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MULTNOMAH COUNTY CIRCUIT COURTPresiding Court Update

Hon. Nan G. Waller

Hon. Stephen K. Bushong

Hon. Maureen McKnight

Hon. Edward Jones

March 2, 2017

OVERVIEW OF CLE

Year In Review by the Numbers

Our Bench and Staff

Tips and Court Information

Rule changes

Access to Justice: Listening Sessions, Pledge of Fairness, Procedural Justice, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) issues and Reducing Racial and Ethnic Disparities

New Courthouse

2016 – FILING DATA Civil cases: 12,784

Landlord Tenant: 5,908

Small Claims: 9,698

Felonies: 5,893

Misdemeanors: 14,420

Parking: 254,578

Violations: 112,423

Population Estimates based on 2015 US Census: Portland: 632,309

Gresham: 110,553

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OUR BENCH AND STAFF38 Sitting Judges

12 ½ Referees/Pro Tem Judges

TCA who has responsibility for approximately 350 court employees in 4 courthouses – Central Courthouse, Justice Center, East County Courthouse, Juvenile Justice Center

PRESIDING AND CHIEF JUDGES

Judge Stephen BushongChief Civil JudgeCourtroom 450

Judge Edward JonesChief Criminal Judge

Courtroom 338

Judge Maureen McKnightChief Family Law Judge

Courtroom 356

Judge Katherine TennysonChief Probate Judge

Courtroom 308

Judge Nan WallerPresiding JudgeCourtroom 208

WELCOME JUDGE ERIC DAHLIN

Office: 354Phone: 503-988-3668

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DOCKET INFORMATION -- CENTRAL COURTHOUSE AND JUSTICE CENTER

Central Courthouse:

Civil Trials & Short Matters Call Dockets (Presiding Rm. 208, 9AM, M-F)

• Major Felony Call Docket (Presiding Rm. 208, 9AM, M-F)

• Family Law Trial Assignment (daily judge listed in Rm. 211, 9AM, M-F)

• Misdemeanor Call Docket (CPC Judge, 8:30AM M- Th.)

• Afternoon Felony Property and Drug Call Docket (CPC Judge, 1:30 M-F)

• Civil, Criminal Ex-parte (Presiding, Rm. 208, 9:30ish and 1:30, M-F)

• Family Law Ex-parte (daily ex parte judge listed in Rm 211, 8:30 & 1:30, M-F)

• Probate Ex-Parte (check with Probate for ex parte judge, 8:30, M-F)

• Small Claims (Rm. 120)

• Forcible Entry and Detainer (FED/Landlord Tenant) (Rm. 120)

• Traffic Arraignments & Traffic Trials (Rm. 112, 124)

Justice Center :

Criminal Arraignments, Probation Violation Dockets and Community Court

DOCKET INFORMATION – EAST COUNTY AND JUVENILE JUSTICE CENTER

East County Courthouse: Civil Trials (First Monday of the Month) Community Court FAPA Applications Night Court Traffic Misdemeanor Trials Truancy Dockets

Juvenile Justice Center: Delinquency Cases Dependency Cases Termination of Parental Rights Trials Probation Violations Family Law Matters

TIPS AND INFO.Where to find our News:

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Emergency Updates

Our Public Information Analyst, Rachel McCarthy, sends out notices of changes and updates to various groups, but to keep yourself in the know- visit our front page.

mul.public.information@ojd.state.or.us

For Emergency Alerts and News Releases – Sign up!

http://www.flashalert.net/news.html?id=950

Helpful Numbers:Administration, 503-988-3957

ADA Coordinator, 503-988-5782

Civil Calendaring, 503-988-3022 x3

Criminal Calendaring, 503-988-3235 x3

Family Law, 503-988-3022 x2

Probate, 503-988-3022 x4

Public Information Officer, 503-988-4794

Presiding Court, 503-988-3846

RECENT RULE CHANGES

Always Look to:

Uniform Trial Court Rules

Supplementary Local Rules

Chief Justice Orders

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SLR 5.165STIPULATED PROTECTIVE ORDERS & MOTIONS TO SEAL Must be presented to motions judge (both protective orders and

motions to seal) Parties cannot file “confidential” documents under seal without an

order A stipulated protective order on its own is insufficient as a basis for

filing a document under seal Rule includes actual preferred wording for protective order:

“A party seeking to file under seal documents designated as CONFIDENTIAL under this protective order must file a motion to file documents under seal that specifies: (a) the statutory authority for sealing the documents; (b) the reasons for protecting the documents from public inspection; and (c) a description of the documents to be sealed. The judge hearing the motion may require the moving party to submit the documents to the court for in camera review.”

