The new courthouse is modern for sure. Elevators only open on certain floors. They have a kiosk for selecting elevators depending on where you're going which makes it easier to navigate. Security is onpoint. Beautiful views and great staff. Everyone has always been helpful read more

Multnomah County Courthouse - Good Morning - Courthouses Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Without revealing too much about why I was here, it was in support of a friend. They had a VERY quick courtroom session, sentence, them everything after pretty much flowed seamlessly. The only suggestion is moving booking photos AND fingerprints to the same place. It was weird and time wasting to do that and have to go between two buildings. Everyone we interacted with was friendly, kind and made the entire experience seamless and as painless at it could be. Not one person treated my friend differently with a felony sentence. No one looked down on them, was anything but kind. I was very impressed with our court and staff. I do hope to never visit the courthouse in this capacity again but I am thankful for the experience I had as well as for my friend. read more

I am just someone who likes to sit in on court sessions on a very rare occasion. This new building is really a sight! Art work, great views of the city, speedy elevators. Everyone was friendly and helpful. And it was so clean! Most of the security officers downstairs are just dreamy hunks to look at. read more

See all

I wasn't expecting much but this courthouse is very well designed for functioning and aestheticy pleasing. Being a juror or waiting to be selected for a case is often unsettling and annoying to many initially. I wish I was picked but the case ended without a jury selection on day 2 yet what I did find out was how wonderful this building is. Lots of art work I went to all 17 floors to checkout the variety of artists works. read more

See all

The year is 2022 and my previous review is now a historic record. The courthouse has moved into a new, modern building overlooking the river right next to the Hawthorn Bridge. Screening is fast and efficient, you can still carry in your cup of coffee. The foyer is wide open all the way to the third floor. Juror check in and waiting is on the third floor and is an outstanding space. Lots of seating choices, work tables, power outlets. I chose a comfortable seat facing the floor to ceiling windows with a view of the river. When my back started hurting I sprawled out on the floor next to it. No problem, plenty of space. The staff know most people don't want to be there and they try to lighten the mood and make it as pleasant as possible. I remember jury service 30 years ago when we all sat in a bright, windowless room with one TV on the wall and nothing to do but wait - and you might be there 2 weeks! Modern jury duty in Multnomah County is sooooooo much better. I wasn't selected for anything and after 2 days I was dismissed. I wanted to serve, so I was bummed. But honest, it was a really pleasant experience. Don't forget your coffee, your charger, and your camera. The view from the 17th floor is incredible. read more

See all

I had some dealings with the workers at Multnomah County Courthouse this year, and I had such good experiences. Some have been very nice even if they couldn't help. Today's interaction over the phone with Michelle in the Family Law Department prompted me to write a review. Super helpful and finally got an old issue taken care of. I really appreciate the work you all do! read more

Holy bleep, this place is gorgeous. I just spent two days there, on jury selection duty. Pro Tips: There's a Smart Park across the street, but it's not cheap. Plan to go through a mini TSA set-up as you enter the courthouse; the lines move really fast, though. If you want a spot in the jury room with a table and an outlet, you should plan to arrive early, but be aware that the building's doors may not open until 7:30am. The jury room is gorgeous, with comfortable chairs and stunning views. Such an improvement over the old courthouse, if you ever did jury duty there! You can take your lunch break across the street, at Governor Tom McCall Waterfront Park. Or you can eat in the jury room (there's a mini kitchen with a fridge). There's also a to-go-style cafe right by the jury room. The staff rock. The judges were kind. The whole experience was really impressive! Finally, a giant THANK YOU to the staff. Both times that I called (once needing a deferral due to illness, once with questions), I got a helpful human on the first try. read more

The New Court house .clean -organized- the employees or workers are professional and friendly ..over all it has been a pleasnt experience everytime i have gone there.... read more

