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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

General

​Generally the answer is no. Communicating with a judge about your case, without the other party present, is called "ex parte" contact. 

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Court clerks are prohibited from providing legal advice.​

​Yes, however, you must request to be set up on a payment plan. The minimum monthly payment amount is $50.00. The court will add a fee to each case not paid in full within 30 days after judgment (ORS 1.202(2)). The fee is:

  • $50 on a case balance that is under $150;
  • $125 on a case balance that is between $150 and $399;
  • $200 on a case that is $400 or more.

Civil

​You can file for a name change at the courthouse. Name change forms can be found on the court website or purchased at a stationery store that carries legal forms. An attorney can also file a name change for you. Forms for a name change of a minor/child are different than for an adult so be sure to select the correct forms. Please review the fee schedule for the name change filing fee.

​To file a Small Claim you will need to file a Claim and Notice of Claim Form with the court. These forms and Instructions are available at the courthouse and on our website. The maximum amount you can file for is $10,000.00. Please review our fee schedule for the required filing fee.

​To file an eviction (FED) with the court you will need both a Complaint form and a Summons form, along with the notice of eviction that was given/served to your tenant(s). These forms and Instructions are available at the courthouse and on our website. Please review our fee schedule for the required filing fee.

You may request a forms packet to get a Restraining Order or Family Abuse Prevention Act (FAPA) from the civil clerk at the courthouse. There is no charge to get the forms or to file the forms in this packet.

You can also find FAPA iForms on the OJD website. This is an online application that creates forms based on your answers to a set of questions. You will then print your completed forms and bring them to the court for filing.

All FAPA petitions filed with the Civil clerk before 10:00 a.m. will have a hearing that same day. Any FAPA petitions filed after 10:00 a.m. will be heard by a judge the next business day.

Traffic/Violations

​No. You may enter your plea (no contest or not guilty) any time prior to your appearance date without having to come to the courthouse. You may respond in writing, by telephone or at the customer service windows in the courthouse. If you find you have missed your appearance date you have until 5:00 p.m. the following business day to contact the court and enter your plea. If you fail to contact the court within this time frame, a default judgment of conviction will be entered against you and the full presumptive fine amount will be due and payable immediately.

If eligible, ​Klamath County Circuit Court accepts traffic school for traffic violations.​

​No, you are not required to appear in person. You must enter your plea with the court on or before the appearance date that was given to you on your citation. Your citation has several options to choose from so that you may handle your citation entirely through the mail or by telephone.

​You must either pay the full amount you owe or be set up on a payment plan. Once you have resolved your past due debt to the court, DMV or ODFW will be notified to reinstate your license. There may be additional fees you need to pay to DMV.​