SLR 7.021 - UTCR 7.020 CONTINUANCES; STAY OF DEFAULTED PARTIES PENDING TRIAL ORCP 71 must be used to “reinstate” a party

Must be served before presentation

If contested, must be placed on short matter docket or have a motions judge decide the matter

If uncontested, moving party may appear at ex parte

Costs $100

TIP: To prevent dismissal in the first place, please actively monitor cases on OECI

SLR 7.055 (14) TRIALS 5 DAYS OR MORE

If you have a trial expected to be 5 days or longer: Six weeks in advance of call date;

Write and mail or hand deliver a letter (do not efile) to calendar secretary requesting special assignment of a judge;

Include: start date, length of trial (including all pretrial motions), names of all trial attorneys, whether one or more Friday trial days are requested, the motions judge, and any other judge who has heard any matters.

BE PATIENT: Cheri will contact you when she has a judge.

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SLR 5.035 ORDERS BY PREVAILING PARTY; PRESENTING JUDGMENTS AND ORDERS FOR JUDICIAL SIGNATURE The prevailing party must draft an order incorporating the ruling of

the court after a hearing; it must be accompanied with a proof of service and a UTCR 5.100 certificate.

You must put the judge’s name in parentheses in the case caption below the document title. Do not include a judge’s name in ex parte orders and judgments (i.e. e-filed

and conventionally presented to Judge Waller).

Failing to include the judge’s name who has ruled on the hearing misdirects the order or judgment and it may delay signature and entry.

PRESIDING STAFF

Cheri CoeCalendar Secretary/Judicial AssistantCheri.L.Coe@ojd.state.or.us(503)988-3846

Lee Ann DonaldsonJudicial ClerkLee.Ann.Donaldson@Ojd.state.or.us

Kelli RussellJudicial ClerkKelli.R.Russell@Ojd.state.or.us

HINTS AND WISHES FROM PRESIDING STAFF

Do not use old forms (M&O separate) Use OECI – open all emails from OJD email addresses, look for “unsigned”

orders & judgments in OECI. Call presiding when a case is settled If trial has been assigned out to a judge and case settles, call & email

department of trial judge (cc: the judge). Remember to send a letter to Presiding 6 weeks in advance of trial if trial is

going to be 5 days or longer Look at statutes and rules before calling Presiding for help Remember to notify other side before appearing at ex-parte Remember that if other side is not represented you must still give notice and

confer if that is what the rules require BE KIND

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PERCEPTIONS OF JUSTICE LISTENING SESSIONS

The judges invite community members to listening sessions to share experiences and concerns with the court system.

We believe it is important to explore perceptions of justice, and to acknowledge that communities of color are overrepresented at each stage of the criminal justice system.

PERCEPTIONS OF JUSTICE LISTENING SESSIONS

August 30, 2016 PCC Cascade Campus About 200 attendees

November 3, 2016 PCC SE Campus About 200 attendees

February 15, 2017 Centennial High School About 85 attendees

PLEDGE OF FAIRNESS

The judges and staff of the Multnomah County Circuit Court

make the following pledge to each litigant, defendant, victim, witness, juror and person involved in a court proceeding:

We will listen to you.

We will respond to your questions about court procedure.

We will treat you with respect

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IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT

Apparent increase in arrests within Courthouse buildings since Executive Order signed 1/27/17

County Statement asking Oregon congressional delegation to have Department of Homeland Security to include courthouses as “sensitive locations.”

Courthouses are public buildings

Efforts to maintain good communication between the Court, ICE and the US Attorney’s Office

OUR NEW COURTHOUSEVision Statement: The new Multnomah County Central

Courthouse will enhance confidence in the justice system, inspire civic engagement and urban vitality, and provide a restorative human experience within a resilient and responsible community landmark.

Keep in formed about the new courthouse project:https://multco.us/central-courthouse

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COURTHOUSE FACTS & FIGURES Currently in design phase, but site is being prepared.

17 stories, on the Hawthorne bridgehead property, (VQ property taken down November 2016 & County has acquired a majority interest in Jefferson Station)

DA’s office and high volume courts will be in the central courthouse

2017 Legislative Session – the big ask

Courtrooms on 10 floors with chambers on each floor and attorney conference rooms on each floor

Legal Resource Center

Open Q – expedited entry into courthouse

Ceremonial groundbreaking Sept. 2016!

