Search Umatilla County Court Records
Umatilla County Circuit Court records are searched through Oregon Judicial Department access channels. The statewide records and calendars page links to free basic case and calendar tools for Oregon circuit courts, Tax Court, the Court of Appeals, and the Supreme Court. For a more detailed register of actions, Oregon uses OJCIN Online and OECI. The Umatilla County Circuit Court also has a local records request process for non-confidential, non-sealed files, certified copies, exemplified copies, and audio recordings.
A careful search starts with the record type. Circuit Court case records differ from Hermiston Municipal Court records, Umatilla County Records Office documents, jail roster entries, and sheriff public records. Names can be misspelled, case numbers can be partial, and some protected case types are not available through public online services. Use the official system first, then use the local request channel when a file is not digitized or when a certified copy is needed.
- Start with the Oregon Judicial Department records and calendar access page for free court calendar and basic case information.
- Use OECI or OJCIN if a detailed register of actions is needed and the user has a paid account or credentials.
- Search by case number when available, or use party names with date and court filters to narrow results.
- Check the docket entries for court location, hearing dates, filing events, disposition, and judgment details.
- Request copies from Umatilla County Circuit Court when a document image, certified copy, exemplified copy, or audio recording is needed.
Search fields documented for the main OECI/OJCIN login are simple because detailed access requires an account.
| Field Label | Type | Required | Options / Format Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| User ID | Text | Yes | OECI or OJCIN credential. |
| Password | Password | Yes | OECI or OJCIN credential. |
The Oregon Judicial Department structure page explains where Circuit Courts fit within the state court system.
That structure matters because Umatilla County Circuit Court records are state court records, while city courts and county records offices use separate access points.
Umatilla County Court System
Oregon circuit courts are general-jurisdiction trial courts. In Umatilla County, the Circuit Court hears criminal, civil, domestic relations, probate, juvenile, traffic, small claims, protective order, adoption, mental commitment, and guardianship matters. Umatilla County is part of the Sixth Judicial District with Morrow County, and judges serve both counties. The state court system also includes the Oregon Supreme Court, Oregon Court of Appeals, and Oregon Tax Court.
Local municipal and justice courts are outside the state-funded Oregon Judicial Department. That split is important for record searches. A Hermiston Police traffic citation usually stays with Hermiston Municipal Court. A sheriff or Oregon State Police citation is typically handled by Umatilla County Circuit Court. Recorded land documents and marriage licenses are handled by the Umatilla County Records Office, not by the court.
Case path: local citation or filing › Circuit Court or municipal court › Oregon Court of Appeals › Oregon Supreme Court when review is accepted or required.
| Court or Office | Role | Common Records |
|---|---|---|
| Umatilla County Circuit Court | General trial court for state cases | Criminal, civil, family, probate, juvenile, traffic, small claims, protective orders. |
| Hermiston Municipal Court | Local court for city and state law offenses inside Hermiston city limits, excluding felonies | City traffic cases, municipal violations, local court warrants, payment records. |
| Umatilla County Records Office | County office for recorded instruments and marriage services | Deeds, mortgages, liens, plats, marriage licenses, domestic partnerships, recorded judgments. |
| Oregon appellate courts | State review courts | Appeals, appellate dockets, opinions, Supreme Court and Court of Appeals calendars. |
The Oregon local courts page separates county, municipal, and justice courts from the state-funded court system.
That distinction helps explain why a Umatilla County court record may be found in OJD systems, while a city citation record may require a municipal court clerk.
Umatilla County Court Locations
Umatilla County Circuit Court has two full-service court locations. The primary courthouse is in Pendleton, with courtrooms and court offices on the second floor. The Stafford Hansell Government Center in Hermiston is the second full-service Circuit Court location and also has courtrooms and offices on the second floor. Most Umatilla County Circuit Court documents can be filed at either the Pendleton or Hermiston court location.
Each court location has a drop box. Pendleton documents and payments can be placed in the drop box outside Room 230 during business hours. Hermiston has a drop box on the north wall outside the main entrance. Court visitors should expect security screening for second-floor court areas.
Umatilla County Courthouse
216 SE Fourth Street
Pendleton, OR 97801
541-278-0341
Courtrooms and court offices are on the 2nd floor.
