Oregon's circuit courts are general jurisdiction trial courts of the U.S. state of Oregon. These courts hear civil and criminal court cases.
The state has 27 circuit court districts, most of which correspond to the boundaries of Oregon's 36 counties. The sixth, seventh, tenth, fifteenth, twenty-second and twenty-fourth districts cover two or more counties while the rest cover just one county each.
The courts are operated by the Oregon Judicial Department (OJD). As of January 2007, the courts had 173 judges. The majority of appeals from the circuit courts go to the Oregon Court of Appeals. Some limited cases go directly to the Oregon Supreme Court if appealed from the trial court level.An Introduction to the Courts of Oregon , Oregon Judicial Department, Accessed on August 25, 2007.
In 2010, Chief Justice Paul J. De Muniz issued an order creating the statewide Oregon Complex Litigation Court within the circuit courts.
The OJD has no jurisdiction over other local courts in Oregon, which include county courts,County Courts from the Oregon Blue Book justice courts,Justice Courts from the Oregon Blue BookOregon Justices of the Peace Association and municipal courts.Municipal Courts from the Oregon Blue Book
In 1998, the state combined its state district courts into the Oregon circuit courts.Oregon Blue Book: Oregon Circuit Courts. Oregon Secretary of State. Retrieved on January 25, 2008.
Circuits First Judicial District – Jackson Second Judicial District – Lane Third Judicial District – Marion Fourth Judicial District – Multnomah. Multnomah County Court. The chief prosecutor is the Multnomah County District Attorney. Fifth Judicial District – Clackamas Sixth Judicial District – Umatilla, Morrow Seventh Judicial District – Sherman, Gilliam, Wheeler, Wasco, Hood River Eighth Judicial District – Baker Ninth Judicial District – Malheur Tenth Judicial District – Wallowa, Union Eleventh Judicial District – Deschutes Twelfth Judicial District – Polk Thirteenth Judicial District – Klamath Fourteenth Judicial District – Josephine Fifteenth Judicial District – Coos, Curry Sixteenth Judicial District – Douglas Seventeenth Judicial District – Lincoln Eighteenth Judicial District – Clatsop Nineteenth Judicial District – Columbia Twentieth Judicial District – Washington Twenty-first Judicial District – Benton Twenty-second Judicial District – Crook, Jefferson Twenty-third Judicial District – Linn Twenty-fourth Judicial District – Harney, Grant Twenty-fifth Judicial District – Yamhill Twenty-sixth Judicial District – Lake Twenty-seventh Judicial District – Tillamook
See also Government of Oregon Oregon Tax Court
References
External links Circuit courts page hosted by the Oregon Judicial Department