Guide
Oregon Judgments & Liens Search at a Glance
In Oregon, money judgments come from the circuit courts and the justice and municipal courts. When a circuit court judgment with a money award is entered, the court administrator notes in the register that it creates a judgment lien on the debtor's real property in that county; recording it in another county's County Clerk Lien Record makes it a lien there. UCC financing statements are filed with the Oregon Secretary of State.
Always confirm the official record by ordering a certified copy from the originating office when accuracy matters for closing, refinancing, or litigation.
Guide
Where to search court judgments in Oregon
The Oregon Judicial Department gives free online access to court calendars and basic case information for the circuit courts, the Tax Court, the Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court. OJCIN OnLine, a subscription service, opens fuller circuit court records through the OECI portal.
Guide
Where liens are recorded in Oregon
A circuit court judgment with a money award creates a judgment lien that attaches to all of the debtor's real property in the county where it is entered, including property acquired later (ORS 18.150). To reach property in another county, the creditor records a certified copy of the judgment or a lien record abstract in that county's County Clerk Lien Record (ORS 18.152). A construction lien is perfected by filing a claim of lien with the county recording officer, for most claimants no later than 75 days after they stopped work or construction was completed, whichever is earlier (ORS 87.035).
Guide
Oregon UCC filings
UCC financing statements are filed with the Oregon Secretary of State, which takes UCC filings online and runs a public UCC record search.
Guide
How long a judgment lien lasts in Oregon
Judgment remedies for a civil judgment, the lien included, expire 10 years after the judgment is entered (ORS 18.180). Before they expire, and while the money award is not fully paid, the creditor can extend them for 10 more years by filing a certificate of extension in the court that entered the judgment; the new period runs from the filing (ORS 18.182). Civil judgments of justice and municipal courts also expire after 10 years (ORS 18.194).
Guide
Finding the debtor's assets after judgment in Oregon
Oregon gives a judgment creditor two tools in ORS chapter 18. Under ORS 18.265 the creditor may move the court for an order requiring the judgment debtor to appear and answer under oath concerning property of the judgment debtor and the judgment debtor's ability to satisfy the judgment. Under ORS 18.270, in lieu of or in addition to the examination, the creditor may serve written interrogatories on the debtor concerning the same property and ability to pay, to be answered under oath.
Two court files may already hold the answers. An Oregon dissolution file is public at the courthouse, and while the sworn Uniform Support Declaration covers income rather than assets, the general judgment and any settlement agreement show who received the real property, vehicles, accounts and retirement assets. A bankruptcy file in the District of Oregon lists deposit accounts by institution and the employer by name. The Oregon asset search page covers both.
Guide
Court forms and self-help in Oregon
The Oregon Judicial Department Self-Help Center has guides and forms for people without a lawyer, including a page on debt collection cases, and the OJD Forms Center holds the statewide court forms.
Guide
Federal & National Authoritative Sources
By state
Judgments and liens in other states
Straight answers
Oregon Judgments & Liens Search, questions
How long is a judgment lien enforceable in Oregon?
In Oregon, a money judgment is enforceable as a lien for 10 years from the date it is entered or properly docketed. Creditors who want to extend collection beyond that period must file a renewal motion with the issuing court before the lien lapses. Read the Oregon statute.
What is the deadline for filing a mechanics lien in Oregon?
In Oregon, a mechanics lien (also called a construction or materialman's lien) must generally be filed within 75 days after the claimant last furnished labor or materials to the project. Different deadlines may apply to general contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers, so check the exact statute before relying on this window. Source: Oregon statute.
What property is protected from judgment creditors in Oregon?
Oregon protects a homestead, the debtor's primary residence, up to $40,000 in equity from forced sale by most judgment creditors. Personal property exemptions (motor vehicle, household goods, tools of trade, retirement accounts) are listed separately in the state code. Confirm the current amount on the official source.
Where do I file or search a UCC-1 in Oregon?
UCC-1 financing statements for personal-property collateral in Oregon are filed with the Secretary of State (or equivalent state filing office). Open the official Oregon UCC filing portal. Real-property liens (mortgages, judgment-lien dockets, mechanics liens) are recorded at the county recorder/clerk where the property is located, not at the state level.