019 Population:	807,555
Persons/Square Mile:	0.00

Multnomah County, OR Courts