Justice Court

The Washington County Justice Court is the last remaining of four Justice Courts originally established by Washington County in 1915. It was combined with the Beaverton Justice Court in 1971 and with the State takeover of the District and Circuit Courts in 1982-83, the Justice court is the only Court administered by Washington County.

The Court is directed by an elected Justice of the Peace and has jurisdiction over most violations of the State Motor Vehicle Code and over certain misdemeanor offenses. The Court also has jurisdiction over civil and small claims for money and damages not exceeding $10,000.

Arraignments

Arraignments for traffic, TriMet, boating, dog and other violations are held Monday through Thursday at 9:00 a.m. If you want to appear in front of the Judge, you must arrive by 9:00 a.m. Spanish arraignments are held on Tuesday at 2:00 p.m.

All arraignments are allowed a one week extension from the original appearance date. You do not need to call to request an extension on your arraignment date. It will be automatically set out one week if you do not appear in court on the date on your citation. Emails or faxes do not constitute an appearance.

For those who are unable to appear, a written plea will be accepted. You may post the full presumptive fine along with a letter to the Judge. A written explanation will be given the same consideration as a personal appearance. If the fine is reduced, a refund will be sent by mail. Please include a valid mailing address if you choose this option.

A not guilty plea received in the mail will be scheduled for a hearing with the officer present. A trial date will be mailed. Please include a valid mailing address. Also, include any dates or times that you are not available to appear in court.

Payments

The Court accepts payment for traffic fines and other violations by cash, money order, check (except on past due accounts), Visa, Discover and Mastercard. Credit card payments can be made by telephone Monday through Friday during regular business hours.

You may call the Court to see if you qualify for a fine reduction. However, reductions are made at the time of payment only. The clerks can reduce the fine based on your driving record for the past three years.

If you are unable to pay your fine on the day of your court appearance, a clerk will explain the guidelines for payment arrangements. You must appear in person to enter into a payment agreement. All payment agreements that are scheduled out longer than two weeks are subject to a $25 fee.

Weddings

The Justice of the Peace performs weddings at the Court Monday through Thursday, at 5:00 p.m.

To schedule a wedding, you must bring your marriage license and certificate in to our office. The clerks will go over scheduling availability with you. There is a $15 court fee for all weddings and an additional $100 fee, payable by cash only to the Justice of the Peace. All fees are due at the time of scheduling.