Changes in state law and court rules affect some of the information in the first edition. A second edition of the book is now available via Amazon. Important changes to the first edition and updates since the second edition are mentioned below.
General information
Electronic filing
Oregon’s circuit courts have implemented “electronic filing” for cases. You
can file online in a circuit court small claims small claims department so long as (1) you have an email address, (2) you can create PDF or PDF-A text-searchable documents, and (3) you are paying filing fees by credit card. If you don’t have a card or if you want to waive or defer your fees, you can work with the court directly, just as before. Only lawyers are required to file case documents electronically.
To file electronically, go to the Oregon Judicial Department i-Forms page:
www.courts.oregon.gov/OJD/OnlineServices/iForms/Pages/index.aspx
There is a “Guide and File” questionnaire that will ask you about your case and will fill in blanks in the claim form. If you are a defendant, you can file your answer electronically, so long as you meet the three requirements above. You can still file paper documents at the courthouse.
Justice courts continue to use paper case files.
More standard forms available
For small claims departments in circuit courts, an increasing number of
standard forms is available. To see the full assortment, go to:
www.courts.oregon.gov/OJD/forms/Pages/SmallClaims.aspx
Starting your case when you can’t find the defendant
As more newspapers have shifted to a digital format, the Oregon legislature has permitted legal notices, including summonses for small claims court, to be published in online “papers” of general circulation where a plaintiff has filed a case. For an online newspaper to post legal notices, it must:
1. Be formatted similarly to a printed newspaper, and be maintained in an archive.
2. Provide consistent, regular coverage of local news.
3. Be published in English.
4. Is at least four pages of five columns each and 14 inches long, or, if formatted differently, the equivalently long.
5. Have bona fide paying subscribers for more than half the distribution of the online newspaper.
6. Have been published regularly and without interruption at least weekly for the preceding 12 months.
Getting documents notarized
The courts have moved away from requiring notarized signatures for many
case documents, including a plaintiff’s claim form. You may see other forms titled or using the word declaration instead of affidavit. A declaration has the same effect as an affidavit—the person who signs it swears to be truthful or be subject to prosecution for perjury.
Using the sheriff to serve an individual, p. 34:
The fee for a sheriff to deliver up to two summonses at the same address has increased to $45. For service to places 38 miles or more from the courthouse, the sheriff can charge up to $45 as a travel cost.
Tenants’ claim for statutory damages caused by landlord’s retaliatory
conduct, p. 83:
The law about no-cause notices of eviction by landlords has changed. After one year of tenancy, the landlord must give a minimum of 60 days’ notice, not just 30. There are minor exceptions to this change. See ORS 90.427(5).
Home construction and improvements, p. 94 and following:
The Construction Contractors’ Board may now require that complaints come with a $100 processing fee. The fee can be waived in several circumstances.
Finding out what the debtor owns and where it is, p. 141: The Oregon Judicial Information Network (OJIN) is now known as the Oregon Case Judicial Information Network (OCJIN).
