Pendleton court to become court of record
By Terry Murry on Thursday, October 12th, 2023 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories
PENDLETON – The Pendleton City Council has approved upgrading Pendleton Municipal Court to a court of record. While the city has to purchase and operate recording devices for the court, Mayor John Turner said that, overall, the city will save money. Right now, if a case at Pendleton Municipal Court is being appealed, it results in a whole new trial at the Sixth Circuit Court.
“That requires us to have a prosecutor and police officers to testify, and it’s expensive,” he said. “As a court of record, if you want to appeal your case it goes in writing to the court of appeals in Salem, but it doesn’t result in a brand new trial.”
The city council turned the proposal back to city staff to answer more questions about the expense of purchasing and operating the recording equipment.
“We gathered that information,” City Manager Robb Corbett said. “We had a workshop with the city council last Tuesday and provided that information to the council.”
City Manager Robb Corbett said the city council enacted an emergency clause in unanimously approving the change. The new status will go into effect Dec. 1.
