Clackamas, Deschutes, and Washington County Justice Court Small Claims — What Defendants Need to Know
Three Counties Where Justice Court Handles Small Claims
In most of Oregon's 36 counties, small claims cases go through Circuit Court. But in counties that have an active Justice Court and an Intergovernmental Agreement under ORS 46.405(6), the Justice Court may be the exclusive small claims forum. Clackamas, Deschutes, and Washington counties all have Justice Courts that handle small claims, and defendants in those courts face several procedural differences from the standard Circuit Court process.
If the caption on your papers says "Justice Court of the State of Oregon," everything below applies to you.
Deschutes County Justice Court
Deschutes County Justice Court handles small claims for the Central Oregon area.
Forms: Deschutes Justice Court is separate from Circuit Court. Confirm with its clerk whether the statewide SC-Response form is accepted and which response form and filing method to use.
Fees: The defendant fee for requesting a hearing is $37 under ORS 51.310(1)(c). Confirm acceptable payment methods (cash, check, money order) with the clerk before filing.
Filing: Paper filing at the clerk's window is the standard. Electronic filing availability varies — call ahead to confirm.
Washington County Justice Court
Washington County, west of Portland, operates one of Oregon's busier Justice Courts.
Forms and filing: Washington County Justice Court is separate from Circuit Court. Check with its clerk for the accepted response form and filing method. The courthouse is in Hillsboro.
Fees: The defendant fee for requesting a hearing is $37 under ORS 51.310(1)(c). Confirm acceptable payment methods with the clerk before filing.
Mediation: If you receive a Notice of Mediation, follow its instructions. If you cannot attend, contact the court before the scheduled date to ask what steps it requires.
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Clackamas County Justice Court
Clackamas County's Justice Court serves the southeastern Portland metro area.
Fees: The Justice Court fee for a defendant requesting a hearing is $37. Confirm acceptable payment methods with the clerk before filing.
Process: The response deadline, counterclaim rules, and hearing structure follow ORS Chapter 52, which governs Justice Court small claims. The 30-day response window applies since HB 2463 took effect.
What All Three Have in Common
Despite the county-specific differences in forms and logistics, the core defendant experience is the same across all Oregon Justice Courts:
30-day response deadline. HB 2463 extended the response window to 30 calendar days statewide, including Justice Courts. Calculate from the date of service.
Four response options. Pay, deny/hearing, jury trial demand (claims over $750), or counterclaim.
No attorneys without permission. Attorney appearances require judicial consent under ORS 46.415 for Circuit Court and ORS 52.800 for Justice Court. A business party may appear without an attorney under ORS 52.800(2); that statute does not specify an officer or employee requirement.
Appeal from qualifying Justice Court judgments. If the Justice Court has not become a court of record, a qualifying judgment may be appealed to Circuit Court under ORS 52.815 and 52.820. The Circuit Court decides the appeal anew without a jury, and the notice must generally be filed and served within 30 days under ORS 55.160. No appeal is available from a Justice Court small claims department that is a court of record; default judgments and claims under $100 also have limits on appeal. Circuit Court small claims judgments cannot be appealed.
Confirm Forms Before Filing in Justice Court
OJD's statewide SC-Response form is for Circuit Court. Justice Courts are separately administered, so ask the local clerk which response form and filing method that court accepts before submitting your response.
Always verify the correct form with the Justice Court clerk before filing. A five-minute phone call saves you from a potentially fatal filing error.
The Oregon Small Claims Response Guide covers both Circuit Court and Justice Court defendant procedures, including the different forms, fees, and appeal routes for each system.
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