Oregon Historical County Records Guide
Multnomah County Records Inventory
Circuit Court Case Files
1855-1987
Series documents cases heard before the circuit courts and the U.S. district courts. U.S. district courts were administered by the federal government during the territorial period and subsequently replaced by the circuit courts upon statehood in 1859. Case files include exhibits, transcripts, indexes, and legal documents such as indictments, subpoenas, fee bills, articles of agreement, bonds, summons, executions, petitions, and injunctions. The case files document civil and criminal actions such as debt, theft, divorce, land claims, arson, murder, rape, assault and battery, and boundary conflicts. Circuit court records continue after 1983 under authority of the state and are maintained by the trial court administrator. Circuit court records have been inventoried through 1983. For information on more recent court records, contact the trial court administrator. Portions of these records may be restricted.
Records at the Oregon State Archives:
Circuit Court Testimony Transcripts, 1920-1937 (2 cu.ft.).
Records at the Multnomah County Courthouse, Room 131, Circuit Court File Room:
[Circuit Court Case Exhibits], 1954-1966 (11 reels of microfilm);
[Circuit Court Case Files-includes civil and domestic relations cases-also
includes criminal cases beginning in 1976], no. 263000-424451, 70.10.0001-83.69164,
1960-1983 (178 feet of microfiche);
[Circuit Court Case Files-includes civil and domestic relations cases-also
includes criminal cases until 1931], no. 1-100093, 1A-49335A, 100101-262999,
1855-1960 (3769 reels of microfilm);
[Circuit Court Criminal Case Files], no. C46000-C60905, 1965-ca.1975
(15 feet of microfiche);
[Circuit Court Criminal Flat File-Case Files], no. C16429-C46819, 1931-1965
(198 reels of microfilm);
Circuit Court Index [Plaintiff and Defendant], 1874-1979 (70 reels
of microfilm).
Records at the Multnomah County Courthouse, Room 131, Circuit Court File Viewing Room:
Circuit Court Indexes, 1976-1987 (1 binder of microfiche).
Records at the Towne Storage Building, Multnomah County Circuit Court Records Area:
Circuit Court Files Old [includes U.S. District Court], no.
2-971, 1855-1860 (3 cu.ft.).