(1) A petitioner may bring a civil action in a circuit court for a court’s stalking protective order or for damages, or both, against a respondent if:

Terms Used In Oregon Statutes 30.866

  • Arrest: Taking physical custody of a person by lawful authority.
  • Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
  • Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
  • Guardian: A person legally empowered and charged with the duty of taking care of and managing the property of another person who because of age, intellect, or health, is incapable of managing his (her) own affairs.
  • Impeachment: (1) The process of calling something into question, as in "impeaching the testimony of a witness." (2) The constitutional process whereby the House of Representatives may "impeach" (accuse of misconduct) high officers of the federal government for trial in the Senate.
  • Person: includes individuals, corporations, associations, firms, partnerships, limited liability companies and joint stock companies. See Oregon Statutes 174.100
  • Probable cause: A reasonable ground for belief that the offender violated a specific law.

(a) The respondent intentionally, knowingly or recklessly engages in repeated and unwanted contact with the petitioner or a member of the petitioner’s immediate family or household thereby alarming or coercing the petitioner;

(b) It is objectively reasonable for a person in the petitioner’s situation to have been alarmed or coerced by the contact; and

(c) The repeated and unwanted contact causes the petitioner reasonable apprehension regarding the personal safety of the petitioner or a member of the petitioner’s immediate family or household.

(2) At the time the petition is filed, the court, upon a finding of probable cause based on the allegations in the petition, shall enter a temporary court’s stalking protective order that may include, but is not limited to, all contact listed in ORS § 163.730. The petition and the temporary order shall be served upon the respondent with an order requiring the respondent to personally appear before the court to show cause why the temporary order should not be continued for an indefinite period.

(3)(a) At the hearing, whether or not the respondent appears, the court may continue the hearing for up to 30 days or may proceed to enter a court’s stalking protective order and take other action as provided in ORS § 163.738.

(b) If respondent fails to appear after being served as required by subsection (2) of this section, the court may issue a warrant of arrest as provided in ORS § 133.110 in order to ensure the appearance of the respondent in court.

(4) The petitioner may recover:

(a) Both special and general damages, including damages for emotional distress;

(b) Punitive damages; and

(c) Reasonable attorney fees and costs.

(5) The court may enter an order under this section against a minor respondent without appointment of a guardian ad litem.

(6) An action under this section must be commenced within two years of the conduct giving rise to the claim.

(7) Proof of the claim shall be by a preponderance of the evidence.

(8) The remedy provided by this section is in addition to any other remedy, civil or criminal, provided by law for the conduct giving rise to the claim.

(9) No filing fee, service fee or hearing fee may be charged for a proceeding under this section.

(10) If the respondent was provided notice and an opportunity to be heard, the court shall also include in the order, when appropriate, terms and findings sufficient under 18 U.S.C. § 922 (d)(8) and (g)(8) to affect the respondent’s ability to possess firearms and ammunition or engage in activities involving firearms.

(11) ORS § 163.741 applies to protective orders issued under this section.

(12) Except for purposes of impeachment, a statement made by the respondent at a hearing under this section may not be used as evidence in a prosecution for stalking as defined in ORS § 163.732 or for violating a court’s stalking protective order as defined in ORS § 163.750. [1993 c.626 § 9; 1995 c.353 § 6; 1999 c.1052 § 4; 2003 c.292 § 3; 2015 c.89 § 1; 2021 c.274 § 1]

 

Definitions for 30.866 are found in 163.730.

 

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