Appendix C—Oregon Courts, p.174 and following, has numerous changes. It is
reprinted here in full:
Baker County Courthouse (circuit and justice courts)
1995 Third Street, Suite 220
Baker City 97814
541-523- 6305 (circuit court)
541-523- 8213 (justice court)
Huntington Justice Court
50 East Adams Street, P.O. Box 40
Huntington 97907
541-869- 2202
Clackamas County Justice Court
11750 SE 82 nd Avenue, Suite D
Happy Valley 97086
503-794- 3800
Benton County Courthouse
120 NW Fourth Street, P.O. Box 1870
Corvallis 97339
541-766- 6859
Clackamas County Courthouse
807 Main Street
Oregon City 97045
503-655- 8447
Clatsop County Courthouse
749 Commercial Street, P.O. Box 835
Astoria 97103
503-325- 8555
Columbia County Courthouse (circuit and justice courts)
230 Strand Street
St. Helens 97051
503-397- 2327 x0
Justice Court, Vernonia
1001 Bridge Street, P.O. Box 128
Vernonia 97064
503-429- 2441
Coos County Courthouse—two locations
250 N Baxter Street
Coquille 97423
541-396- 4100
North Bend Annex
1975 McPherson Avenue
North Bend 97459
541-756- 2020
Crook County Courthouse
300 NE Third Street
Prineville 97754
541-447- 6541
Curry County Courthouse
29821 Ellensburg Avenue
Mailing address: 94235 Moore Street, Suite 200
Gold Beach 97444
541-247- 2511
Deschutes County Courthouse
1164 NW Bond Street
Bend 97703
541-388- 5300
Deschutes County Justice Court
2444 SW Glacier Place, P.O. Box 1750
Redmond 97756
541-617- 4758
Douglas County Justice Building
1036 SE Douglas Street, Room 201
Roseburg 97470
541-957- 2471
Canyonville Justice Court
249 NE Main Street, P.O. Box 376
Canyonville 97417
541-839- 4389
Drain Justice Court
135 Second Street, P.O. Box 513
Drain 97435
541-836- 2814
Glendale Justice Court
222 Gilbert Avenue, P.O. Box 325
Glendale 97442
541-832- 2101
Reedsport Justice Court
680 Fir Avenue
Reedsport 97467
541-271- 4868
Gilliam County Courthouse (circuit and justice courts)
211 S Oregon Street
Condon 97823
541-384- 3572
Arlington Justice Court
500 W First Street, P.O. Box 308
Arlington 97812
541-454- 2923
Grant County Courthouse
201 S Humboldt Street, P.O. Box 159
Canyon City 97820
541-575- 1438
Grant County Justice Court
201 S Humboldt Street, Suite 120
Canyon City 97820
541-575- 1076
Harney County Courthouse
450 N Buena Vista Street, #16
Burns 97720
541-573- 5207
Harney County Justice Court
450 N Buena Vista Street
Burns 97720
541-573- 2346
Hood River County Courthouse
309 State Street
Hood River 97031
541-386- 3535
Hood River County Justice Court
430 WaNaPa Street, P.O. Box 536
Cascade Locks 97014
541-374- 8558
Jackson County Justice Building (circuit court)
100 S Oakdale Avenue
Medford 97501
541-776- 7171 x 120
Jackson County Justice Court
505 Oak Street
Central Point 97502
541-774- 1286
Jefferson County Courthouse
129 SW E Street, Suite 101
Madras 97741
541-475- 3317
Josephine County Courthouse
500 NW Sixth Street
Grants Pass 97526
541-476- 2309
Klamath County Courthouse
316 Main Street
Klamath Falls 97601
541-883- 5503 x 0
Klamath County Justice Court
6500 S Sixth Street
Klamath Falls 97603
541-884- 1864
Wood River Justice Court
212 First Street, P.O. Box 516
Chiloquin 97624
541-783- 2240
Lake County Courthouse
523 Center Street
Lakeview 97630
541-947- 6051
Lane County Courthouse
125 E Eighth Street
Eugene 97401
541-682- 4020
Lane County Justice Court
900 Greenwood Street
Florence 97439
541-997- 2535
Lincoln County Courthouse
225 W Olive Street
Newport 97365
541-265- 4236
Linn County Courthouse
300 Fourth Avenue SW, P.O. Box 1749
Albany 97321
541-967- 3802
Linn County Justice Court
430 Smith Street, P.O. Box 286
Harrisburg 97446
541-917- 1903
Lebanon Justice Court
30 E Maple Street, #2
Lebanon 97355
541-258- 5777
Sweet Home Justice Court
799 Long Street
Sweet Home 97386