Stafford Hansell Government Center
915 SE Columbia Drive
Hermiston, OR 97838
541-667-3020
Second full-service Circuit Court location.
Umatilla County Justice Center
4700 NW Pioneer Place
Pendleton, OR 97801
541-966-3600
Sheriff's Office and Corrections Facility.
Umatilla County Court Record Types
Umatilla County Circuit Court creates records for criminal prosecutions, civil lawsuits, family law matters, probate cases, traffic and violation proceedings, juvenile matters, protective orders, and small claims. Some files can be searched online, while others require a request to the court. The right source depends on whether the record is a court case, a sheriff record, a municipal citation, or a recorded county document.
Court records usually track the case from filing through judgment or dismissal. They are not the same as jail records. A jail roster entry can show custody and booking facts, while a criminal case file shows the charges filed in court, hearings, pleas, motions, disposition, sentencing, and later docket events.
- Criminal court records show felony and misdemeanor prosecutions filed in Umatilla County Circuit Court.
- Civil court records include lawsuits, money claims, small claims, evictions, injunctions, and judgments.
- Family and divorce records are Circuit Court files for dissolution, custody, parenting plans, support, and protective orders.
- Probate records cover estates, guardianships, conservatorships, wills, and small estate affidavits.
- Traffic and violation records depend on the citing agency and may be in Circuit Court or a municipal court.
The Oregon appellate courts overview describes the Supreme Court and Court of Appeals records path after trial court proceedings.
Appeals are separate from the trial court file, but the trial docket may show that a notice of appeal was filed.
Umatilla County Court Record Fields
A Umatilla County court record can include the case number, court, county, parties, filing date, case type, docket events, hearings, financial entries, and filed documents. Criminal matters may show charging documents, arraignment, plea, sentence, probation terms, warrants, and disposition. Civil matters can show claims, motions, judgments, money awards, and hearings. Probate and family matters use different party labels, such as petitioner, respondent, estate, guardian, conservator, or protected person.
Some fields are public in one case type and restricted in another. Juvenile, adoption, mental health, VAWA-related, sealed, and set-aside records have special limits. If a case is listed online but a document is not available, the court may still be able to review whether a copy can be released.
| Field | What It Shows |
|---|---|
| Case number | The unique court file or citation number used to search and request copies. |
| Register of actions | The official chronological list of case events under Oregon court record rules. |
| Parties | Names and roles, such as plaintiff, defendant, petitioner, respondent, estate, or protected person. |
| Docket event | A filing, hearing, order, judgment, warrant, payment entry, or other court action. |
| Disposition | The final result for a case or charge, including dismissal, plea, conviction, judgment, or other outcome. |
| Copy type | Whether a requested document is regular, certified, exemplified, electronic, paper, or audio. |
- Register of Actions
- The official running list of filings and events in a court case.
- Docket
- The court's record of hearings, filings, orders, judgments, and other case activity.
- Disposition
- The final result of a case or charge.
- Certified Copy
- A copy stamped, sealed, or signed as a true court copy.
- Set Aside
- Oregon's process for setting aside eligible convictions, contempt findings, or criminal charge records.
Umatilla County Court Records Fees
Umatilla County Circuit Court requires payment before processing copy and recording requests. Digitized documents can be reviewed for free on courthouse lobby kiosks. Non-digitized records can be reviewed at the court counter during business hours at no charge, but the court asks that the file be requested ahead of time so staff can pull it. Payment options listed by the local court include cash, check or money order payable to State Courts, Visa, and Mastercard. Phone payment is by credit or debit card only.
Certified and exemplified copies cost more than regular copies because the court must add a stamp, seal, signature, or multi-signature certificate. Audio is handled through For The Record and may be provided by secure email link or CD when available and public.
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Paper copy | $0.25 per page |
| Certified paper copy | $5.00 plus per-page copy charge |
| Exemplified copy | $10.00 plus per-page copy charge |
| Regular paper copy request | $3.00 per case request plus per-page charge |
| Microfilm document emailed | $0.45 per page |
| Electronic document emailed | $3.00 per case request |
| Electronic certified copy | $5.00 |
| Electronic recording | $10.00 per proceeding |
| Mailing | Actual cost |
Umatilla County Court Access Laws
Oregon public-records law presumes access to nonexempt public records, but Umatilla County court records also follow court-specific access rules. The holding office matters. Circuit Court case records go through Oregon Judicial Department systems, courthouse kiosks, and the local Circuit Court records request process. County administrative and sheriff records go through the county public-records process. Recorded documents and marriage licenses go through the Umatilla County Records Office.
