Before you start
This guide walks through the process one step at a time, whether a Marion County case is behind your search or you simply want help with your temper. Each step is short on purpose. Do them in order and you will avoid the most common delays: enrolling in the wrong kind of class, missing a deadline, or losing proof that you attended.
Step 1: Identify which part of the system you are dealing with
Look at the top of any notice you received. Marion County Circuit Court lists three Salem addresses on its page, cited below: the High Street courthouse downtown, the Juvenile Court on Center Street NE, and the Criminal Court Annex on Aumsville Highway SE. The location on your notice tells you where hearings in your case happen and which clerk's office can answer questions about it. Write the case number on a sticky note and keep it with your phone.
Step 2: Find out who is supervising you, if anyone
If you are on probation or parole in Marion County, your supervision runs through the Sheriff's Office Community Corrections Division. Its page lists 38 parole and probation deputies working with about 2,700 people, so your deputy is likely juggling a large caseload. Reach out early rather than the week before a deadline. Ask three things: what type of program they expect, how many sessions or hours, and the date by which you must finish.
If you are not under supervision and no court is involved, skip ahead to Step 4.
Step 3: Check any protective order for conditions
If a protective order is part of your situation, read it line by line. The circuit court's Protective Orders page explains that hearings run at 1:30 pm each court day and lists the order types the court handles. An order may set conditions on where you can go or whom you can contact, and that can affect which class location is safe for you to attend. If anything is unclear, ask the clerk's office or an attorney. Do not guess.
Step 4: Decide what format you can keep up with
Be honest about your schedule. If you work rotating shifts, a fixed Tuesday-night group may fall apart by week three. Consider:
1. An in-person group close to home or work, if you can count on being free the same evening each week. 2. Individual sessions, which tend to offer more flexible times. 3. A video class, if your court or deputy confirms it is acceptable.
Rush-hour travel across town can add a lot of time, so factor that in if the class is far from where you live or work.
Step 5: Contact two or three providers
Use the listings on this site to reach providers who serve Salem. In each conversation, ask:
- How long the class runs in total and how often it meets.
- Whether they provide a written attendance record or a completion letter.
- Their policy on missed sessions and make-ups.
- The full cost and whether payment can be spread out.
- Whether sessions are offered in a language other than English, if you need that.
Write the answers down so you can compare them side by side.
Step 6: Confirm the choice with the decision-maker
Before you pay, tell your deputy or the court what program you picked and ask whether it fits what they expect. Only the court or your probation officer decides whether a class meets an order. A quick email that you can save is better than a phone call you cannot prove later.
Step 7: Enroll and set reminders
Once you have a yes, enroll and put every session date in your calendar with a reminder the day before. Plan your route or video setup ahead of the first meeting. Arrive early to the first session so paperwork does not eat into class time.
Step 8: Keep a paper trail
After each session, file any receipt or sign-in note. If the provider uses an online portal, take a screenshot. Keep these in the same folder as your court papers.
Step 9: Close the loop
When you finish, ask the provider for the completion letter and send a copy to whoever needs it, whether that is your deputy, your attorney or the court. Keep the original. Then follow up a week later to confirm it was received and logged.
A note on what we do
This directory introduces you to independent providers. We do not run classes or review anyone's credentials, and we cannot tell you whether a program will satisfy a legal requirement.