Facing a criminal charge in Oregon

Bond and pretrial release in Oregon

Article I Section 14 of the Oregon Constitution provides for the right to bail by sufficient sureties except for murder or treason where proof is evident or presumption strong. ORS Chapter 135 governs release. ORS Sec. 135.245 establishes a presumption of release on the defendant's personal recognizance unless the magistrate determines release will not reasonably assure appearance, in which case additional conditions including a release agreement with security deposit may be imposed. ORS Sec. 135.265 authorizes the security amount, which in Oregon is typically a 10 percent deposit retained by the court rather than a commercial surety bond; Oregon does not permit commercial bail bondsmen. ORS Sec. 135.260 governs review and modification of release conditions.

Bond amounts, conditions, and timelines vary by county and judge. Confirm with counsel or the court.

Criminal defense attorneys serving Oregon

Our directory is still building in Oregon. Public-defender intake is available now.

Record clearing in Oregon

Oregon set-aside of criminal convictions is governed by ORS 137.225, with arrest-record relief under ORS 137.223. Senate Bill 397 (effective January 2022) expanded eligibility and reduced waiting periods, establishing a petition-based pathway that, when granted, sets aside the conviction. The statute provides waiting periods of one year for Class C misdemeanors, three years for Class A misdemeanors and Class C felonies, five years for Class B felonies, and seven years for Class A felonies; traffic offenses, sex crimes, and crimes listed as person felonies in OAR 213-003 are largely excluded. The motion is filed in the court of conviction with notice to the district attorney.

Eligibility, waiting periods, and the petition vs. automatic pathway depend on the conviction class and the date of the offense. Confirm with counsel or the court record.

Public defender intake in Oregon

Oregon Public Defense Commission serves STATEWIDE County. Public defenders are appointed by the court based on financial eligibility. We do not refer you to a specific public defender and we do not represent you.

Public defenders are appointed by the court based on financial eligibility. LawSensai does not refer you to a public defender and does not represent you. This packet is a courtesy summary you can share with your public defender or their intake staff. You remain responsible for applying to the court for appointed counsel.