541-367- 5902
Malheur County Courthouse
251 B Street W
Vale 97918
541-473- 5178
Marion County Courthouse
100 High Street, P.O. Box 12869
Salem 97309
503-588- 5105
Malheur Justice Court
1178 SW Fourth Street, Apt 1
Ontario 97914
541-889- 5712
East Marion Justice Court
111 W Locust Street, Suite 3
Stayton 97383
503-769- 7656
North Marion Justice Court
986 N Pacific Highway
Woodburn 97071
503-981- 8101
Morrow County Courthouse
100 Court Street, P.O. Box 609
Heppner 97836
541-676- 5264
Heppner Justice Court
100 Court Street, P.O. Box 1125
Heppner 97836
541-676- 9061
Irrigon Justice Court
205 Third Street at Main Street, P.O. Box 130
Irrigon 97841
Multnomah County Courthouse—two locations
1021 SW Fourth Street
Portland 97204
503-988- 3957
East County Courthouse
18480 SE Stark Street
Gresham 97233
503-988- 3957
Polk County Courthouse
850 Main Street
Dallas 97338
503-623- 3154
Sherman County Courthouse
500 Court Street, P.O. Box 402
Moro 97039
541-565- 3650
Sherman County Justice Court
500 Court Street, P.O. Box 282
Moro 97039
541-565- 3572
Tillamook County Courthouse
201 Laurel Avenue
Tillamook 97141
503-842- 2596 x 0
Tillamook County Justice Court
201 Laurel Avenue
Tillamook 97141
503-842- 3416
Umatilla County Courthouse—two locations
216 SE Fourth Street
Pendleton 97801
541-278- 0341 x 220
Stafford Hansel Government Center
915 SE Columbia Drive
Hermiston 97838
541-667- 3020
Union County Courthouse
1105 K Avenue
La Grande 97850
541-962- 9500 x 0
Union County Justice Court
10605 Island Avenue
Island City 97850
541-962- 2997
Wallowa County Courthouse
101 South River Street
Enterprise 97828
541-426- 4991
Wasco County Courthouse
511 Washington Street, P.O. Box 1400
The Dalles 97058
541-506- 2700 x 0
Washington County Courthouse
145 N Second Avenue
Hillsboro 97124
503-846- 8888
Washington County Justice Court
3700 SW Murray Boulevard, Suite 150
Beaverton 97005
503-846- 6600
Wheeler County Courthouse
701 Adams Street, P.O. Box 308
Fossil 97830
541-763- 2541
Wheeler County Justice Court
701 Adams Street, P.O. Box 447
Fossil 97830
Wheeler County Justice Court
105 Nelson Street, P.O. Box 142
Mitchell 97750
541-462- 3600
Yamhill County Courthouse
535 NE Fifth Street
McMinnville 97128
503-434- 7530
Chapter 6:
It is still true that Oregon police cannot arrest anyone who is a witness in a case at the courthouse. However, federal immigration policy now permits immigration police (ICE) to make courthouse arrests of certain immigrants. They include people who have criminal convictions, who are “national security or public safety threats” or who have been ordered to leave the country or re-entered after being removed. It can be risky for immigrants–guilty or innocent–to appear in person as witnesses; testifying by phone is a safer option.
Chapter 11:
The amount of wage income that a judgment creditor can garnish will change as of January 1, 2020. A judgment debtor will be allowed to keep the higher of 75% of disposable earnings or $254 of weekly earnings. A worker paid every two weeks will be able to keep the higher of 75% or $509; a worker paid half-monthly will be able to keep the higher of 75% or $545; and a worker paid monthly will be able to keep the higher of 75% or $1,090.
Chapter 11: Collecting the Judgment
On pages 142-143 in both the 2012 and 2017 editions, judgment creditors learn that, when they receive full or partial payment from the judgment debtor in their small claims case, the creditors must file a partial or full satisfaction of judgment with the court. They can use the sample form at the end of Chapter 11 as a guide. New law allows the creditor to swear to the receipt of money and the amount received under penalty of perjury as opposed to using a notary public.