Oregon State Laws

The area of Oregon has been inhabited for more than fifteen thousand years. Lewis and Clark ended their long exploration in Oregon, which sparked movement towards this new land. Oregon Territory was a highly sought area for hundreds of years before 1846 when Great Britain and the United States reached a border conclusion at the 49th Parallel. Ten years later Oregon became a state as many came to inhabit the new state through the Oregon Trail.

Immigrants settled by working in lumber and the fisheries of the green forests. The new population grew steadily and integrated with the American Indian tribes that dotted the mountains and plains. Now over three and one-half million people reside in the state. These people are governed by Oregon's state laws that have evolved over many decades. Some of these laws include labor laws, divorce laws, bankruptcy laws, expungement laws, felony conviction laws, drunken driving laws, and many others.

Expungement
Most criminal cases cannot be expunged in Oregon. Only certain juvenile cases can qualify and include cases that have been terminated for at least five years without any subsequent felony or misdemeanor offenses. Other qualifying juvenile cases include cases that have had no criminal conviction or adjudication and those that have not violated 419B.100 delinquent laws A, B, C, or F.

Adult felony and misdemeanor offenses cannot be expunged nor can traffic offenses. When a record is expunged it is no longer accessible by the public and no longer needs to be acknowledged upon job application. However when an individual runs for public office or enters the United States military, he or she will have his or her expunged record accessed.

Drunken Driving
The sentencing for driving under the influence depends on the case's circumstances and any previous offenses. Oregon has some of the strictest drunken driving laws in the country and has very specific punishments. If an individual has a minor in the motor vehicle upon an arrest, his or her punishment will increase severely, even if it is a first offense. The fine of one thousand dollars will increase as well as the two days of jail sentencing.

Other punishments include driver's license suspension, alcohol evaluation, community service, screening programs, and installation of ignition interlocking systems. The more offenses an individual has on his or her record the more time he or she will spend in restitution. If an individual commits three or more driving under the influence offenses in the space of ten years, he or she will be convicted of a Class C Felony rather than a misdemeanor offense.

Divorce
Oregon requires that before filing for divorce residents be within state borders for at least six months. This time must be continuous and must precede filing. Each divorce case is handled by the county circuit courts, so those petitioning for divorce are required to file in their county of residency or that of their spouses. If a petition is filed to the incorrect county, the petition will be thrown out. Oregon also requires a ninety-day waiting period after a petition is filed and before a court summonsing is released.