CONTACT

Municipal Court
555 Liberty St. SE
Room 215
Salem, OR 97301

503-588-6146 (select 5 for staff)
salemmunicourt@cityofsalem.net

Submit a Question

Court staff is not able to provide legal advice or recommend any attorney.

HOURS

Lobby
Monday - Friday
7:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Phone
Monday - Friday
8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

RESOURCES

Municipal Court Trial Court Rules

ACCOMMODATIONS

If you require a reasonable accessibility accommodation or language interpretation to appear before a judge, please contact us with your request. Spanish interpretation is available every Monday and Friday morning and for all criminal matters.

Plan a Court Appearance

When do you need to report to court?

Criminal / Misdemeanor Charges	Traffic Violations (speeding, red light, etc.)	Parking Tickets/Violations
You must appear for court in person You cannot reschedule your court appearance without filing a motion If you do not appear in court, a warrant will be issued for your arrest	You can pay/resolve without attending court You can enter a plea and contest your ticket in person, over the phone, by email, or fax and then a trial will be set for a future date If you plan on attending your arraignment, use the notes below to prepare	You can pay/resolve without attending court You can enter a plea and contest your ticket in person, over the phone, by email, or fax and then a trial will be set for a future date For information on paying a parking ticket, visit Pay a Ticket or Fine

Criminal / Misdemeanor Charges

Traffic Violations (speeding, red light, etc.)

Parking Tickets/Violations

You must appear for court in person
You cannot reschedule your court appearance without filing a motion
If you do not appear in court, a warrant will be issued for your arrest

You can pay/resolve without attending court
You can enter a plea and contest your ticket in person, over the phone, by email, or fax and then a trial will be set for a future date
If you plan on attending your arraignment, use the notes below to prepare

You can pay/resolve without attending court
You can enter a plea and contest your ticket in person, over the phone, by email, or fax and then a trial will be set for a future date
For information on paying a parking ticket, visit Pay a Ticket or Fine

Other reasons to appear in court

When cited with a criminal charge, you must appear at your scheduled arraignment, which is your first appearance before a judge.
Your first appearance date has passed.
You have an outstanding warrant for arrest.
You cannot pay your full fine within 10 days of judgment (for violations you can discuss payment arrangements over the phone too).
You have other outstanding matters currently pending with this court.
You need payment arrangements for fines in excess of $1,000.

Getting to the Municipal Court

The City of Salem Municipal Court is located in the Civic Center in downtown Salem. Parking is available at the Civic Center in the below ground parking garage. From the parking garage, proceed to the 2nd floor and check in at the counter at Room 215.

Contacting the Violations Bureau

Located at the lobby of the Court and over the phone. The violations bureau can provide information to help you prepare for Court or to resolve your citations. This includes:

Your court date and time
Payment options or setting up payment plans for fines of $1,000 or less
Checking case balances owed
Checking citation or case numbers

The violations bureau can also be reached at SalemMuniCourt@cityofsalem.net

Must minors appear in court?

Salem Municipal Court Trial Rules

Oregon Bar - Lawyer Referral Service

Appearing before a Judge

If you need to appear before a judge, here is what may happen in court.

Appropriate attire

To appear before the judge, you must dress appropriately. Business casual attire is recommended.

Remove hats
Silence cell phones

Ticket or fine

Once you’ve entered the Court -

The judge will enter and read the Municipal Court Rights and Procedures.
Individuals will then be called forward one at a time.
The judge will read the charge and ask how they would like to plead.
Proceedings are completed on a case-by-case basis.

If you miss your court date and fail to appear, you will be found guilty by default, the full fine amount on your citation will be assessed against you, and you will be notified by mail. If you are unable to pay the assessed fine, you must see a judge (for violations you can contact the Violations Bureau). Court staff will set a specific date and time for you to appear. If you have questions, you may contact the court to ask about options.

Criminal misdemeanor matter

At your first appearance before a judge, you will be advised of the charge against you and the next appearance date will be set. You will also receive information about obtaining a court-appointed attorney. If you have retained an attorney, they will appear with you.

If you were cited for a crime and do not appear as ordered, a warrant will be issued for your arrest. Your appearance date and time cannot be rescheduled. You must contact the court to clear a warrant.

What paperwork or forms are required in court?

Are there interpreters available to assist me?

Jury trials