Municipal Court

HARRISBURG MUNICIPAL COURT

The City of Harrisburg operates a Municipal Court which handles traffic offenses, criminal and municipal code violations.

Court Staff

Municipal Court Judge- The Honorable Judge Larry Blake Jr.

Court Clerk - Lori Ross

City Prosecutor/ City Attorney:  M. Sean Kidd; Delapoer, Kidd P.C.; (541)926-5505

Municipal Court is typically held once a month on the second Wednesday. Official court dates are posted on the City Calendar.

Municipal Court is held at: 354 Smith Street, Harrisburg, OR 97446
Traffic Arraignments - 2:00 pm
Criminal and Municipal Code Violation Arraignments - 2:30 pm

Court Clerk is available Monday through Thursday 7:30am to Noon and 1pm to 5:00 pm and Friday 8am to Noon.
Office: 120 Smith Street, Harrisburg, OR 97446
Phone: 541-995-6655
Fax: 541-995-9244

Court Payments

Payments can be made in person at 120 Smith Street or by phone. The Court accepts cash, money order, or credit card (Visa, MasterCard, or Discover).

Plea agreements WILL NOT be accepted via phone.

Violations Bureau

VIOLATIONS BUREAU

The Violations Bureau is an option provided by Harrisburg Municipal Court to resolve minor traffic violations with a reduction in the presumptive fine.  As per ORS 153.800 and Municipal Court General Order 17-07; the Harrisburg Municipal Clerk has been appointed by the presiding Judge to serve as Violations Bureau Clerk.

You must meet the following criteria to be eligible for a fine reduction though the Violations Bureau: 

• Your citation is for a traffic violation and your citation did not involve an accident
• You have had no more than one conviction within the last three-year period
• The citation is not a class A violation.  
• Defendant must sign and submit the citation plea form prior to the assigned court date.  The signed form acknowledges that you understand you are waiving your right to a trial and that the violation will be a conviction on your driving record.

The following is the Violations Bureau Fine Reduction Schedule:

• 20% reduction for 1^st offense within a three-year period 
• 10% reduction for 2^nd offense within a three-year period

DWS-Violation

The Violation’s Bureau can reduce Class A; “Driving While Suspended” to a Class B Offense; “No Operator License” and defendant may pay presumptive fine of $265.00 if:

• Defendant gets license reinstated prior to court date
• Defendant enters a plea of no contest/guilty
• Defendant has not been previously cited for the same offense

Conviction of ‘No Operator License” will appear on record.

Driving Uninsured

• Cited vehicle HAD insurance:  If the defendant can present proof of valid insurance that shows the cited vehicle had coverage on the cited date of offense, the Violations Bureau can dismiss the citation with no fee.   No conviction on record.   

• Insurance purchased after:  If defendant appears w/proof of insurance purchased after  the date of offense, the Violations Bureau can offer diversion with a fee of $250.00.  The defendant must sign the Insurance Diversion Form and maintain coverage for 12 months.    

At the end of the diversion period, insurance coverage will be verified and if defendant maintained continual coverage, the citation will be dismissed.  No conviction on record.

If the defendant has been previously cited for the same offense, they must see the Judge or pay the presumptive fine.

Fail to Carry Proof of Insurance

If the defendant provides proof of insurance coverage at the time of citation,  the citation will be dismissed with a $50 court fee.  No conviction on record. 

Fix-it Tickets

• Non-Moving Class D Violations
• Defendant must provide proof of compliance prior to court date
• Fine reduced to $50.00 court fee
• Charged dismissed

Deferred Adjudication

Deferred Adjudication may be offered by the Harrisburg Municipal Court Judge.  This is safety program that is offered to qualified drivers for the purpose of promoting safe driving.  This program only applies to a single incident date and time. 

Defendant may be able for deferred adjudication under the following conditions: 

• The citation is a class B, C or D traffic violation 
• Defendant has no prior convictions within the last three years
• Defendant must sign up and complete an assigned traffic class within a 90-day period

You will NOT QUALIFY for the deferred adjudication program if any of the following are true:  

• The incident involved a collision or an accident
• The offense is a class A violation
• The offense is a traffic crime (misdemeanor)
• The offense is Distracted Driving/Cell Phone
• If Defendant has participated in any other traffic diversion program in the last three years. 
• The defendant carries a CDL endorsement.   

The court fine will be reduced to a court fee, set by the Judge, and due within a 60 day period.  Payment arrangements can be made for a longer period, if authorized by the Judge, with a payment plan fee.  Traffic class fees are paid directly to the agency and must be paid according to their rules. 

Success!  If Defendant receives no new citations during probation period, completes the required traffic class and has complied with their payment plan, the traffic citation will be dismissed.  The traffic citation will not appear on the defendant’s driving record. Case closed.

If any of the conditions are not met, the deferred adjudication will be revoked.  A conviction will be entered on the defendant’s driving record and the original presumptive fine will be imposed and due within 10 days.  If payment is not made by the due date, maximum fine will be imposed along with the issuance of a Show Cause order to appear.      

Court Record Requests

Court Record Requests must be submitted to the Public Records Custodian.  Please follow this link to find the instruction page, and to find the public disclosure request form.   Public Records Requests