Oregon Court of Appeals

clouds over the highway
Clouds over Lone Pine Road in Jefferson County. (Oregon State Archives Scenic Image D7K_1119​)
Address: Supreme Court Bldg., 1163 State St., Salem 97301-2563​​
Records and Case Information: 503-986-5555; Oregon Relay 771
Fax: 503-986-5865

Court of Appeals Website

About

Created in 1969 as a five-judge court, the Court of Appeals was expanded to six judges in 1973, ten judges in 1977 and 13 judges in 2012. The judges, are elected on a statewide, nonpartisan basis for six-year terms,  must be  United States citizens, members of the Oregon State Bar and qualified electors of their county of residence. The chief justice of the Supreme Court appoints a chief judge from among the judges of the Court of Appeals.

Court of Appeals judges have their offices in the Justice Building in Salem and usually hear cases in the courtroom of the Supreme Court Building. The court ordinarily sits in panels of three judges. The Supreme Court has authority to appoint a Supreme Court justice, a circuit court judge or an Oregon  Tax Court judge to serve as a judge pro tempore of the Court of Appeals. In 1995, the Court of Appeals established an Appellate Settlement Conference Program for mediation of cases in that court.

Jurisdiction

The Court of Appeals has jurisdiction to review appeals of most civil and criminal cases and most state administrative agency actions. The exceptions are appeals in death penalty, lawyer and judicial disciplinary, and Oregon Tax Court cases, which go directly to the Oregon Supreme Court.

Reviews and Decisions

A party aggrieved by a decision of the Court of Appeals may petition the Supreme Court for review within 35 days after the Court of Appeals issues its decision. The Supreme Court determines whether to review the case. The Supreme Court allows a petition for review whenever at least one fewer than a majority of the participating judges vote to allow it.​
 
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