This huge and historic building serves as the main courthouse for Multnomah County. It has a great history. It has also been outgrown. Over the years the county has remodled and reconfigured the building to the point it is hard to see how it functions. I remember serving on a jury in a courtroom with a very low ceiling. That was after hanging out in a huge jury room waiting with a bunch of other people. In the jury room people watched the tvs, read books and magazines, knitted, whatever to deal with the boredom. Every once in a while they would call names to send the people on the list upstairs . Every once in a while I was called upstairs to answer questions and see if I would be selected on that jury. It was a very interesting experience seeing which jury I was selected for and the many I was not. I also learned what it was to on a jury and the process. The process has changed that first jury duty was for a week the last time it was for two days but I was only selected for the one trail. I can also remember coming here to testify on various issues as part of an old job. Like I said it has history and where you can see the original bits they were nice, for example check out the marble stairs near the entrance. read more

Multnomah County Courthouse - Courthouses Near Me - Portland, Oregon

See all

This is my first time having Jury Duty in Multnomah County and I am impressed with the experience so far. I'm about one hour in. Once I got passed the weird wooden sidewalk barriers and into the building, I was amazed by the interior. It feels like a cross between a modern airport and an art museum. There's an elevator, but I took the open stairs up through the atrium to the Jury room on the third floor. Bathrooms are plentiful on each floor. The jury check in process was friendly. The building is two years old, but the furniture seems new. The Jury room also has couches, a laptop counter, rows of tables with power outlets, bathrooms, free lockers, and a kitchen with a microwave, refrigerator, and instant hot water. We were welcomed by a judge who answered questions, and then watched a few well-produced short videos. There are many large windows with a view of bridges and the river. And a very large HEPA air filtration unit. read more

Now, if that hunky sheriff would have given me a pat down because I set off the metal detectors when I entered: FIVE STARS. But nope. It is a total pain getting in and out of this joint. Security is very much like that at the airport (sans pat-downs), but I don't fault them for that. What is stupid is that there is only one queue and thus, things get constipated quickly. The building itself is old, built in 1911, charming and beautiful. I love the grand, split staircase and the facade. Our old courthouse is facing several problems that will soon render it obsolete and ineffective. Exhibit A. please see above description of the security issue. Exhibit B. it is structurally deficient and does not measure up to today's seismic building codes. Exhibit C. too many things are in disrepair. I could go on but someone may raise an objection to the number of my Exhibits so I will cease and desist. A new courthouse is in the works and the best guesstimate is that it will be completed sometime in 2020 if their vision for the future is accurate. 2016 - Review # 16 read more

"The Multnomah County Courthouse: dropping the hammer of justice on a daily basis." Besides the fact that this historic and beautiful building is a f*cking death trap, it can also be an extremely entertaining place to spend an hour or two soaking in the utter chaos of humanity (as long as you are not on the wrong side of the shackles). At any given moment between 8 am and 5 pm, Monday through Friday, there's something exciting going on at the courthouse. The best part is... unless you're a witness, or the hearing is confidential (rare), then the courtrooms are open to all spectators. You can come (for free) and see everything from boring guilty pleas, to exciting murder cases, to Springer-style domestic hearings. It's not uncommon to witness (pun intended) each and every raw emotion of which humans are capable on any given floor at any given time. Desperate sadness, terrifying anger, crushing boredom, irrational exuberance, and plain old liberating relief. If you sit outside a courtroom long enough, you'll see one of each. It's also probably one of the only places you'll see someone in shackles being herded within about 3 feet of a group of 8th graders on a field trip. Grandiose steps, beautiful marble, classic elegant trim, huge columns out front... this historic building has it all. Each and every courtroom is unique - no two are even close to the same. A labyrinth of justice, the courthouse for the 4th district does it's job on a daily basis - something its been doing since, well, I don't know, but judging from the quality of the safety measures, the dawn of time. Stop by some time for a visit. It's always better to be a visitor than a participant here. read more

