Oregon Statutes 477.745 – Liability of parents for costs of suppressing fire caused by minor child
(1) In addition to any other remedy provided by law, the parent or parents of an unemancipated minor child shall be liable for costs incurred by the forester in suppressing fires on forestland caused by such minor child. However, a parent who is not entitled to legal custody of the minor child at the time of the fire shall not be liable for such damages.
Terms Used In Oregon Statutes 477.745
- Answer: The formal written statement by a defendant responding to a civil complaint and setting forth the grounds for defense.
- Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
- Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
- Forester: means the State Forester or authorized representative. See Oregon Statutes 477.001
- Forestland: means any woodland, brushland, timberland, grazing land or clearing that, during any time of the year, contains enough forest growth, slashing or vegetation to constitute, in the judgment of the forester, a fire hazard, regardless of how the land is zoned or taxed. See Oregon Statutes 477.001
- 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.
- Obligation: An order placed, contract awarded, service received, or similar transaction during a given period that will require payments during the same or a future period.
(2) The legal obligation of the parent or parents of an unemancipated minor child to pay damages under this section shall be limited to not more than $5,000 payable to the forester for one or more acts.
(3) When an action is brought under this section on parental responsibility for acts of their children, the parents shall be named as defendants therein and, in addition, the minor child shall be named as a defendant. The filing of an answer by the parents shall remove any requirement that a guardian ad litem be required.
(4) Nothing in subsections (1) to (3) of this section applies to:
(a) Foster parents.
(b) Parents who have filed a petition for the unemancipated minor child under ORS § 419B.809. [1995 c.605 § 6; 2001 c.622 § 52]