Union County Court Records

Union County court records are documents filed with or by a court’s clerk or administrator concerning actions, suits, or proceedings handled within the county court system. These records generally document pertinent information about court case proceedings from inception to conclusion. They include but are not limited to motions, orders, judgments, pleadings, affidavits, transcripts, and audio files.

Due to the volume of information they contain, Union court records are essential to understanding why a court case was filed, what it aims to resolve, and its general progression. Researchers, legal practitioners, and other interested persons rely on these records to understand how the county court system generally works and determine precedents for future cases.

Are Court Records Public in Union County?

Yes, Per Oregon Public Records Law, codified in Oregon's Revised Statutes Chapter 192, public records are any information prepared, owned, used, or retained by a state agency or political subdivision regarding its activities, transactions, or functions. Court records are subject to this law. As a result, most court records are considered part of Union County public records.

Nonetheless, some information and court records are subject to certain exemptions under state and federal laws, making them confidential. Examples of these confidential records include, but are not limited to:

• Adoption records
• Expunged records
• Juvenile court records
• Drug court program records
• Child abuse and neglect records
• Mental health and medical records
• Personally identifiable information, such as a Social Security or financial account number

Union County Court Records Search

Interested individuals can conduct Union County court records searches through any of the following:

• Use the kiosk computers at the Circuit’s Courthouse lobby.
• Submit a record request to a local court
• Utilize the Oregon Judicial Case Information Network (OJCIN) website
• Third-party aggregator websites.

Union County Courts

Union County has three types of courts: a Circuit Court, a Justice Court, and three (3) Municipal Courts. Below are the addresses and Contact information of these courts:

Union County Circuit Court
Union County Courthouse
1105 K Avenue,
La Grande, OR 97850
Phone: (541) 962-9500

Union County Justice Court
10605 Island Avenue
Island City, OR 97850
Phone: (541) 962-2997

Union County Municipal Court

Elgin Municipal Court
180 North 8th Avenue,
P.O. Box 128,
Elgin, OR 97827
Phone: (541) 437-2253

La Grande Municipal Court
1000 Adams Avenue,
P.O. Box 670,
La Grande, OR 97850
Phone: (541) 962-1314 4

Union Municipal Court
342 South Main Street,
P.O. Box 529,
Union, OR 97883
Phone: (541) 562-5197
Fax: (541) 562-5196

Union County Criminal and Civil Records

Generally, local law enforcement agencies in Union County, such as the County Sheriff’s Office and municipal police department, generate and maintain certain types of criminal records, most notably Union County arrest records. These records are subject to Oregon Public Records Law and are usually available to everyone who requests them.

Thus, provided a record seeker knows the local law enforcement agency that generated a Union arrest record, they can query the agency to request it. Most agencies provide a dedicated public record request form that individuals can complete and submit to request these records. Some examples include the Union County Sheriff’s Office Records Request Form and the La Grande Police Department’s Public Record Request Form. Note that there are usually fees associated with requesting records from an agency. For instance, the Union County Sheriff’s Office charges a $35 per hour report search, production, and redaction fee and a $10 fee for the first five (5) pages of case reports. It is worth noting that individual can also order their personal or others’ statewide criminal history records from the Oregon State Police – Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) Division for a fee. These records contain Union County criminal records and criminal records from other Oregon counties.

On the otherhand, Union County criminal and civil case records are available through the county's Judicial System. Depending on the specifics of a civil or criminal case, it may fall under the jurisdiction of the Union County Circuit Court or Justice Court. The Circuit Court is a trial court of general jurisdiction that handles most criminal and civil cases. Meanwhile, the Justice Court is a limited jurisdiction court that can handle misdemeanor criminal cases with a potential penalty of up to one year of incarceration and violations subject to monetary fines, but not incarceration, like most traffic tickets. The court also handles civil claims valued at $10,000 or less and eviction cases.

Record seekers can find records of criminal and civil cases handled by the Union County Circuit Court by using the Oregon Judicial Case Information Network (OJCIN) website to search online. They can also use the Oregon Judicial Department’s Online Court Record Request Form. For newer cases, interested persons can visit the Circuit Court and use the kiosk computers in the courthouse lobby to review court documents. Meanwhile, to request or access court records or criminal and civil cases handled by the Union County Justice Court, record seekers can visit the court to request records in person.

Union County Marriage and Divorce Records

Oregon Health Authority (OHA) Center for Health Statistics (CHS) is the custodian of Union County vital records, such as marriage, divorce, birth, and death certificates. Thus, individuals looking for Union County marriage records and divorce records can order them from the OHA CHS.