I received a $95 parking ticket last fall.I had been very tempted just to pay the darn fee due to the hassle of going through the court's security, waiting for hours in a courtroom, etc. BUT, I work downtown and thought, well, if I could get even a 50% reduction and get out of court within 2 hours, I would "break even". WHAT A GREAT EXPERIENCE !! 1. First, the court staff, including the parking ticket counter folks, the courtroom clerk, the judge, heck, even the security folks who get the same questions all day long, were ALL helpful, patient, approachable. 2. Second, the parking ticket court process is arranged in an AMAZINGLY EFFICIENT manner. The first 30 minutes you wait, find and talk to your assigned parking officer to discuss the ticket and see if an agreement can be reached. They appreciate that you went to court, and will knock off at least 50% of your fee just for making the effort to show up. They also truly want you to better understand the confusing parking rules and signs. What a noble goal. I actually learned more about loading zones. The next 30 minutes you wait for the judge to call your name; the judge hears whether an agreement was made and doesn't challenge these. 3. Third, I had $75 knocked off my fee (I truly felt I was right due to the ridiculously confusing temporary sign language). The judge calls your name, the clerk enters the adjusted fee, and by the time I walked the 100 ft. to the counter to pay, it had already been entered in to the computer!! That is a great process, and I enjoyed learning more about our court system. The whole effort took 1 hour and was well worth it. It's also a wonderful old courthouse with thick, heavy wood furniture and marble staircases. In July 2020 they move to the new courthouse, so, you might not have much longer to see it in action. read more

It's a pleasure still to visit our beautiful Multnomah County Courthouse that is in the range of something over 100 years old. Walking up the front stairs to enter, all the white marble is impressive, but this being a courthouse, I wonder how many lawsuits have been filed for slip-and-fall injuries due to the marble being super-slippery on our many rainy days? I have worked for a law firm and used to come here quite often to file paperwork, so got to know my way around pretty well. I was also called for jury duty and placed on a two-week stint for a terrible car-semi-truck accident on I-84. Forget about what used to be called "civics" classes back in school; jury duty and just being in the courthouse is the real education. I came today as witness in a landlord-tenant case. The attorney on the case told me to come a few minutes early, so getting through the security line was pretty much a breeze. Landlord-tenant court is held in the same corridor as traffic court and you're privy to a lot of stories. For court, it's surprisingly intimate, and brings new meaning to the term "participatory democracy." I found everyone I dealt with (and listened to) were reassuring, efficient, and smart. Inmates are brought in for hearings and trial, but I didn't seen any of them today. The number of services available at the courthouse is remarkable and seems remarkable the building hasn't burst at the seams The courthouse looks much better than when I was there for jury duty several years ago. It's cleaner for one thing. The last time I was there the place seemed to be leaking like a sieve (with wastebaskets catching leaks) and those issues appear to have been resolved. While I love the grandeur and beauty of the white marble, the acoustical part of the proceedings were a bit nightmarish due to that. I'm just at the end of a bad head cold, so being inside my head is like being in a wind tunnel. I had to lean forward and listen intently and do a bit of lip reading with the sound of testimony bouncing off the marble. As much as I like this courthouse with many years of memories since childhood, I think it's a good idea they're building a new one equipped for the 21st Century and for the amount of population growth Portland has experienced the past few years. I'm not sure the folks who own VQ, a potential site for the new courthouse, are excited about it, but I think it's time to let go and let it happen. I did a little research to see what might happen to the old courthouse with a new one planned, but I found nothing about that. I hope they find a dignified purpose for the old white marble lady. read more

I'm a jury duty pro. For some reason, I used to get tagged for jury service every year back in my old burg. I was kind of hoping that would be all over after I moved to Portland, but NOOOOOO! Dang it if I didn't get a jury summons 5 months after I settled in here. WTF? What really drives me crazy is that my occupation is such that no defense attorney will EVER sit (seat?) me on a jury. It's like I have jury cooties. Anyway, Multnomah County Courthouse is all old and bust up. The architecture of the building is classic--marble staircase, etc. However, the place is in serious need of a facelift and/or makeover. The jury waiting room consists of several rows of chairs--lots of chairs. Why can't they hook up these rooms with some tables or desks? There's free wifi, but you'll have to prop your laptop up in your...lap. There are two flatscreen TV's showing CNN with the sound off. Wow, that closed captioning is hit and miss. Even if the sound was on, I still wouldn't be able to hear over the morons chatting on their cell phones. Serously? They don't have a special area for cell phone use? Maddening. Anyway, I did my civic duty and supposedly won't get called again for 24 months. read more