Open for business April 2020

“WE SHAPE OUR BUILDINGS, THEREAFTER THEY SHAPE US.” WINSTON CHURCHILL

ANNUAL FAMILY LAW UPDATE

Multnomah Bar Association CLEMarch 15, 2017

Hon. Maureen McKnight Chief Family Court Judge

Excerpts forMarch 2, 2017Presiding Judge CLE

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Identity Change Dockets are GROWING.

Over caps every week

Adding additionaldockets

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Adjustments to VERY BUSYrestraining Order dockets 

A few Monday afternoon contested hearings arebeing heard at the ECC.

More adjustments coming

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Growing Family Law Presence 

at East County Courthouse    (ECC) 

Current: Mon.pm ex parte Monday FAPA applications Wed a.m.+ p.m. ex parte Wed. hearings from Trial Assignment docket Mediation by appt – contact Family Court Services CourtCare – Monday 1‐5; Wed 8:30‐5:00 Parent Ed – 9:30‐1 on Saturday, every other month

New (additional): Contested FAPA/EPPWDAPA hearings Monday afternoon

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Family Court Enhancement Project Analysis of Results on Procedural Fairness Survey 

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0

20

40

60

80

100

Court staff wererespectful

Court staff explainedthings

I understood nextsteps

I felt safePercentage of Parties that Strongly Agree/Agree

Questtions 1‐4, Rating Experiences in Courthouse

Criminal

Family

Civil

Responses to Questions by Partiesin Criminal, Family, and Civil Cases

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0

20

40

60

80

100

The JudgeExplained

The JudgeListened

I was able toshare

The Judgewas neutral

I understood The Judgeexplained

The Judgeand staff

wererespectful

Percentage of Parties that Strongly Agree/Agree

Questions 5‐11, Rating Experiences in the Courtroom

Criminal

Family

Civil

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“At the start of the hearing, the Judge explained how the hearing would proceed” -- Lowest ranking of respondents and case-types came from Attorneys in Family Law cases

Parties in Family Law cases were the least likely of all types of parties to report that they understood what the next steps in their case were.

Parties in restraining order hearings reported the highest rankings for feeling respected among other family law parties

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We will continue: Trainings for court staff on Trauma, Domestic Violence, andProcedural Fairness

Offering noon‐time training events to Attorneys

Offering DV Screening Tool for Attorneys

Offering follow‐up survey in the spring

Collaborating with PSU on procedural fairness research inFamily Court

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Comment Cards in 211 – just started

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Very complex area

Know the different UTCRs

2.130.    CIF – no approval needed

2.100.    Protected personal info (ID/$)  ‐TCA approval

2.110.    Segregate and redact out 2.130 or 2.100 info that is already in file  ‐‐ Form affidavit required. 

5.160.    Motion to seal (i.e., not covered by above) MUST set out:(1) Statutory Authority(2) Reason for non‐disclosure(3)  Description of content to be sealed

Also sets out reqm’ts for filing once sealing order is granted43

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Know the ORS re sealing/non‐disclosure. (And ORCP)

Examples:

25.011.     Contact address is state of residence

109.727.    Sealing UCCJEA info if health/safety/liberty  jeopardized          

25.020(8)(d).  Broad sealing authority for support order info 

110.375.      Analog to 25.020 for UIFSA cases     

Always consider your request againstbackdrop of Oregon constitution“open courts” provision. Art 1, §10 Read the appellate decisions.

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Think – Redacted CONTENT,  

not sealed document or sealed file

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SLR 8.019 applies SLR 5. 165 to Family Court.

So . . ..  Protective Order CANNOT authorize parties to file “confidential” documents under seal without further court order

Protective order MUST contain a specific paragraph requiring the parties to comply with the requirements of UTCR 5.160 (statutory authority, reason for nondisclosure, description of nondisclosed info)

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Dissolution /109.103 --Planned for January 2018

• Already have “TurboCourt” forms for FAPA

• Guide&File is the Tyler product

• Has functionality for explanatory material – sidebars & pop-ups

• Have available now:• Small claims complaint &

response• FED complaint• Satisfaction of money

award

What is COMING UP

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• Every Wednesday • Experienced Family Law Attorneys who have been

approved by the Oregon Supreme Court to sit as pro tempore judges

• Sit in courtroom of the Judge assigned to the ECC• 4 Settlement Conferences: 8 am, 10 am, 1 pm, 3 pm• Clerk available to place agreement (or partial agreement on

the record)• Book through Judge McKnight’s

Judicial Assistant. 1st conferences: 4/5/17

• For now: ONLY voluntary cases (both sides agree) or judge-initiated cases

What is COMING UP