Oregon Supreme Court Decisions

The Oregon Supreme Court consists of seven justices. It conducts a direct review of decisions in death penalty cases, Oregon Tax Court cases, certain agency proceedings, and cases involving certain labor law injunctions. The Court also has the discretion to review any decisions by the Court of Appeals, as well as questions certified by the Court of Appeals, a court of another state, or a federal court. It has original jurisdiction over issuing writs such as habeas corpus and mandamus, in addition to certain matters related to elections. The Court oversees the practice of law throughout the state, and it may conduct disciplinary proceedings related to the fitness of a judge or attorney.

Each justice on the Oregon Supreme Court serves a term of six years. Justices are chosen in non-partisan elections, so voters do not see the party affiliation of a candidate on the ballot. However, the Governor of Oregon holds the authority to appoint a justice if a vacant seat arises in the middle of a term. The interim justice must run in the next general election if they seek to remain on the court for a full term. Oregon imposes a mandatory retirement age of 75 on justices. A candidate for this position must be a U.S. citizen and a resident of Oregon for at least three years before being appointed or elected. They also must have been admitted to practice law in the Oregon Supreme Court. The Chief Justice of the Court is chosen by the other justices and holds that position for the full six years. They supervise the administrative and financial tasks related to running the state judiciary.

A justice may face removal in certain situations. These include a felony conviction, a violation of a rule of judicial conduct, incompetence to perform the duties of their position, and alcohol or drug addiction.

Browse Opinions From the Oregon Supreme Court
Recent Decisions From the Oregon Supreme Court
Umatilla County v. Dept. of Energy  
Date: April 18, 2024
 Docket Number: S070517

Justia Opinion Summary: The case involves a dispute over the approval of a site certificate for the construction of a wind energy facility in Umatilla County, Oregon. The Energy Facility Siting Council granted the certificate to Nolin Hills…

State v. Azar  
Date: April 11, 2024
 Docket Number: S069578

Justia Opinion Summary: The case involves Raji Afife Azar, who was charged with three counts of "computer crime" under ORS 164.377(2)(c) for selling items on eBay that he believed to be stolen. The state argued that by selling stolen…

Dept. of Human Services v. Y. B.  
Date: March 28, 2024
 Docket Number: S069996

Justia Opinion Summary: In the Supreme Court of the State of Oregon, the case involved a mother contesting the juvenile court's decision concerning the permanency plan for her child, A. In July 2019, A was made a ward of the court and placed in…

State v. Villeda  
Date: March 21, 2024
 Docket Number: S070188

Justia Opinion Summary: The Supreme Court of the State of Oregon reviewed a case involving a defendant convicted of two domestic violence offenses, who appealed his convictions on the grounds that the trial court had erred in refusing to…

Thompson v. Fhuere  
Date: March 14, 2024
 Docket Number: S070162

Justia Opinion Summary: In this Oregon Supreme Court case, the appellant Matthew Dwight Thompson challenged his death sentence, arguing that it was unconstitutional due to changes in the law under Senate Bill (SB) 1013. Thompson also argued…

Certain Underwriters v. TNA NA Manufacturing  
Date: March 7, 2024
 Docket Number: S070083

Justia Opinion Summary: In a case before the Supreme Court of the State of Oregon, the plaintiffs, Certain Underwriters at Lloyd’s London, sued TNA NA Manufacturing, Inc. and Food Design, Inc., claiming negligence and product liability for a…

Trebelhorn v. Prime Wimbledon SPE, LLC  
Date: February 15, 2024
 Docket Number: S069417

Justia Opinion Summary: A plaintiff, Robert Trebelhorn, suffered a serious knee injury at his apartment complex when a section of an elevated walkway collapsed due to deterioration. The defendants, Prime Wimbledon SPE, LLC, and Prime…

Knopp v. Griffin-Valade  
Date: February 1, 2024
 Docket Number: S070456

Justia Opinion Summary: In 2022, Oregon voters approved Ballot Measure 113, amending the state constitution to disqualify any state legislator who accumulates 10 or more unexcused absences during a legislative session from holding office "for…

Blain v. Cain
Date: February 1, 2024
 Docket Number: S070528
Moody v. Oregon Community Credit Union  
Date: December 29, 2023
 Docket Number: S069409

Justia Opinion Summary: In the State of Oregon, a woman whose husband was accidentally shot and killed during a camping trip filed a lawsuit against her husband's life insurance company. The woman claimed that the insurance company negligently…

Gollersrud v. LPMC, LLC  
Date: December 21, 2023
 Docket Number: S069796

Justia Opinion Summary: In the Supreme Court of the State of Oregon, Inez Gollersrud and David Gollersrud, individuals, filed a case against LPMC, LLC, an Oregon limited liability company. The case revolved around the question of whether email…

State v. Parkerson  
Date: December 21, 2023
 Docket Number: S069918

Justia Opinion Summary: In the case before the Supreme Court of the State of Oregon, the defendant, William Jack Parkerson, had been convicted of assault in the first degree and sentenced under Oregon’s dangerous offender statutes. The…

State v. Wilcox  
Date: December 21, 2023
 Docket Number: S070063

Justia Opinion Summary: The case involves the defendant, Jason Thomas Wilcox, who was taken into police custody for public intoxication under ORS 430.399, a noncriminal statute. During this process, the police seized and inventoried his…

PNW Metal Recycling, Inc. v. DEQ  
Date: December 7, 2023
 Docket Number: S069412

Justia Opinion Summary: In the case of PNW Metal Recycling, Inc., et al. v. Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, the Oregon Supreme Court held that the Department of Environmental Quality's (DEQ) internal decision to adopt a new…

Dept. of Human Services v. T. J. N.  
Date: December 7, 2023
 Docket Number: S070051

Justia Opinion Summary: In the case before the Supreme Court of the State of Oregon, the parents of three children under the jurisdiction of the Department of Human Services (DHS) appealed the juvenile court's decision to change the placement…

The opinions published on Justia State Caselaw are sourced from individual state court sites. These court opinions may not be the official published versions, and you should check your local court rules before citing to them. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site, or the information linked to on the state site.

Some case metadata and case summaries were written with the help of AI, which can produce inaccuracies. You should read the full case before relying on it for legal research purposes.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.