The Oregon State Records mission is to offer every person the right to detect, obtain, preview and examine public records, thus making sure residents of the state of Oregon are provided access in accordance with the Public Records and Public Meetings Laws, which specify that in a democratic society, every person has the right to inspect any non exempt public record created by a government body.
Every citizen has the right to detect, obtain, investigate and examine all public records without having to provide a "need to know." Oregon's open government laws promote democracy by ensuring that all state, regional, and local records are managed with transparency and accountability to the public.
Oregon State Records maintains the information concerning the following subject matters: criminal records, court records, and vital records, as well as over 35 million additional public records.
Oregon began collecting public records starting in the year 1800 from all 36 counties, thereby ensuring Oregon abides by the commitment of the United States of America to remain a fair and just society for all. Because of the digitization of public records - a process that began roughly 30 years ago - these records are increasingly available through both governmental and third party websites.