I must've gotten lucky with the security line because there was none and they didn't make me take off my jacket (although later, as I was exiting, I saw people having to take jackets/belts/etc off). Sadly, I was here for a red light traffic camera ticket [shaking fist]. I never ever gone to court for a traffic violation before, so I thought, why not? If you want to be more adventurous, here are some tips for a traffic violation ticket: Go to Room 106, which has 6 cashier windows. The majority of us, are waiting for the 4 traffic cashiers. For parking or criminal, do NOT wait in line. Go directly to the marked cashiers. If you are guilty, you can plead no contest/guilty and ask for reduction of fine. If they give you 50% reduction, take it because this is the most they can do. Seems a little arbitrary how much leniency they give you, but they do look up your driving record. Apparently mine wasn't that good :D and I didn't get the 50% off. I requested to see the judge (again, I'm in this for the adventure) to get it reduced more. You can ask how many people are waiting for the judge in front of you. It took me less than 10 minutes to see the judge (there were 3 people in front of me). Each person took about 2-5 mins. He asks what your plea is, anything you want to add and then do a ruling. I got a few bucks more taken off and in all, saved $110. The whole thing took me about an hour. Most of the time was spent waiting for the cashiers. Bless their souls, because I'm sure they got ask the same questions over and over again. Remember, they do have your driving record in front of them. So do NOT lie or you'll just make it worse. Be nice because everyone I dealt with that day was pleasant and helpful! If you are not guilty and planned on presenting a case, you would need to go to trial. This is best done in writing so you don't have to wait in this long line. Since they won't be able to get a trial set up the same day anyways, you will have to come back. Go to Room 103 to pay (do NOT line up for "cashier" again). You can pay with a credit card and they don't incur extra charges (they do if you pay online). You do have 30 days from the day of the ruling to pay, but I just wanted to get it over with. Remember, by law, they can't reduce the fine more than 50%. So if your ticket isn't that expensive, it's probably not worth the hassle to go to court, just pay it online here: http://courts.oregon.gov/ojd/onlineservices/epay/pages/index.aspx read more

The Jury Call Wait Room is a unforgiving sort of place...especially in a state where it is in the Constitution to reform rather than punish humans. I've visited past felony Clients in other locations of the building, usually behind bars, sometimes carrying in spiffy duds to dress them like normal people who deserve a fair Trial. Have sat thru MANY Court Hearings and Trials, paid parking fines, and also Testified a time or two. Have appeared w/o an Attorney asking a Judge for help to prevent an unfortunate person from harming other homeless people. You can do some of your own public info research in the records room, but kindly be respectful of others who have important public service work to do there. You may be paying them for the time it takes to wait in line behind you...so it's not a place for mere curiosity if others are waiting...altho it can be fun to see how many Convicts live in your neighborhood. Important stuff happens here. I went to watch the Tom Metzger race-murder Trial, when it was not really my business. A Skinhead neighbor who lived in my Apartment building was also on the room. You can observe most any Trial or Hearing you like to learn about this important part of our democratic process. Many good people dedicate their lives to make it work. You must pass Security Gates as you enter, so leave excess stuff at home, and please dress appropriately, and use the Bus or MAX. Also, some funny stuff happens here. But it's rare. I remember when an overly impulsive client (who realized he was going to Prison VERY soon) busted right thru a wall to escape - right into Judge Dorothy Bakers Chambers, stealing her Robe in the process of escape. Talk about a Keystone Cops scene! Even tho this fascinating old building is solid and worthy - and should remain in public service, please take care so you are not required to to do too much biz here! A Tip: If you are seeking tax records, or have a meeting with a County Commissioner, or someone else who works at the County - they probably work across the Hawthorne Bridge, at the major office building on 5th. Know before you go. read more

Sigh...it looks as tho' The Powers That Be have finally caught up with me & I may not be able to defer jury duty any longer...I realize it is my duty, yet I am also bound to pay my bills & jury duty won't cut it. Still, the system seems to work, most of the time, the security there is typical (invasive, but for the people in front of me who were carrying switchblades...um, I'm pleased as all get out some form of security was there). Is it the most pleasant place to spend time? No, it is not. But if you bring a book to read and a snack or two, it shouldn't be too awful. It's a small price to pay for the Wheels of Justice. read more