Key statutes:
ORS 192.314 gives every person the right to inspect nonexempt Oregon public records.
ORS 192.324 allows public bodies to provide copies or inspection and charge allowed fees.
ORS 7.020 defines the court register where actions, suits, proceedings, and later events are entered.
ORS 7.130 addresses search, examination, and certified copies of court records.
Note: Access rules can differ by record holder, so a court case, sheriff file, recorded deed, and city citation may follow separate request paths.
Restricted Umatilla County Court Records
Not every Umatilla County court record is online or open to the public. Oregon Judicial Department online services do not provide public record or calendar information for certain case categories, including adoption, juvenile, mental health, and VAWA-related matters. Sealed and set-aside records may also be closed or limited by court order or statute. Personal identifiers may be redacted before otherwise releasable records are provided.
Adoption access may require a court order and photo identification proving party status. Juvenile records are controlled by Oregon juvenile record statutes and expunction rules. A person seeking access to a sealed file usually needs to contact the court that holds the case and follow the required petition or order process. The court can say whether a file exists, whether it is public, and what proof or order is needed for release.
Umatilla County Sheriff Records
The Umatilla County Sheriff's Office is at the Justice Center in Pendleton. Sheriff Terry L. Rowan is named in the official sheriff message. The office handles rural patrol, investigations, search and rescue, corrections, courthouse security, civil services, emergency management, K-9 services, and contracted police services for Athena and Weston. Sheriff and county public-records requests can use the county JustFOIA portal when the record is held by the county rather than the Circuit Court.
The Umatilla County Corrections Facility is also at 4700 NW Pioneer Place. The jail processed more than 3,700 intakes in 2024 and had an average daily population of 175 adults in custody. The public jail roster is available through Citizen RIMS and can show booking and charge fields. Custody data is different from the court's criminal case file, so a booking charge should be checked against the court record before treating it as a filed court charge or disposition.
The My Hermiston app is a city service and alert tool, not a documented inmate or warrant lookup app. Hermiston Police and the Sheriff's Office also use web-based Citizen RIMS tools for public safety information.
The My Hermiston app page describes service requests, photos, locations, updates, road closures, events, emergency notifications, and city alerts.
The city app can help with local service issues, but court records and custody data still require the court, sheriff, jail, or municipal court channel.
Umatilla County Family Records
Marriage licenses are issued by the Umatilla County Records Office. Couples apply online, schedule an appointment for the Pendleton office, and appear with proof of identity unless completing the process by mail after submitting ID copies. The Hermiston Records Office handles marriage licenses without an appointment during its listed marriage-license hours. The $67.75 license fee includes one certified copy after the marriage is returned and recorded.
Divorce and custody records are Circuit Court family law files. The Records Office directs court, custody, divorce, parenting plans, probate, traffic, fines, judgments, and criminal records to Umatilla County Circuit Court. Probate is handled by the Probate Department of the Umatilla County Circuit Court and covers estates, guardianships, conservatorships, wills, small estate affidavits, and related filings. Older probate material may also appear in Oregon State Archives inventories.
Marriage searches and divorce requests should not be mixed. Marriage license indexes and recorded marriage copies are county records. Divorce decrees and family law orders are court records. Probate copies may require certified paper documents, especially for fiduciary letters or small estate affidavits.
Umatilla County Traffic Records
Traffic court records split by the citing agency and location. Umatilla County Circuit Court handles sheriff and Oregon State Police citations filed in Circuit Court. Hermiston Municipal Court handles traffic violations cited by Hermiston Police Department. Other city municipal courts may handle city citations in Pendleton, Milton-Freewater, Pilot Rock, Stanfield, and Umatilla. A citation should list the court, offense type, presumptive fine, and appearance date.