Per ORS 432.380, marriage and divorce records are not public for a limited time. Generally, they are restricted from public access for the first 50 years after being recorded. Only specific eligible individuals and entities within this confidentiality period can order them from the OHA CHS. These include:

• The registrant (the person(s) named on the certificate)
• The registrant’s parent, stepparent, and grandparent
• Child, grandchild, and siblings
• Spouse or registered domestic partner
• Legal guardian, legal representative, or authorized representative
• Government agencies
• Other family members (aunt, uncle, niece, nephew, cousin, stepchild, and stepsibling)
• Other relations (ex-spouse, ex- or unregistered domestic partner, romantic partner, fiancée, and common-law spouse)

Eligible individuals must be at least 18 years old and provide documents proving their relationship with the registrant. For instance, if an individual claims to be a registrant child, they must provide their birth certificate that names one of the registrants as a parent. Additionally, eligible individuals must provide acceptable proof of identity. They can also grant ineligible individuals the permission to order or pick up their marriage or divorce certificate using a Notarized Permission to Pick up Certificate Form (also available in Spanish).

There are three ways to order Union County marriage or divorce certificates directly from the OHA CHS: in person, by mail, or via drop-box. For in-person requests, record seekers must schedule an appointment before visiting the OHA CHS, and they are charged a $28 per-request fee. For mail-in requests, eligible individuals can complete the Marriage Order Form (Spanish version) for Union County marriage certificates or the Dissolution/Divorce Record Order Form (Spanish version) for divorce certificates. The completed request form, required fee ($25 via money order or check payable to OHA/Vital Records), copy of the requester’s ID, and other documents should be mailed to:

Oregon Vital Records
800 NE Oregon Street
Portland OR 97232

Eligible individuals can also complete the aforementioned request form for drop-box requests. The completed form, the required fee payment of $25 (via money order or check payable to OHA/Vital Records), a copy of the requester’s ID, and other documents should be dropped off at the Oregon Vital Records drop box, which is at the entrance of OHA CHS by the west door.

Note that the processing time for mail-in and drop-box requests is 5 - 7 weeks, while the processing time for in-person requests is 30 minutes.

Union County Birth and Death Records

Union County birth and death records are available through OHA CHS. Like other vital records, they are not entirely public under Oregon law. Public access to birth and death certificates is restricted for 100 years and 50 years, respectively. Only specific eligible individuals are allowed unrestricted access to these records.

The OHA CHS offers different avenues for eligible individuals to order birth and death records, including in-person, by mail, and by drop box. Requesters must schedule an appointment for in-person requests. Meanwhile, OHA CHS provides dedicated request forms for mail-in and drop box requests, such as the Death Order form (Spanish version) and the Birth Order Form (Spanish version). Furthermore, requesters must present acceptable proof of identity and pay the required fees to order birth or death records from the OHA CHS.

Union County Probate Court Records

In Union County, probate cases are handled by the Circuit Court. These cases involve wills, estates, trusts, conservatorship, and guardianship. Most probate records are public and available to everyone. Thus, the Union County court provides different means for record seekers to access probate records. They can visit the Circuit Court and use kiosk computers in the courthouse lobby to review documents of newer cases on-site. Alternatively, they can search for probate records online through the Oregon Judicial Case Information Network (OJCIN) website. They may also use the Oregon Judicial Department’s Online Court Record Request Form for online requests.

Union County Property Records

The Union County Clerk and Recorder’s Office and the Assessor/Tax Collector’s Office are the primary custodians of property records. All property transaction documents, such as deeds, mortgages, and assignments, are filed or recorded with the County Clerk and Recorder’s Office. Meanwhile, the Assessor/Tax Collector’s Office assesses and collects taxes on all properties in the county.

Interested persons can request property records that these offices maintain by visiting them during working hours to request records in person. Working hours are from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Monday through Thursday). The County Clerk and Recorder’s Office is also open on Fridays (between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.). The addresses and contact information of these offices are provided below:

Union County Clerk
1001 Fourth Street, Suite D,
La Grande, OR 97850
Phone: (541) 963-1006
Fax: (541) 963-1013

Union County Assessor / Tax Collector
1001 Fourth Street, Suite A & B
La Grande, OR 97850
Phone: (541) 963-1002

Union County Court Records Online

Record seekers can access Union County court records online through third-party online resources like Oregoncourtrecords.us, in addition to the Oregon Judicial Case Information Network (OJCIN) website. Third-party online resources allow users to search for public court records seamlessly using a subject name or case number as a search criterion. Furthermore, their records are not limited to those maintained by a specific court. As a result, users can search for records across different courts in Union County and Oregon as a whole simultaneously through them. However, such platforms are not affiliated with government agencies and operate independently. As a result, the records they provide may contain outdated or incomplete data.