Title 4, Evidence and Witnesses

(1) As used in this section: (a) “Person with a disability” means a person who cannot readily understand or communicate the spoken English language, or cannot understand proceedings in which the person is involved, because of deafness or because of a physical hearing impairment o…

(1) As used in this section: (a) “Interpreter” means a person who translates conversations or other communications for a non-English-speaking person or translates the statements of a non-English-speaking person. (b) “Non-English-speaking person” means a person who, by reason of p…

(1) As used in this section: (a) “Confidential communication” means a communication between an offsite process counselor and an individual reporting information or seeking consultative services from the offsite process counselor. (b) “Harassment” has the meaning given that term i…

(1) As used in this section, “unit of government” means: (a) The federal government or any state or political subdivision thereof; (b) A university that has commissioned police officers under ORS 352.121 or 353.125; or (c) A tribal government as defined in ORS 181A.940, if the in…

A person upon whom ORS 40.225 to 40.295 confer a privilege against disclosure of the confidential matter or communication waives the privilege if the person or the person’s predecessor while holder of the privilege voluntarily discloses or consents to disclosure of any significan…

Evidence of a statement or other disclosure of privileged matter is not admissible against the holder of the privilege if the disclosure was: (1) Compelled erroneously; or (2) Made without opportunity to claim the privilege. [1981 c.892 §40]

(1) The claim of a privilege, whether in the present proceeding or upon a prior occasion, is not a proper subject of comment by judge or counsel. No inference may be drawn from a claim of privilege. (2) In jury cases, proceedings shall be conducted, to the extent practicable, so …

Unless expressly repealed by section 98, chapter 892, Oregon Laws 1981, all existing privileges either created under the Constitution or statutes of the State of Oregon or developed by the courts of Oregon are recognized and shall continue to exist until changed or repealed accor…

Except as provided in ORS 40.310 to 40.335, any person who, having organs of sense can perceive, and perceiving can make known the perception to others, may be a witness. [1981 c.892 §43]

Subject to the provisions of ORS 40.415, a witness may not testify to a matter unless evidence is introduced sufficient to support a finding that the witness has personal knowledge of the matter. Evidence to prove personal knowledge may, but need not, consist of the testimony of …

(1) Before testifying, every witness shall be required to declare that the witness will testify truthfully, by oath or affirmation administered in a form calculated to awaken the conscience of the witness and impress the mind of the witness with the duty to do so. (2) An oath may…

Except as provided in ORS 45.275 (7), an interpreter is subject to the provisions of the Oregon Evidence Code relating to qualification as an expert and the administration of an oath or affirmation that the interpreter will make a true and impartial interpretation of the proceedi…

The judge presiding at the trial may not testify in that trial as a witness. No objection need be made in order to preserve the point. [1981 c.892 §48]

A member of the jury may not testify as a witness before that jury in the trial of the case in which the member has been sworn to sit as a juror. If the juror is called so to testify, the opposing party shall be afforded an opportunity to object out of the presence of the jury. […

The credibility of a witness may be attacked by any party, including the party calling the witness. [1981 c.892 §51]

(1) The credibility of a witness may be attacked or supported by evidence in the form of opinion or reputation, but: (a) The evidence may refer only to character for truthfulness or untruthfulness; and (b) Evidence of truthful character is admissible only after the character of t…

(1) For the purpose of attacking the credibility of a witness, evidence that the witness has been convicted of a crime shall be admitted if elicited from the witness or established by public record, but only if the crime: (a) Was punishable by death or imprisonment in excess of o…

(1) The credibility of a witness may be attacked by evidence that the witness engaged in conduct or made statements showing bias or interest. In examining a witness concerning a prior statement made by the witness, whether written or not, the statement need not be shown nor its c…

Evidence of the beliefs or opinions of a witness on matters of religion is not admissible for the purpose of showing that by reason of their nature the credibility of the witness is impaired or enhanced. [1981 c.892 §54a]

(1) The court shall exercise reasonable control over the mode and order of interrogating witnesses and presenting evidence so as to make the interrogation and presentation effective for the ascertainment of the truth, avoid needless consumption of time and protect witnesses from …

If a witness uses a writing to refresh memory for the purpose of testifying, either while testifying or before testifying if the court in its discretion determines it is necessary in the interests of justice, an adverse party is entitled to have the writing produced at the hearin…

(1) In examining a witness concerning a prior statement made by the witness, whether written or not, the statement need not be shown nor its contents disclosed to the witness at that time, but on request the same shall be shown or disclosed to opposing counsel. (2) Extrinsic evid…

At the request of a party the court may order witnesses excluded until the time of final argument, and it may make the order of its own motion. This rule does not authorize exclusion of: (1) A party who is a natural person; (2) An officer or employee of a party which is not a nat…

If the witness is not testifying as an expert, testimony of the witness in the form of opinions or inferences is limited to those opinions or inferences which are: (1) Rationally based on the perception of the witness; and (2) Helpful to a clear understanding of testimony of the …

