Hood River County Clerk Structure
Hood River County Circuit Court records are maintained within the Oregon Judicial Department court administration structure. The Oregon Judicial Department lists Rian Beach as Trial Court Administrator for Hood River County Circuit Court, with the court's public phone at 541-386-3535. That office is the local court contact for Circuit Court records, copy requests, case access questions, public kiosk access where available, and records not found through statewide online court systems.
The separate Hood River County Assessment, Records, and Elections Department handles county recording and county records functions. Its work includes recorded documents, assessment and property links, elections, marriage licenses, Oregon Vital Records links, the Digital Research Room, recording fee schedules, and county public-record request routing. It is important not to merge these roles into a single elected "Clerk of Court." Oregon's court records are part of the state trial court system, while county recorded documents are county records.
Hood River County Circuit Court / Trial Court Administrator
Trial Court Administrator: Rian Beach
309 State Street
Hood River, OR 97031
541-386-3535
Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m.-4:30 p.m.
Hood River County Assessment, Records, and Elections
601 State Street
Hood River, OR 97031
541-386-1442
County office hours Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m.-4:30 p.m.
Hood River County Clerk Duties
The Circuit Court side handles the court register and case records. Oregon court case lookup runs through OJD free records and calendars, OJCIN/OECI subscription access, and courthouse contact for copies or records not online. The county public-records request form is not the main way to search Circuit Court case files. It is used for county agency records under Oregon Public Records Law.
| Need | Primary office | Typical record |
|---|---|---|
| Circuit Court case copy | Hood River County Circuit Court / Trial Court Administrator | Civil, criminal, divorce, probate, judgment, register entries. |
| Recorded document copy | Assessment, Records, and Elections | Deed, mortgage, county recording, certified recorded copy. |
| Marriage license or certified marriage copy | Assessment, Records, and Elections | Marriage application, issued license, recorded certified copy. |
| County agency public records | County Administration or relevant department | County written documents requested under ORS chapter 192. |
| Driver record | Oregon DMV | Driving record, Certified Court Print, suspension package. |
Hood River County Public Records Requests
Hood River County's public records request process applies to county public-body records. The county states that under Oregon Public Records Law, ORS 192, individuals, organizations, agencies, and businesses may request copies of or access to written documents and materials from the county. Requests must be submitted in person or by email, include complete contact information, and clearly describe the records requested.
The Hood River County public records request page is the local source for county administrative record requests.
Use that process for county agency records, not as the first search path for Hood River County Circuit Court case files.
Oregon's statewide public records law is published in ORS chapter 192.
That law supports inspection and copy requests, allows cost-based fees, and lists exemptions that may justify withholding or redaction.
Request Certified Hood River County Copies
A certified copy is a copy authenticated by the record custodian. For court files, the custodian is the Circuit Court. For recorded county documents, the custodian is the county records office. The fastest request starts by naming the right custodian, giving enough identifying information, and stating whether a plain copy or certified copy is needed.
- Identify the record type first: court case, recorded document, marriage record, county agency record, or DMV driver record.
- For a court case, search OJD/OECI if possible and note the case number, case title, party names, and filing year.
- Call or visit Hood River County Circuit Court for certified court copies, older records, document access, or kiosk questions.
- For a recorded document or marriage copy, contact the county records office and confirm copy, retrieval, and certification fees.
- Pay the quoted fee before release. County public-record requests are acknowledged, priced, and released after payment.
Hood River County Request Form Fields
The county public records request PDF captured in the research identifies the fields that Hood River County expects for county agency requests. Court-copy requests may ask for different case data, but the same practical rule applies: provide names, file numbers if known, a narrow date range, and a clear description of what should be copied or inspected.
| Field | Required or conditional | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Date | Yes | Date of request. |
| Name and signature | Yes | Identifies the requestor and confirms the request. |
| Address, city, state, ZIP | Yes | Used for response and mailing. |
| Email, phone, fax | Yes where available | Complete contact information is required by county instructions. |
| Inspect, electronic format, or copies | Yes | Checkboxes identify the requested access method. |
| Specific documents and file number | Yes if known | Describe the records and include file number when available. |
| Lawsuit or tort claim relation | Yes/no | The form asks whether the request relates to litigation or tort claim issues. |
Requests to inspect county records must be made at least seven working days before inspection. Staff acknowledge receipt, provide status and fees, and release records after payment.
Hood River County Clerk Fees
The fee table below combines the county records fee items captured in the research with related public-copy channels. It does not replace Oregon court fee schedules for litigation filings. Court filing fees should be checked through OJD fee schedules, while recorded-document and marriage-copy fees come from Hood River County records materials.
| Item | Fee or note |
|---|---|
| Deeds, mortgages, most property records | $138 first page plus $5 each additional page. |
| Locate recorded document by document number | $3.75. |
| Certify recorded copy as true copy | $3.75; combined retrieval/copy/certify noted at $7.75. |
| Photocopy, microfilm, or computer generated copy | $0.25 per page. |
| Marriage license | $50. |
| Certified marriage license copy | $7.75 first copy, $4 each additional copy in same transaction. |
| Marriage amendment | $25. |
| General search and research fee | $100 per hour, one-hour minimum. |
| Credit card convenience fee | 3%. |
Hood River County Digital Research Room
The county Digital Research Room is for official recorded-document index access. It is useful for deeds, mortgages, and other county recording searches. The research warns that the index is compiled from multiple sources, may change without notice, and that images are not certified as true, complete, and exact as recorded with the clerk. Certified recorded copies must be requested from the county.
The county records department also supports property research and recorded-document questions. The research says deed, mortgage, and most property recording costs can be confirmed by calling the records office, and unfamiliar recording customers should call before submitting documents. Property information that can be retrieved from the computer may be requested by phone at 541-386-4522, while map or deed research may require an in-person visit to the County Business Administration Building.
Hood River County Records Outside Court
Some records that feel court-related are actually held by state agencies. Oregon DMV driving records are a good example. A traffic conviction or suspension may start from a court or citation, but the driver's administrative record comes from DMV, not the Hood River County Circuit Court / Trial Court Administrator. DMV records can be ordered online, by mail, or in person, depending on record type.
The Oregon DMV records page explains record channels and available record types through Oregon DMV records.
Driver records should be requested from DMV even when the underlying traffic case was heard in a Hood River County court.
Oregon also publishes a list of available DMV record products and fees through DMV available records.
That fee page is the better source for Certified Court Print and driver-license information charges than a county clerk contact.
The online service portal is Oregon DMV2U.
Use DMV2U for eligible online DMV services, not for Hood River County Circuit Court case copies.