Oregon violations are fine-only offenses and are not punishable by jail. Many non-mandatory Circuit Court violations can be handled by phone, in person, written no-contest response, written not-guilty response, eligible trial by declaration, or online ePay. Hermiston has separate online payment and traffic workflows, including diversion, fix-it, distracted driving education, fine reductions, and trial requests when eligible.
Warrants also depend on the issuing authority. Circuit Court warrant events may appear in OJD or OJCIN records. Hermiston Municipal Court warrants are local court records. The UCSO Citizen RIMS app bundle includes public warrant functionality, but exact live search fields were not captured in the research. For active warrant concerns, contact the issuing court or a lawyer rather than relying on one database.
Federal Court Records
Umatilla County is within the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon. Federal district cases include federal crimes, civil rights claims, constitutional issues, federal statutory claims, diversity civil suits, prisoner petitions, and other federal matters. The John F. Kilkenny United States Courthouse in Pendleton is a federal courthouse, but the official page says it is not staffed and that in-person filings must be done at the Portland Division.
Federal bankruptcy cases are handled by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Oregon, which lists offices in Portland and Eugene. PACER is the official federal docket access system, and the PACER CM/ECF lookup can be used to locate the correct federal court. CourtListener can be a free legal research alternative, but it is not a full substitute for PACER document access.
The U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon is the federal trial court for Oregon federal cases.
Federal case records should be searched separately from Umatilla County Circuit Court records because they are held in the federal CM/ECF and PACER system.
The Pendleton federal courthouse page identifies the local federal courthouse and notes that it is unstaffed.
The Pendleton courthouse can host scheduled federal proceedings, but filings and inquiries are directed through the staffed federal court offices.
The U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Oregon handles Oregon bankruptcy cases outside the county Circuit Court system.
Bankruptcy dockets are federal records, so they are searched through federal court channels rather than Umatilla County Circuit Court.
The PACER CM/ECF lookup page helps identify the correct federal court by court type, state, and circuit.
PACER is the official federal docket access route for many filings that do not appear in free public research tools.
The CourtListener legal research site can be useful for free opinions and some docket research.
CourtListener may help with legal background research, but official court copies and full federal docket access still come from the court or PACER.
Umatilla County Court History
Umatilla County was created on September 27, 1862, from part of Wasco County. Umatilla City became the county seat in 1865, and voters selected Pendleton as the new county seat in 1868. The first courthouse in Umatilla City was completed in 1866. Pendleton's first courthouse was a wooden two-story building completed in 1869, followed by a three-story brick courthouse and jail in 1889.
The current courthouse was built in 1956 on the old courthouse site. Oregon Judicial Department history notes that the original 1880s clock was restored and placed in a new clock tower in 1989 after nearly 30 years in a city warehouse. The Hermiston Stafford Hansell Government Center became the county's second full-service Circuit Court location after a February 2005 fire destroyed previous Hermiston court facilities.
The official Umatilla County history page gives county-seat, courthouse, geography, tribal, railroad, and agricultural background.
That history helps explain why court access in the county is split between Pendleton's courthouse and the full-service Hermiston location.
Umatilla County Court Records FAQ
Can Umatilla County court records be searched online? Basic Oregon court record and calendar access starts with Oregon Judicial Department tools, while detailed register-of-actions access uses OJCIN or OECI. Some records are not online due to law, policy, sealing, or case type.
Which court handles Umatilla County criminal cases? Felony and misdemeanor prosecutions filed by the state are handled in Umatilla County Circuit Court. A jail booking record may show an arrest or charge field before the court file shows formal case events.
Are Hermiston traffic tickets in Circuit Court? Hermiston Police traffic cases usually go to Hermiston Municipal Court. Citations from the Umatilla County Sheriff's Office or Oregon State Police are handled by Umatilla County Circuit Court when filed there.
Where are marriage records kept? Umatilla County marriage licenses and recorded marriage copies are handled by the Umatilla County Records Office. Divorce records are Circuit Court family law records, not county marriage records.
How are certified court copies requested? Use the Umatilla County Circuit Court records request process and specify whether a regular, certified, exemplified, electronic, paper, or audio copy is needed. Payment is required before processing.
Why does a court search show no result? The record may be in a municipal court, county records office, sheriff system, federal court, or restricted case category. It may also be non-digitized, sealed, confidential, or entered under a different name or case number.