If scientific, technical or other specialized knowledge will assist the trier of fact to understand the evidence or to determine a fact in issue, a witness qualified as an expert by knowledge, skill, experience, training or education may testify thereto in the form of an opinion …

The facts or data in the particular case upon which an expert bases an opinion or inference may be those perceived by or made known to the expert at or before the hearing. If of a type reasonably relied upon by experts in the particular field in forming opinions or inferences upo…

Testimony in the form of an opinion or inference otherwise admissible is not objectionable because it embraces an ultimate issue to be decided by the trier of fact. [1981 c.892 §60]

An expert may testify in terms of opinion or inference and give reasons therefor without prior disclosure of the underlying facts or data, unless the court requires otherwise. The expert may in any event be required to disclose the underlying facts or data on cross-examination. […

Upon cross-examination, an expert witness may be questioned concerning statements contained in a published treatise, periodical or pamphlet on a subject of history, medicine or other science or art if the treatise, periodical or pamphlet is established as a reliable authority. A …

As used in ORS 40.450 to 40.475, unless the context requires otherwise: (1) A “statement” is: (a) An oral or written assertion; or (b) Nonverbal conduct of a person, if intended as an assertion. (2) A “declarant” is a person who makes a statement. (3) “Hearsay” is a statement, ot…

Hearsay is not admissible except as provided in ORS 40.450 to 40.475 or as otherwise provided by law. [1981 c.892 §63]

The following are not excluded by ORS 40.455, even though the declarant is available as a witness: (1) (Reserved.) (2) A statement relating to a startling event or condition made while the declarant was under the stress of excitement caused by the event or condition. (3) A statem…

(1) “Unavailability as a witness” includes situations in which the declarant: (a) Is exempted by ruling of the court on the ground of privilege from testifying concerning the subject matter of a statement; (b) Persists in refusing to testify concerning the subject matter of a sta…

Hearsay included within hearsay is not excluded under ORS 40.455 if each part of the combined statements conforms with an exception set forth in ORS 40.460 or 40.465. [1981 c.892 §66]

When a hearsay statement, or a statement defined in ORS 40.450 (4)(b)(C), (D) or (E), has been admitted in evidence, the credibility of the declarant may be attacked, and if attacked may be supported, by any evidence which would be admissible for those purposes if the declarant h…

(1) The requirement of authentication or identification as a condition precedent to admissibility is satisfied by evidence sufficient to support a finding that the matter in question is what its proponent claims. (2) By way of illustration only, and not by way of limitation, the …

(1) Extrinsic evidence of authenticity as a condition precedent to admissibility is not required with respect to the following: (a) A document bearing a seal purporting to be that of the United States, or of any state, district, commonwealth, territory, or insular possession ther…

The testimony of a subscribing witness is not necessary to authenticate a writing unless required by the laws of the jurisdiction whose laws govern the validity of the writing. [1981 c.892 §70] CONTENTS OF WRITINGS, RECORDINGS AND PHOTOGRAPHS

As used in ORS 40.550 to 40.585, unless the context requires otherwise: (1) “Duplicate” means a counterpart produced by the same impression as the original, or from the same matrix, or by means of photography, including enlargements and miniatures, by mechanical or electronic re-…

To prove the content of a writing, recording or photograph, the original writing, recording or photograph is required, except as otherwise provided in ORS 40.550 to 40.585 or other law. [1981 c.892 §72]

A duplicate is admissible to the same extent as an original unless: (1) A genuine question is raised as to the authenticity of the original; or (2) In the circumstances it would be unfair to admit the duplicate in lieu of the original. [1981 c.892 §73]

(1) If any business, institution or member of a profession or calling, in the regular course of business or activity, has kept or recorded any memorandum, writing, entry, print, representation or a combination thereof, of any act, transaction, occurrence or event, and in the regu…

The original is not required, and other evidence of the contents of a writing, recording or photograph is admissible when: (1) All originals are lost or have been destroyed, unless the proponent lost or destroyed them in bad faith; (2) An original cannot be obtained by any availa…

The contents of an official record or of a document authorized to be recorded or filed and actually recorded or filed, including data compilations in any form, if otherwise admissible, may be proved by copy, certified as correct in accordance with ORS 40.510 or testified to be co…

The contents of voluminous writings, recordings or photographs which cannot conveniently be examined in court may be presented in the form of a chart, summary or calculation. The originals, or duplicates, shall be made available for examination or copying, or both, by other parti…

Contents of writings, recordings or photographs may be proved by the testimony or deposition of the party against whom offered or by the party’s written admission, without accounting for the nonproduction of the original. [1981 c.892 §77]

When the admissibility of other evidence of contents of writings, recordings or photographs under ORS 40.550 to 40.585 depends upon the fulfillment of a condition of fact, the question whether the condition has been fulfilled is ordinarily for the court to determine in accordance…