Divorce and Custody Trials in Oregon.pdf

The Oregon Judicial Department guide to

2019 EDITION

DIVORCE AND CUSTODY

TRIALS IN OREGON





2  
Table of Contents 
 .................................................................................................................................................................................  
 ........................................................................................................................................  
 ...................................................................................................................  
 ..............................................................................................  
 ...................................................................................................  
 ............................................................................................................................................  
 .........................................................................................................................  
 .......................................................................................................................  
 ..............................................................................  
’....................................................................................................................................................................  
 ..................................................................................................................  
 .......................................................  
 ................................................................................................  
 ..........................................................................................  
 ............................................................  
 
 ...................................................................................................................................  
 



-----
OregonLawHelp.org 
               



 
-
- 
 
 
Table of Contents 

 3  
Introduction 
-



“” 


“” 

“” ”” 

“
” “” 
Parent education and mediation 

-





 








“” 






 
Finding family law statutes and 
court rules 

-

 
Law library 







 
Online 

 
•  Family law statutes

 
 
•  Uniform Trial Court rules

 
•  Oregon Rules of Evidence

 
 
If you have minor children and have not agreed on a 
parenng plan, most courts will expect you to parci-
pate in mediaon. 

• Oregon Rules of Civil Procedure: 



 

• Supplementary local rules

-



General information about

divorce and custody trials

What is a trial?



























’



-











Why was my case set for trial?

















How is a trial scheduled?



















Can you reschedule a trial date?































What are the types of trials?











Two dierent types of trials are

available for resolving domesc

relaons cases. The two types of trials

are called Informal Domesc Relaons

Trial and tradional trial.







“

” 

Traditional trial







-

-

























“

” 



Informal Domestic Relations Trial



































Tradional trials vs. Informal Domesc Relaons Trial

Tradional trial Informal Domesc Relaons Trial

Rules of

Evidence

The Rules of Evidence apply. These rules

prohibit certain types of evidence from be-

ing admissible in court and they dictate

how to present evidence in court.

The Rules of Evidence do not apply. Each party

can talk to the judge freely and show the judge

anything that they think is helpful to their case.

Tesfying You will have to tesfy at trial. The other

party (or their lawyer) can object to your

tesmony if it does not comply with rules of

evidence. The other side can also cross-

examine you aer you tesfy.

You can talk freely to the judge about anything

you think is helpful. The other side does not get

to object to your tesmony or cross-examine

you.

Witnesses You will need most likely need to call wit-

nesses to tesfy in support of you. Your

witnesses need to appear in person (or by

phone, if permission is granted). Witnesses

cannot write leers instead of tesfying.

Witnesses are generally not allowed to tesfy at

an Informal Domesc Relaons Trial, unless

they are considered an “expert,” such as a doc-

tor, psychiatrist, or a therapist. You can oer

leers from witnesses if you think it’s helpful.

Documents Any documents you want the judge to look

at must be admissible under the rules of

evidence and you will need to have a wit-

ness tesfy about the authencity of each

document before showing it to the judge.

Since the rules of evidence do not apply, you

can show the judge anything that you think is

helpful to your case. You do not have to worry

about whether the document is admissible un-

der the rules of evidence.





























How do you prepare your case for trial?

“” 

“” 



















• 

• 

• 

• 

• 











































Gathering information and the

discovery process



“” 























You have the right to get informaon and documents

from the other party. This process is called “discovery.”

’







’











“”









Disability accommodations and

interpretation services





























Can you contact the judge about

your case?







Should my child testify?



’

’















’

























Preparing for an Informal

Domestic Relations Trial















If you or any of your witnesses need an interpreter,

have diculty hearing, or have other special needs, the

court can provide accommodaons.

“” 



















’







Preparing for a traditional trial







“”



































Collecting evidence





“” 

















• Written communications. 







-













• Photographs











• Police reports, medical records, and school

records. 









• Financial records. 









• Uniform Support Declaration. 





























Labeling your exhibits







-

-

















---

Who can be a witness?

-



















’















’







’







Can witnesses stay in the courtroom?













What types of questions should you ask

a witness?













Witnesses can only tesfy about things that they

personally saw or heard.











-











What is hearsay testimony?





“” 













How do you get the witnesses you need to

come to court?





































Subpoenas for police officers





’





’



’



What if my witness cannot come to court?















(“

”) 





“” 









What you need to know the

day of trial

Where is the courthouse located?







Ask your witnesses open-ended

quesons. The best quesons are ones

that start with when, why, what, who,

where, who, and how.











What to expect when you arrive at court

for your trial























-









“

” 











-







“” “

” 



What if you feel unsafe around the other

party or their witnesses?











What if my case settles before trial?





















“” 





How do you pay the trial fees?

















-

Arrive early enough to give yourself me to go through

security, nd the courtroom, meet with your witnesses,

and get organized.

What is the layout of the courtroom?

“” ’

(“”) 











“

” 







Who will be at the trial?

• Court staff. 

• The other party and their lawyer (if they have

one). ’







• Witnesses

’







• Sheriff deputy (upon request). 









• Family and friends









• Other people. 





How should you act at a trial?

• Be prepared and be on time. 







• Clothing. 



-





• Food and drinks. 







• Electronic devices. 







