Self-Help Center

Do You Need Help With a Legal Issue?

Oregon Law Help offers free legal information plus help finding free or low-cost lawyers and legal help.

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How to Avoid Bad Legal Information Online

Ask these questions to make sure you are getting correct, trustworthy legal help online:

Is the legal info meant for your location? Make sure it's for your city, county, or state. Or else it could be wrong for you.
Is the info up-to-date? Laws and paperwork change all the time. Check when the info was last updated, to make sure it still applies.
Is the info from a trustworthy expert? Or is it from someone with limited legal experience? Or could it be a scam?

Be Careful with AI Tools like Chat GPT, Bing, or Gemini

Always double-check any legal information an AI tool gives you. A law librarian or a lawyer can help you double-check. Or you can do your own legal research to verify the info.

AI makes up fake laws, cases, legal aid groups, hotlines, forms, and other legal info. AI tools may seem confident in their answers. But they make many mistakes.

Many of our courts have family law facilitators who can provide free information, assistance, and navigation to people who are representing themselves in family law cases (cases related to children and family issues).

They can give you general information and instructions, but they cannot tell you what you should do, what the judge will do, or how to win your case.

Many counties have facilitators who can help you in person at the courthouse, and some also offer services by phone or through online video meetings.

Go to the Family Law Court Information page to find the contact information for facilitators in your county.

It is always a good idea to talk to an attorney about your legal problem.

Oregon State Bar Referral Service: Helps you find lawyers in your area.
Oregon Law Help: Free legal information plus help finding free or low-cost lawyers and legal help.

Resources

All Statewide Court Forms

Download free forms that you can use in any circuit court in Oregon. Check with your court about local rules, extra forms, and next steps. Need help with the forms? Contact your local court.

All Statewide Forms >

Interactive Online Forms

A free interactive guide to fill out and file court forms online. Limited case types available. There may be a filing fee when you’re ready to turn in the form to the court (the courts call this “filing”). Fee waivers are available for some case types.

Interactive Online Forms >

Find a Court

Every county has a circuit court. Visit your local court’s webpage for phone numbers, address, hours, local forms, and information about local rules.

Find a Court Date

Resources by Topic

Information from Oregon Law Help:

Housing: Eviction, renters, and landlords.
Family: Divorce, custody, child support, guardianship, and other family issues.
Basic Information About Going to Court
Social Security disability benefits
How to clear (expunge) your criminal record
Unemployment insurance

Information from Oregon Judicial Department:

Fees

The court may charge a fee for turning in certain forms to the court (the courts call this “filing”). The fees are the same in every circuit court in Oregon. Visit the court fees page and click on “Circuit Court Fees” for more information. Protection order cases never have filing fees.

Can’t afford to pay? You can ask the court to waive your fee (file for free) or defer your fee (pay later). Find the fee waiver/deferral application here.

Learn about Oregon Law

Oregon Law Help: free legal information plus help finding free and low-cost lawyers and legal help.
Rules Center: rules for Oregon circuit courts.
Oregon Revised Statutes (ORS): state laws created by the Oregon Legislature.
Oregon Rules of Civil Procedure: rules about filing a civil case or taking it to court in Oregon. Family law and landlord-tenant law cases are both “civil cases.”

Quick Links

News for Court Users

Law Clears Some Past Evictions: Learn more about ORS 105.164 and find out if your evictions are included.
Traffic Fine Remissions: If you lost your driver's license based on failure to pay fines or appear in court, you may be eligible to get your license back. Check to see if you are eligible.
Marijuana Pardons: In 2022, the governor pardoned people in some marijuana cases. Check to see if your case was included.
Arguing Your Case at the Court of Appeals: In 2024, the Oregon Court of Appeals began allowing self-represented people to argue for themselves in front of the court. Learn more about the rule change and how to do an oral argument.
Help Us Improve Our Courts: Please take our anonymous Access and Fairness Survey about your court experience.