The Courthouse security is worse than PDX's security. You need to take off pretty much everything, jewelry, shoes, belts, no coins in your pockets, cell phones need to be in baskets. Thank God, we can keep our clothes on. The Jury duty "waiting area" is a bit depressing. Typical government offices' waiting room, bright light, plenty of seats, and be prepare to wait for a while. Not all bad things are in this waiting room. They have two big flat screen tvs, magazines, books, and game boards. They really want you to be entertain while you wait for them to call your names. I was able to made it to the Voir Dire process and it was interesting. I didn't have to spend seven hours in that waiting room, not bad at all for my first Jury Duty experience. Thank God, it will be two more years until my next one. Yay! read more

Getting divorced is never easy...but I am lucky enough to A: Live in Portland and B: Live in Multnomah County! Originally I started my divorce in California before moving here. It was long and complicated and frustrating...they had a 9 month waiting period and all sorts of lame stuff that I just couldnt figure out on my own. After a year living in Portland, I decided to try again. I contacted Family Court downtown and got wonderful service. They set me up with a court clerk to go over all my paperwork..making sure I didnt miss anything. Of course they are still all government officials and may lack some humor and smiles but if you smile at them and be nice, they eventually crack. haha So if you need help with anything...domestic violence, restraining orders, name changes anything that is a personal court like matter, hit up family court and make an appointment!! It will really put your mind at ease. read more

This is not a review of any of the judges or of the legal system, but of the facilities. SECURITY: The security here is as tight as the TSA at the airport. Depending on the security personnel, you will likely be asked to take off your coat, your belt, and maybe even your shoes. You can have liquids in your bag, but you'll also be asked to take out your laptop. On a cold winter's day, this process causes ridiculously long lines to form with dozens of people freezing their butts off and complaining. Make sure you give yourself enough time to get through the line and security so you're not late. BUILDING: The building itself is pretty cool with lots of marble and a huge central staircase. Some of the courtrooms are nice and spacious, but others are so cramped it's a surprise that you can actually try a case in them. CAFETERIA: Sorry, but there is no cafeteria. There is a little stand on the first floor where you can get coffee, a muffin, or snacks, but if you want real food you need to go outside and then have to go through the nightmare that is security to come back inside. read more

No matter what you have to do at the courthouse, just know that it will take at least an hour and a half!!!! Plan ahead, bring a book, a snack, water. Whatever you do, remember to turn your cell phone volume off while in court! Other than that, it's exactly what you would expect. I did meet a cute guy in line though. Bonus! read more

lower the waiting time, not enough staff. if i can be in and out in less than 30 minutes would be greattttt read more

Everyone that answered the phone is worthless! If you try calling to get some information you are an inconvenience to the staff...I could almost see the receptionist rolling their eyes at me over the phone. The tone in their voice was saying, I hate my life and I hate you for calling...thanks for being a tax payer and thanks for my paycheck but you are worthless please go away. Very condescending tone from about 4 people who each transferred me to another person with a terrible attitude. People like this should not work customer service because that is technically what that job is! Thanks for making my day and everyone else's day more difficult. read more

I went here recently cause I was sued in small claims by a local car dealership (Gresham Toyota) in Gresham, OR. I proved my case and won. The judge, staff and small claims process was easy, and the courthouse is very historical. I won the case... which I was never worried as I had all my research, documents and everything else in order. Downtown Portland is Beautiful. If your in the area, go inside the courthouse to see this historical building... Madonna even filmed parts of a movie inside. Enjoy! read more

Came here to pay a citation. Make sure to go through the doors to your left as I made the mistake of going to the right instead, which is the employees entrance. The security protocols there are just like the airport, empty pockets and put bags through a machine that scans them, the you walk through a body scanner. I had to walk a full loop around to get to the room where citations are processed. The information on the back tries to scare the uneducated person to pay the $175, but you can go there to get it reduced and pay it just as you would at the DMV. Very quick process getting the citation paid, debit or cash works. read more

Called them today and it was like i was the employee and they were the angry customer. Poor lady was so angry she had a hard time catching her breathe. read more