• Formalities. 





• Addressing the judge. 

“” 





• Testifying. 







• Answering questions. 













’



• Be polite and respectful. 















• Witnesses. 







• Observers







’



What to expect during a

traditional trial









Opening statements



“” 





















Evidentiary portion

’ 













Witness testimony





’

-

 Oath



 Direct examination

’





























’











 Cross-examination.





-



“

The evidenary poron of a trial is the

pares’ opportunity to present evidence.

The peoner (party who started the

case) presents their case rst.

’” 





-





-

“’…” “’



” 

--

----



 Redirect-



-

-



Physical evidence





’









“” 

“” 



“

” 



















Rebuttal case



“” 







-



Closing arguments







“”













What to expect during a Informal

Domestic Relations Trial

Beginning















Testimony























’







Physical evidence









Closing argument













The judge’s ruling







“” 





















’



















Finalizing your divorce or custody case

















Aer hearing tesmony from both pares and their

witnesses, the judge may either make a ruling from the

bench while you are present in court or take the case

“under advisement” and send both sides a leer

explaining their decision.

16  
Oregon Child Support Program  






 
Oregon Judicial Department (OJD)  
Family Law Program 

-

. 
’
 
Oregon State Bar Family Law Resource page 



 
OregonLawHelp.org 


 
 
Legal Aid  

-


 
--- 
St. Andrew Legal Clinic 
-
--


- 
Oregon State Bar Modest Means Program 
-




 
Oregon State Bar Lawyer Referral Service 


---
--
 
Oregon Mediation Association 


 
 
Problem Solvers 



-
- 
State of Oregon Vital Records 


 
Oregon Coalition Against Domestic and  
Sexual Violence 

  
 
Additional Family Law Resources in Oregon 













What is custody?

“

’” ’







How is custody determined?





“” 





















• 



• ’



• 



• 

• 

• 







• 



• 











--





What is parenting time?









What is a parenting plan?



-

How to prepare for trial: child custody and parenting time

Appendix A

The parent with custody makes “major life decisions’”

for the child, including the child’s educaon, medical

treatments, and religious upbringing.



















’





’



-

“-

” 

’

Supervised parenting time





’



“” 

















-

’















• 



• 



• 



• 



• 



• 

• 





• 











• 



• 





• 





No parenting time



’

















• ’ 

“”





• 



• 



• ’



• 



-

• 

• 



• 



’

• 







Uniform Support Declaration



“” 













What documents should you bring?

• Proof of income



• Health insurance information



• Child care costs—



What rules apply?







--

--

How is child support calculated?



“” 









How to prepare for trial: child support

Appendix B

The judge uses a formula set out in the law called the ”child

support guidelines” to calculate the amount of child support

the law presumes is appropriate.







’















“” 

























Once you have the necessary nancial informaon, you may use the Child Support Program’s child support calculator to

calculate the presumed amount of support. The calculator is available at oregonchildsupport.gov/calculator.

“”) 















Three types of spousal support



Maintenance support







’ 







• 

• 

• 



• 



• 



• 

• ’ 

• 

• 

• ’ 



• 

Transitional support











• 

• ’ 

• ’ 

• 

• 

• ’ 



• 

Compensatory support









Appendix C

How to prepare for trial: spousal support

Spousal support (formerly called “alimony”) is an order

that one spouse or domesc partner pay money to the

other, usually on a monthly basis.





• 

• 



• 

• 



• 

• 

Evidence













• Proof of income





• Proof of education expenses 



• Information about each parties’ education and

work history



• Asset information





• Proof of disabilities



• Uniform Support Declaration(

Uniform Support Declaration



“” 































The rule of equitable division



















“” 

















When to talk to a lawyer









Dividing retirement and pension benefits

























Dividing debts





















Appendix D

How to prepare for trial: division of property and debts

If you and the other party have debts and assets to be

divided, you must prepare a Statement of Assets and

Liabilies. The Statement of Assets and Liabilies tells

the court what items of property you and your spouse

own, how much the property is worth (or your best es-

mate), and who should be awarded the property or debt

in the divorce.

24  
’
 
What documents to bring 


 


’
-----
 




 


 
•  

 
•  
 
•   
 
•   
 
•  
 
•  
 
•  
 
•  


 
•  

 
Important information about debts  
-













 

“” 



 

 
•  
----
 
•  ’

 

Changing custody

“

” ’















Substantial change in circumstances standard



“

” 







• 

• 

• 

• 







“

” 







“” 

-



Changing parenting time













Best interest standard



’







’

• 



• ’



• 



• 

• 

Appendix E

How to prepare for trial: modification of custody, parenting time, child

support, or spousal support

The parent seeking a change in custody must show that

there has been a “substanal change of circumstances”

since the last custody order and that the change in cus-

tody is in the best interest of the child.

• 



• 















’







Mediation requirement







“” 







Modifying (changing) child support















Substantial change of circumstances standard





“” 





• 



• ’

• 



• 

Modifying child support through the Oregon Child

Support Program



“” 















’ 



















Modifying (changing) spousal support





-









If only one parent wishes to change child

support, that parent must show that there

has been a “substanal change of

circumstances” since the previous order

was nalized.





“” -

























Uniform Support Declaration (USD)















































