Information available from court staff
Court staff can provide:
- General information about court procedures, rules, and practices
- Instructions and forms that the court developed for some proceedings (forms are not available for all legal proceedings)
- Court schedules and information on how to get matters scheduled
- Public information in court records
- A list of low-cost or no-cost legal services available in the community
- Information about the Oregon State Bar's Lawyer Referral Service and TEL-LAW program
- The location of local law libraries that are open to the public
Oregon law prevents court staff from:
- Advising or recommending one procedure, form, or pleading over another
- Advising what words to put in a form or what to say in court
- Suggesting what you "should do"
- Speculating about the possible outcome of a pending court matter
- Recommending the services of a specific attorney or group of attorneys
Remember: While court staff can provide general information about court procedures, ORS 9.160 prohibits court staff from giving legal advice. If you need legal advice, please contact a lawyer.
Where to find a lawyer
If you do not have a lawyer, you may wish to call the Oregon State Bar's Lawyer Referral Service. Ask for the name and number of a lawyer in your area who handles the type of legal questions you have.
Lawyer Referral Service:
1-800-452-7636 (within Oregon) or
503-684-3763 (Portland area).