The Oregon State Bar (OSB) Information and Referral Service can refer you to an attorney who will handle your case OR they can refer you to a coach. The OSB is exploring more unbundled (aka limited scope) legal assistance options. In the meantime, you can phone them and ask for an attorney to help you with:
* Small Claims Coaching
* Pro Se Coaching
* Document Review
(I previously posted about unbundling, limited scope legal assistance, and lawyers fees here.)
If you haven’t tried out the streaming video at the Oregon State Bar’s (OSB) website, now’s the time to make yourself comfortable and settle in for 30 minutes of some good old fashioned law-learnin’. Think how much smarter you will be afterward!
Topics include animal law, small claims, landlord-tenant law, police stops, charitable giving, legal assistance for military personnel, consumer bankruptcy, immigration law, bicycle law, and MORE.
There are no bells and whistles with these videos, and you might need some coffee or tea to give yourself a boost, but you will be so much wiser after listening to these. And they are only 30-minutes, which I know is a lifetime in this world of 25 second u-tube moving pictures. But lower your heart rate, live longer, impress your friends, your dates, your parents even!
Who would have thought to use Oregon Small Claims Court to shut down a meth house? A very creative lawyer, that’s who!
See the story in the July 2008 issue of the Oregon State Bar (OSB) Bulletin, Oregon’s War on Methamphetamine,” by Janine Robbin.
Excerpts:
Do you have any questions about filing a case in Small Claims Court in Oregon?
I’m helping (in a networking, researching, law librarian sort of way) an Oregon attorney write a book about Small Claims Court in Oregon, i.e. how to file, how to prepare, how to serve, etc.
One of my most important jobs is to give the lawyer/author the Public Librarian perspective.
Reminder: On January 1, 2008, the Oregon Small Claims limit rises to $7,500 (from $5,000). See my previous posting.
The 2007 Oregon Revised Statutes (ORS) laws on Small Claims courts (both Justice Court and Circuit Court) will be available at the Legislature’s web page soon.
County Circuit Courts manage their own Small Claims Departments so you should contact the court where you will be filing your case and ask about local procedures and forms. Not every county has a Justice Court, but each county has a Circuit Court (36 counties are served by 27 judicial districts)
The Governor signed HB 2316 on May 9th, 2007 (previously blogged here). Effective January 1, 2008, the Small Claims Court limit is raised from $5,000 to $7,500.
This will be good for many, though not for all. If you do file a small claims case, be sure to do your homework. The other side most certainly will have done so. And, if you’ve been sued in Small Claims Court, be sure to do your homework too. Small Claims Court is more complex than it used to be. It is not unusual for parties to consult attorneys prior to appearing in court.
Your local public and law library will have more information. And, no matter how much research you do, there is no substitute for sitting in Small Claims Court to see what goes on. Call your local Justice or Circuit Court to find out how and when you can view the proceedings.
From HALT (also linked to from Shlep):
“Oregon House Bill 2316, which aims to increase the small claims jurisdictional limit from $5,000 to $7,500, has now passed both the House of Representatives and the Senate. It now awaits Governor Ted Kulongoski’s signature. Oregon last increased its jurisdictional limit in 2002 from $3,500 to $5,000. “
Link to the enrolled bill text from here. Bill status for 2007 measures and more, here.
Oregon Legal Research Blog