*super secret juror tips follow. read this, you'll be glad you did.* Maybe it's because I spent the last two decades moving every couple of years, but somehow I've managed to evade jury duty until Portland. Even here, it took four years! Seriously though, Multnomah county made the experience as painless as possible. Key points: --I needed to request deferral for almost four months due to a family illness. Totally not a problem, I asked for and was replaced for the exact date I requested. That date happened to be a Tuesday, which was GOOD, but could have been better as it turns out (more on that in a minute.) --security not bad and super fast, even with a book bag full of: ipad, iphone, Vogue, Smart Water, 2 Lara Bars, pens, lip gloss, sunglasses, hair scrunchies, and oh yeah, books. --as many have mentioned, WIFI. either very few were on it, or it's actually pretty good wifi, but whatever... score. --comfortable seats in jury waiting room. Which is good, because you'll likely be sitting for a long time. Pretty dated video, but the staff was fantastic and actually FUNNY! --several folks have complained about the aesthetics of the place, and I get it: the great bones of the building are pretty overshadowed by the horrible "updates" which appear to have begun in the early 60s and continue through recent times. Recessed ceilings, terrible lighting, fake walls, etc. Multnomah county grew and it's not like the courthouse grew as well. Partitioning was necessary to make the most of available space, and as this is (obviously) publicly funded, it's gonna be on the cheap. We can bitch about the aesthetics, or we can fund a better rehab. Or hey, even better? Fund something more pressing like the Sellwood Bridge. --jury wrangler filled us in on some helpful info regarding jury selection and days of the week: in addition to regular day service, grand juries are picked on Mondays. We're talking a MONTH commitment here folks. That said, if you're unemployed and looking for something to do other than loiter in the park, request jury duty on a Monday. On Tuesdays and Wednesday, in addition to regular service at Multnomah County Courthouse, jurors are selected (to serve the following day) at the Gresham Courthouse. If this is an terrible burden, you may wish to request your service on Thursdays or Fridays. ssshh, don't tell. read more

Multnomah County Circuit Court is literally the biggest fraud ever. Meter maid "Officer S. Morris, officer number 129" literally gave me a $100 ticket for parking too close to the white parallel parking line - excuse me??! They wait downtown for you to leave your car then sneak in. Enjoy all the money you steal from tourists, Portland meter maids. Won't ever be coming back to this crap town again since you're obviously praying on out of towners. read more

Ya know, it wasn't all that bad. Lots of time to clean out your iPad/laptop. Nobody to bug you, lots of comfortable seats, tables, fridge, and microwave. The ladies who work there put up with a lot of abuse, I'm sure. They were pleasant and fun. I wasn't called in for anything and was out both days before noon. It would be nice to have a bigger snack shop as it's hard to determine just how long you'll be there, and it's limited to candy, and artery cloggers. Pack your own lunch and you'll be a happy juror read more

Today I received a $145 parking ticket for a car that is parked in front of my house and has an expired license plate. This was also my notification that my month and year stickers had been stolen. I now have to pay $10 to the DMV to replace the stickers and $145 to Multnomah County Circuit Court to receive a hearing in order to plead not guilty to some judge. Where in this system are my protections? If I pay the fine before the hearing - what happened to "Innocent until proven guilty?" I am the victim of the theft of my registration stickers, the cop didn't contact me to investigate any cause for the problem. He just wrote a ticket. That is actually considered a "BILL" that must be paid before anything else can be done. That is "STATUTORY THEFT" not due process. Just because it is codified law it isn't necessarily legal. Our system of laws are constantly changing to reflect the mood of the judge who happens to be present. The theft of my property is now my problem not the policeman who notified me of the theft. Evidently, the police no longer investigate crimes but instead notify property owners when their property has been vandalized into a condition of non-compliance. I am now guilty of a crime and considered a debtor to the county. I have to pay $145 to the county within thirty days or the circuit court will issue a warrant for my arrest. The DMV issues a license plate sticker that is easily stolen. The police automatically treat the autos with stolen stickers as unlicensed vehicles. Each theft costs the taxpayer $155 automatically. The cop, the DMV, the court clerks and support personnel, and the judge get paid and the thief gets his fee registration. The citizen loses $155 must visit the DMV again and is required to appear as a defendant in court with a lawyer unless he wants to lose the case. This entire fiasco is caused by an inept system designed by Oregon DMV officials and the Multnomah County Circuit Court. The registration stickers are easy to steal and the system victimizes the taxpayer while enriching the government justifying the existence of the Multnomah County LEO and Courts while they exploit the taxpayers. FIX THE BROKEN SYSTEM!!!!! read more