HB2766 • 2025

Removes the provision stating that a justice court may not become a court of record if the court is located within 50 driving miles of the circuit court for the county in which the justice court is located.

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Representative Evans
Last action: 2025-06-27
Official status: In House Committee
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Removes the provision stating that a justice court may not become a court of record if the court is located within 50 driving miles of the circuit court for the county in which the justice court is located.

Digest: The Act gets rid of the law saying that a justice court may not become a court of record if the court is within 50 miles of the circuit court for the county in which the court is located.

What This Bill Does

Digest: The Act gets rid of the law saying that a justice court may not become a court of record if the court is within 50 miles of the circuit court for the county in which the court is located.
(Flesch Readability Score: 60.9).
Removes the provision stating that a justice court may not become a court of record if the court is located within 50 driving miles of the circuit court for the county in which the justice court is located.
Relating to: Relating to justice courts.

Limits and Unknowns

This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

2025-06-27 House
In committee upon adjournment.
2025-01-17 House
Referred to Judiciary.
2025-01-13 House
First reading. Referred to Speaker's desk.

Official Summary Text

Digest: The Act gets rid of the law saying that a justice court may not become a court of record if the court is within 50 miles of the circuit court for the county in which the court is located. (Flesch Readability Score: 60.9).
Removes the provision stating that a justice court may not become a court of record if the court is located within 50 driving miles of the circuit court for the county in which the justice court is located.
Relating to: Relating to justice courts.
Current location: In House Committee

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

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83rd OREGON LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY--2025 Regular Session
House Bill 2766
Sponsored by Representative EVANS (Presession filed.)
SUMMARY
The following summary is not prepared by the sponsors of the measure and is not a part of the body thereof subject
to consideration by the Legislative Assembly. It is an editor’s brief statement of the essential features of the
measure as introduced. The statement includes a measure digest written in compliance with applicable readability
standards.
Digest: The Act gets rid of the law saying that a justice court may not become a court of record
if the court is within 50 miles of the circuit court for the county in which the court is located.
(Flesch Readability Score: 60.9).
Removes the provision stating that a justice court may not become a court of record if the court
is located within 50 driving miles of the circuit court for the county in which the justice court is
located.
A BILL FOR AN ACT
Relating to justice courts; amending ORS 51.025.
Be It Enacted by the People of the State of Oregon:
SECTION 1.
ORS 51.025 is amended to read:
51.025. (1) [ Except as provided in subsection (7) of this section, ] Any justice court may become a
court of record by:
(a) The passage of an ordinance by the governing body of the county in which the court is lo-
cated; and
(b) The entry of an order by the Supreme Court acknowledging the filing of the declaration re-
quired under subsection (2) of this section.
(2) Before a justice court may become a court of record, the governing body of the county in
which the court is located must file a declaration with the Supreme Court that includes:
(a) A statement that the justice court satisfies the requirements of this section for becoming a
court of record;
(b) The address and telephone number of the clerk of the justice court; and
(c) The date on which the justice court will commence operations as a court of record.
(3) The Supreme Court may not charge a fee for filing a declaration under subsection (2) of this
section. Not later than 30 days after a declaration is filed under subsection (2) of this section, the
Supreme Court shall enter an order acknowledging the filing of the declaration and give notice of
the order of acknowledgment to the county and the public.
(4) The county shall provide a court reporter or an audio recording device for each justice court
made a court of record under this section.
(5) The appeal from a judgment entered in a justice court that becomes a court of record under
this section shall be as provided in ORS chapters 19 and 138 for appeals from judgments of circuit
courts.
(6) As a qualification for the office, the justice of the peace for any justice court that becomes
a court of record must be a member of the Oregon State Bar.
[(7) A justice court may not become a court of record under the provisions of this section if the
NOTE: Matter in boldfaced type in an amended section is new; matter [ italic and bracketed] is existing law to be omitted.
New sections are in boldfaced type.
LC 2484
HB 2766
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court is located within 50 driving miles of the circuit court for the county in which the justice court is
located, measured by the shortest distance by public roads between the justice court and the circuit
court.]
[2]