Linn County Circuit Court Overview
Oregon uses circuit courts as its general trial courts, and Linn County Circuit Court is the local state court for the broadest range of Linn County court records. It is administered through the Oregon Judicial Department rather than through the Linn County Clerk. That distinction matters because court case copies, court calendars, Register of Actions access, and audio requests follow OJD court-record procedures, while the county clerk handles recording, elections, marriage licenses, and domestic partnerships at a separate county office.
The Circuit Court sits in Albany and is part of a statewide court system that also includes the Oregon Tax Court, the Oregon Court of Appeals, and the Oregon Supreme Court. The official Linn court page states that the court has five elected circuit judges. The judge list identifies Hon. Thomas A. McHill as presiding judge, with Hon. Michael Wynhausen, Hon. Rachel Kittson, and Hon. Brendan J. Kane also listed with judicial-assistant contacts in the captured research.
Linn Adult Drug Court is one documented program within the Circuit Court system.
The program shows how some criminal court records connect to treatment, supervision, and recurring court appearances rather than a simple one-hearing disposition.
Linn County Circuit Court Contacts
The primary Linn County Circuit Court file counter, courtroom, and administrative contacts are tied to the courthouse in downtown Albany. Records counter hours are split between morning and afternoon. New filings, fee deferrals, and fee waivers close before the building's end-of-day counter time, and courthouse bail has its own afternoon cutoff. Those timing rules are important for litigants who plan to file a case, seek a fee waiver, post bail, or request same-day court help.
Linn County Circuit Court
300 SW Fourth Avenue
Albany, OR 97321
541-967-3845
Records: 8:00 a.m.-noon and 1:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m.
Circuit Court Mailing Address
PO Box 1749
Albany, OR 97321
541-967-3845
Use for court mail where OJD instructions allow mail filing or requests.
Administrator and ADA Contact
James Belshe
Trial Court Administrator
541-967-3802
Also listed as the ADA contact in the court research.
Note: Restraining and stalking order filings have an early cutoff, so confirm current court instructions before making a same-day trip.
Linn County Circuit Court Records
Linn County Circuit Court records can include felony and misdemeanor criminal cases, civil disputes, family cases, probate, guardianship, protective proceedings, juvenile matters, and violations. Not every record is equally public. Oregon court systems do not make juvenile, adoption, mental health, Violence Against Women Act, and other protected categories available through the free public case service. Public-facing results often show a case register or event log rather than scanned documents.
| Case area | Typical Circuit Court record | Access note |
|---|---|---|
| Criminal | Charges, arraignment, motions, plea, trial, disposition, sentence | Search basic data online, then request copies from the court |
| Civil | Complaint, answer, motions, orders, judgment, satisfaction | OJD search or OJCIN may show the register |
| Family | Divorce, custody, support, parenting time, restraining orders | Child and safety details may be restricted |
| Probate | Estate, trust, guardianship, conservatorship, fiduciary letters | Certified fiduciary letters have special limits |
| Violations | Traffic, fish and game, boating, minor in possession, truancy | Venue may be Circuit Court or Justice Court |
Linn County Health Services describes local drug-court treatment as a five-phase program with probation supervision, weekly court appearances, random drug testing, and treatment groups.
That county program detail helps explain why some Linn County criminal court records show repeated review hearings, sanctions, incentives, or treatment milestones.
Circuit Court vs Lower Courts
Not every Linn County court record sits in the Circuit Court file system. The county Justice Court in Lebanon has concurrent jurisdiction over misdemeanors and other offenses occurring in Linn County. It also handles traffic, boating, wildlife, fine-only state-law offenses, county ordinance cases, small claims, landlord-tenant FED matters, and city ordinance violations for several smaller cities. Municipal courts may handle city ordinance matters where a city has its own court process.
| Circuit Court | Justice Court | Municipal courts | |
|---|---|---|---|
| System | Oregon Judicial Department state trial court | Linn County lower court in Lebanon | City-level court where established |
| Common records | Felony, civil, family, probate, juvenile, violations | Traffic, misdemeanors, small claims, FED, ordinances | City ordinance or municipal violation records |
| Search path | OJD free search, OJCIN, public terminal, copy request | Written signed records request by mail or in person | Check city court or police clerk |
| Copies | Circuit Court copy/audio request and OJD fees | Justice Court clerk request process | City-specific request process |
Search Linn County Circuit Court Cases
Start with the statewide OJD records and calendar search for basic case information or a court date. Use the case number when known, because party-name searches can return similar names and may omit confidential categories. OJCIN Online is the paid subscription path for a fuller Register of Actions and judgment record. The local public terminal at the courthouse is another route for most public case information.
- Check whether the case belongs to Circuit Court, Justice Court, municipal court, federal court, or another agency.
- Use OJD's free records and calendar search for basic public circuit-court case and hearing information.
- Use OJCIN Online when a fuller Register of Actions or judgment docket is needed.
- After identifying the case number, request copies or hearing audio from Linn County Circuit Court.
- For traffic, small claims, FED, and local ordinance matters, check the Justice Court before assuming Circuit Court has the file.
Oregon State Police sex offender registration resources are separate from Circuit Court case lookup.
Registry records, jail records, and court case records answer different questions, so readers should match the source to the record needed.
Linn County Court Timing Rules
Several local timing rules can affect a Linn County Circuit Court visit. New case filings, fee deferrals, and fee waivers are accepted during morning and afternoon filing windows that close before noon and before the public counter closes. Courthouse bail payments are card-only and stop in late afternoon. After that cutoff, bail must be handled at the jail under the jail's own payment rules.
Restraining orders and stalking orders have a much earlier filing cutoff on court days. The research notes this because a person seeking safety-related relief can lose practical time by arriving late. Court users who need an interpreter, ADA accommodation, or courtroom assignment should confirm current instructions through OJD before traveling.
| Service | Local rule from research | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| New filings and fee requests | Accepted 8:00-11:30 a.m. and 1:00-4:30 p.m. | Late arrivals may need to return another court day |
| Courthouse bail | Card-only and cutoff at 4:15 p.m. | After cutoff, payment shifts to the jail |
| Restraining and stalking orders | Must be filed no later than 8:30 a.m. | Safety-related filings require early arrival |
| Records counter | 8:00 a.m.-noon and 1:00-5:00 p.m. | Lunch closure affects copy requests and public-terminal plans |
Federal Courts for Linn County
Federal cases are not filed in Linn County Circuit Court. Linn County is assigned to the Eugene Division of the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon for federal trial-court matters. Federal docket access is handled through PACER and District of Oregon CM/ECF, not through OJD's public access tools. Bankruptcy cases go through the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Oregon, with Linn County debtors associated with the Eugene filing venue in the research.
The U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Oregon maintains federal bankruptcy case access apart from Linn County Circuit Court.
That separation prevents a common search error: a state court case and a federal bankruptcy case may involve the same person but live in different court systems.
The Linn County Sheriff's Office mobile app listing describes tip, report, and public-safety communication tools.
The app is useful for sheriff communication, but the captured research does not document an app-only Circuit Court case lookup or warrant search.