Oregon Circuit Courts

Oregon circuit courts are Oregon’s trial courts that by law, decide all types of cases (this is called general jurisdiction). Circuit courts decide criminal, civil, domestic relations, traffic, juvenile, small claims, violations, abuse prevention act, probate, mental commitments, adoption, and guardianship cases. As the “courts of record,” every word spoken during a trial in the circuit courts is recorded and preserved to be available if the court’s decision is appealed. OJD Judicial Chart.

Circuit courts are located in each of Oregon’s 36 counties that are organized into 27 judicial districts across Oregon. The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court appoints a presiding judge for a two-year term in each judicial district, who administers, supervises, and distributes the workload within the district. Daily business operations of the circuit courts including personnel, budget and finance, and jury management are managed by Trial Court Administrators, who are supervised by the presiding judge. Oregon Courts. 

In addition to handling all types of cases, the trial courts have been actively involved in both legislatively initiated and self-initiated programs to provide improved case resolution processes and decisions for the people and cases that come before them. The courts support, as resources permit, treatment courts (drug, alcohol, mental health, veterans courts), family courts, juvenile court improvement programs, parental education programs, domestic relations centers and website resources for self-represented litigants, arbitration and mediation programs, and jury management programs (one-trial/one day service).

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