There are several types of divorce records available in Multnomah County. Please read the descriptions below to determine where to begin your search.
Divorce Index
Basic statistical information from divorce records for some years from 1946 - 2008, such as date of dissolution, names of the former spouses, county in which the divorce was processed, and the number of the divorce certificate are available in the Oregon Vital Records Division divorce indexes, available at Multnomah County Central Library. Call the Library at (503) 988-5123 or Contact a Librarian for assistance or for more information.
Divorce Decrees
Divorce decrees are the legal records produced by the Circuit Court. Divorce decree records are available for public inspection unless they have been sealed by court order. Please contact Dissolution of Marriage Records at (971) 274-0570 for information on ordering copies of these records. If you receive a busy signal, please wait a few minutes and try your call again.
Divorce decrees for Multnomah County date from the 1850's. Requests must be made in person or in writing to the Circuit Court's Dissolution of Marriage Records Unit. Records dating through 1983 are available on microfilm for research at the Circuit Court on a walk-in basis. Records dated 1984 and later must be ordered in advance and researched on site. The Multnomah County Circuit Court provides certified copies. Knowing the case number speeds the ordering process significantly.
Divorce Certificates
Divorce certificates are certified documents issued by the State Registrar. Access to divorce certificates in Oregon is restricted by Oregon Administrative Rules for 50 years following the date of divorce. Access to vital records that are restricted must be obtained through the State Registrar.
If you need a certified copy of your divorce certificate, you should contact the Certification Unit of the Oregon Center for Health Statistics. They maintain certificates of all divorces in Oregon from 1925 until the present.
Child Support
Child support records are kept separately from divorce records with attached child custody agreements.
For records related to the child support case in general, please see the Oregon Child Support Program website for more information or call (503) 378-5567.
For records related to child support enforcement, contact the District Attorney's Child Support Enforcement Program at (503) 988-3150 ext.1.
Key Contacts
State Registrar - Oregon Center for Health Statistics
800 N.E. Oregon Street, Suite 205Portland, OR 97232
(971) 673-1190
Multnomah County Circuit Court
Dissolution of Marriage RecordsCounty Courthouse
1200 SW First Avenue
Portland, OR 97204
(971) 274-0570 (note: they do not have voicemail)
(503-988-3022 for general court information)