County & Municipal Law Resources

Published on: May 16, 2023

I’ve Been Called to Jury Duty – Now What?

By Paula Simon

As COVID restrictions ease across Oregon, the state’s circuit courts are resuming in-person trials. We have been getting questions about serving on a jury. Each county circuit court has their own procedures and rules, so it is always a good idea to contact the circuit court directly to get answers to your questions. Here are some sources that I found online that answered some of those questions.

The Oregon State Bar has a Juror handbook which answers in plain language many questions a prospective juror may have.

On the Oregon courts webpage they have posted a Juror Orientation video. It has comments from judges, attorneys, and former jurors about jury duty and re-enactments of parts of jury selection and a trial. There is also a FAQ section on the site about jury duty in general (not county-specific information) and a section on court etiquette.

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Published on: April 4, 2023

How Do I Apply For Emancipation From My Parents?

By Paula Simon

How did we answer that?

By Paula Simon

We had a younger patron come into the library who was interested in the process to become emancipated from their parents. What is emancipation? According to the Washington County Juvenile department, emancipation means “that a 16- or 17-year-old person can be given certain rights and responsibilities of an adult or 18-year-old person.”

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Published on: December 10, 2021

Washington County Law Library now offers eBooks

By Lee Van Duzer

The Washington County Law Library now offers eBook access to a variety of legal titles, including some key Oregon legal research materials. The pilot project was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services through the Library Services and Technology Act, administered by the State Library of Oregon.

County residents can sign up for access to the eBooks via the Law Library’s website and can contact the Law Library’s “Virtual Information Desk” with any questions. After the initial sign up, the Law Library’s eBooks may be accessed online or by using the LexisNexis Digital Library app from the app store.

Located in downtown Hillsboro, the Washington County Law Library strives to enhance equal access to justice by making sure legal information, resources and tools are available and accessible to everyone. As stated by Law Librarian Lee Van Duzer, “We’re really pleased to be able to make these materials more available to the public. Now people have another way to find the resources they need to be successful in whatever legal challenges they’re facing.”

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Published on: July 13, 2020

Does Your Chosen Candidate for Oregon Elected Office Know Local Government Budgeting Law?

By Laura Orr

They should! There are lots of ways to learn: e.g. while in a public sector job that takes an active role in the agency’s budget process, by working for an elected official, by volunteering on a government committee or for a non-profit that takes part in a local or state government budget process, or, even by reading and self-study.

For example, there is a “Local Budgeting Manual,” among many other useful training and guidance documents on public websites for anyone who wants to learn about budget timelines, requirements, and laws.

From the Local Budget Law page of the Oregon Department of Revenue:

By Laura Orr

Laugh and cheer in this excellent article about the Oregon women who took over, and cleaned up, the city of Umatilla, Oregon, in 1916:

“The Petticoat Rebellion of 1916,” by Jennifer Colton-Jones.

Excerpts: “…. By the time the polls closed that evening, the women of Umatilla had pulled off a strange sort of conspiracy unlike anything the country had ever seen….

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