About the Washington County Clerk of Court
Oregon does not use the split between a county clerk and a district clerk that some other states use for trial-court records. The state runs a unified court system. That means case filing, docketing, copies, and record requests for the Circuit Court are all part of the Oregon Judicial Department. The local office that does this work is the Circuit Court Records Department, led by the Trial Court Administrator, Richard E. Moellmer. People often call it the clerk of court, and the term still fits the role, but it is a state court office, not a county-run clerk.
The records office handles court case files, certified copies, audio copies, and transcript requests. Marriage licenses, recorded deeds, and other county documents are not kept here. Those belong to a separate county office. The records counter is the right place for divorce judgments, probate cases, criminal dockets, civil documents, and traffic case files filed in the Circuit Court.
Circuit Court Records Department
Trial Court Administrator: Richard E. Moellmer
145 NE 2nd Avenue
Hillsboro, OR 97124
503-846-8888
Mon-Fri 8:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m.
Note: The court closes the counter for lunch, and the mailing address uses 150 N 1st Avenue, MS 37, so use the street address for in-person visits.
What the Records Office Does in Washington County
The records office is the public face of the court file. Staff accept filings, keep the official case record, issue copies, and route requests for audio and transcripts. They do not give legal advice, and they cannot tell a person how to win a case. Their job is to keep an accurate record and to give the public access where the law allows. Most requests fall into a handful of types.
- File and maintain Circuit Court case records across civil, criminal, family, probate, juvenile, and traffic matters.
- Provide plain and certified copies of case-file documents.
- Process audio copy requests and route transcript orders.
- Collect court fees and accept payments where eligible.
- Support eFiling, OJD iForms, and remote-hearing information.
Self-help guidance and forms support these tasks. The court keeps a self-help landing page for people who file on their own.
General help is posted on the Washington County Circuit Court self-help page.
That page points to forms, fee waivers, and the programs that the records office supports day to day.
How to Request a Certified Copy
A certified copy is an official copy the court marks as true and correct. Courts, agencies, and many private offices accept it where a plain printout will not do. A divorce judgment, a probate order, or a criminal disposition often needs to be certified for legal use. The steps below outline the usual path through the Circuit Court Records Department.
- Find the case number through the OJD record search, or gather the party names and case type so staff can locate the file.
- Tell the records office which document you need and whether you want it certified.
- Submit the request in person, by mail, or by the method the records office accepts, with the required information.
- Pay the copy and certification fees once staff quote the amount under the current OJD fee schedule.
- Pick up the certified copy or wait for it to be mailed, allowing time for processing.
Note: A copy from a free online search is not certified, so it will not be accepted where a court or agency requires a certified record.
Records Request Form Fields
A clean request moves faster. The records office needs enough detail to find the exact file and to know what to send back. The static county pages did not expose every live form label, so the table below works as a practical checklist drawn from OJD request conventions. Include as much as you can.
| Field | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Requester name | Yes | Needed so the office can respond and contact you. |
| Contact information | Yes | Email or mailing address for the reply and any fee quote. |
| Case number | No | Best identifier; speeds the file search if you have it. |
| Party names | Yes | Use names as they may appear in the filing. |
| Document type | Yes | Judgment, order, full file, audio, or transcript. |
| Certification request | No | Check this if you need a certified copy for legal use. |
| Delivery method | Yes | Pickup, mail, or email depending on the record and fee. |
The exact live labels can change, so confirm the current form with the records office before you rely on a specific field.
Washington County Court Records Fees
Fees depend on the service. Basic case information through the free state search is no cost where the record is public. Copies and certified copies of case files are requested through the court, and the amount follows the current statewide fee schedule. Filing fees vary by case type. The Oregon Judicial Department posts the controlling fee list, and amounts can change, so always confirm before you pay.
The statewide list is on the court fees page, and it covers filings, copies, and other court charges.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Free basic case search | No cost where the record is public |
| Case-file and certified copies | Set by the OJD fee schedule; request through the court |
| Court filing fees | Varies by case type; see OJD Court Fees |
| OJCIN Online access | Paid subscription |
| Audio copies and transcripts | Separate products with their own procedures |
Reduced-fee or fee-waiver options may apply for people who qualify, and the self-help resources explain how to ask.
Common Court Forms
Most filings start with a form. The court keeps a local forms page plus statewide OJD iForms that walk a person through common filings. Family, small claims, fee waiver, and name change are among the most-used categories. The records office cannot tell you which form fits your situation, but the forms pages group them by topic.
Local and statewide forms are gathered on the court's forms page.
Open the matching topic to find the current form, then file it at the records counter or through the eFiling system.
- Washington County forms page - local and statewide court forms by topic.
- Local legal resources page - guides and referrals for people without a lawyer.
Self-Help and Legal Resources
People who handle a case on their own can use the court's legal resources page and the statewide self-help center. These pages cover divorce, custody, small claims, landlord-tenant, probate, and fee waivers. They do not replace a lawyer, but they help a person understand the steps before they reach the records counter.
The local legal resources page links guides and referral options for common case types.
For statewide tools, the Oregon Judicial Department runs a self-help center used across all counties.
The statewide hub is the Oregon Judicial Department Self-Help Center, which serves filers in every district.
Both pages tie back to the same forms and fee tools the records office uses.
Accessibility and Interpreter Requests
The court provides accommodations for people with disabilities and interpreters for those who need language access. ADA requests route through the local Accessibility page and the ADA Coordinator at 503-846-8767. Make a request as early as possible before a hearing or a counter visit. Interpreter requests go through the statewide Court Language Access Services, and parties should not rely on family members to interpret in court.
Accommodation details are posted on the court's accessibility page.
Early notice gives the court time to arrange help before the date you need it.
Marriage Licensing Is Handled Separately
One common mix-up is worth clearing up. The records office does not issue marriage licenses or record deeds. Those functions belong to the county recording office, which is part of Washington County Assessment and Taxation. Divorce is different. A divorce is a Circuit Court family case, so the divorce judgment is a court record you can request from the records office.
For marriage licenses and recorded county documents, see the Washington County Recording Office page. For court case lookup, see court records.