Legal
Compiled by: Alex Smiley
Staff may not recommend or assist in the preparation of forms, interpret statutes, cases, and regulations, perform legal research, or advise patrons regarding their legal rights.
Staff is available to help patrons locate materials or links that may aid in an individual search.
Library Resources
Criminal Justice - Articles on law, law enforcement, security, terrorism.
LegalTrac - Covers U.S. cases, laws, regulations, and legal practice, plus international law.
Fastcase - Available to all Oregonians, the Fastcase collection includes the United States Code, United States Supreme Court and Court of Appeals Cases; and cases, statutes, regulations, court rules, constitutions, attorney general opinions, and session laws for Oregon, Alaska, Arizona, California, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, and Washington. Read the instructions on the linked page for login information. This resource is provided by the State of Oregon Law Library.
Legal Information Reference Center/NOLO - Download legal forms and read legal reference books (including the popular NOLO guides) for free, courtesy of the State of Oregon Law Library. Read the instructions on the linked page for login information.
Online Resources
Oregon Law Help - Free legal guides and help for low-income Oregonians, run by the Center for Non-Profit Legal Services, Legal Aid, and Oregon Law Center
Oregon State Bar Association Legal Information for the Public - General legal information on a variety of topics, provided as a public service by Oregon's lawyers
Oregon Judicial Department Self Help Center - Resources for people who want to learn more about Oregon’s laws and courts, or want to represent themselves in a legal matter
Nolo Guides – Print - The library has Nolo guides for many areas of law in the print collection. They are good starting points for research, but will not hold all the answers for Oregon-specific questions.
Oregon Legal Research - powered by Oregon public law librarians and their Access to Justice partners. Their goal is to promote justice by providing all Oregonians with access to legal information and legal research assistance.
State of Oregon Law Library (SOLL) - Their mission is to provide the comprehensive legal resources that the executive, legislative and judicial branches of state government require to serve the public effectively and to afford all Oregonians access to legal information.
Statutes and Codes
Local
- Jefferson County Code - Use the search box, or browse by chapter.
- Madras Municipal Code - Use the search box, or browse by chapter.
- Culver Municipal Code - Use the search box, or browse by chapter.
- Metolius Municipal Code - Browse by chapter.
State
- Oregon Revised Statutes (ORS) - Search by citation or use the two-volume subject index.
- Oregon Legislative Information System (OLIS)
federal
- United States Code - The United States Code is a consolidation and codification by subject matter of the general and permanent laws of the United States. It is prepared by the Office of the Law Revision Counsel of the United States House of Representatives.
- Federal legislation tracker
Legal Forms
Oregon Judicial Department – Forms - This website lists forms available for use statewide. Any form on this site will be accepted in all circuit courts. Statewide forms are not available for all circumstances. Additional forms may be available through local courts or as Uniform Trial Court Rule forms.
Jefferson County Circuit Court Forms - This is where local Jefferson forms can be found and you will see a list of what types of forms are housed here now at that link.
Local Resources
Legal Aid Services of Oregon
42 NW Greeley Avenue, Bend
Phone: 541-385-6950
Toll-Free: 1-800-678-6944
Fax: 541-385-8915
Provides legal representation and advice to families in Crook, Deschutes, and Jefferson Counties whose income is at or below 125% of the federal poverty level. Areas covered include housing, consumer, family law (only cases with domestic violence, disability, or language barriers involved), education, employment, government benefits, elder law, and bankruptcy.
Oregon State Bar Referral Service
8 am to 5 pm Monday-Friday
Phone: 503-684-3763
Toll-free in Oregon at 800-452-7636.
Lawyer Referral Service - 30-minute consultation with a lawyer for $35 or less
Modest Means Program - Reduced cost legal assistance for low- and moderate-income Oregonians, 30-minute consultation for $35 or less; reduced rate after the initial consultation
Military Assistance Panel - Up to 2 hours of free legal advice for active-duty service members and their dependents
Youth Problem Solvers - Free 30 minute consultations for youth between the ages of 13 - 17
Community Solutions of Central Oregon
1010 NW 14th Street, Suite 104, Bend
Email: support@solutionsco.org
Phone: 541-383-0187
8:30 am to 4:30 pm Monday-Friday
Central Oregon’s mediation group serving the tri-county area helps with such things as family disagreements, neighbor disputes, divorce and guardianship issues, code and zoning disputes.
Jefferson County District Attorney's Office
District Attorney: Steven F Leriche
129 SW E Street, Suite 102, Madras
Hours: 8 am to 5 pm Monday - Friday
Phone: 541-475-4452
Email: districtattorney@co.jefferson.or.us
Jefferson County Law Library
129 SW E St., Ste. 102, Madras
Phone: 541-475-4452 ext. 4102
Subscribes to Lexis and OSB Barbooks databases.
Saving Grace - Offer services for domestic violence and sexual assault survivors designed to help them with the healing process and to provide them with empowering resources for their lives.
Madras Office:
35 SE C Street, Suite B
Phone: (541) 475-1880
24-hour helpline: 541-389-7021
Last Updated: April 2021