163.760 Definitions for ORS 163.760 to 163.777. As used in ORS 163.760 to 163.777:
(1) “Declaration under penalty of perjury,” “family or household members,” “interfere,” “intimidate,” “menace” and “molest” have the meanings given those terms in ORS 107.705.
(2) “Sexual abuse” means sexual contact with:
(a) A person who does not consent to the sexual contact; or
(b) A person who is considered incapable of consenting to a sexual act under ORS 163.315, unless the sexual contact would be lawful under ORS 163.325 or 163.345.
(3) “Sexual contact” has the meaning given that term in ORS 163.305. [2013 c.687 §1; 2015 c.121 §21]
Note: 163.760 to 163.777 were enacted into law by the Legislative Assembly but were not added to or made a part of ORS chapter 163 or any series therein by legislative action. See Preface to Oregon Revised Statutes for further explanation.
Stored review status: 2025_edition_later_amendments_unresolved. A text match is a research starting point; applicability is not established.
Official chapter context and edition notices
Chapter 163 — Offenses Against Persons
2025 EDITION
OFFENSES AGAINST PERSONS
CRIMES AND PUNISHMENTS
HOMICIDE
ASSAULT AND RELATED OFFENSES
KIDNAPPING AND RELATED OFFENSES
COERCION
SEXUAL OFFENSES
OFFENSES AGAINST FAMILY
VISUAL RECORDING OF SEXUAL CONDUCT OF CHILDREN
INVASION OF PRIVACY
MISCELLANEOUS
STALKING
SEXUAL ABUSE RESTRAINING ORDERS
HOMICIDE
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Stable record: oregon_criminal_law:legal_authorities:163.760 Source file: ors163.html Pages: Not recorded – Not recorded Passage SHA-256: 3c3b3b809d3340d62badb4471931cc9b36d7d0788b2efe4b431948a00ad69808 Retained source evidence SHA-256: 81109a43a5631ebec4ebfde641092a6c60ecd13ec77452c9939b53ff86a4d40c
Source location: ORS 163.760 (all printed versions and notes)
Stored source content
163.760 Definitions for ORS 163.760 to 163.777. As used in ORS 163.760 to 163.777:
(1) “Declaration under penalty of perjury,” “family or household members,” “interfere,” “intimidate,” “menace” and “molest” have the meanings given those terms in ORS 107.705.
(2) “Sexual abuse” means sexual contact with:
(a) A person who does not consent to the sexual contact; or
(b) A person who is considered incapable of consenting to a sexual act under ORS 163.315, unless the sexual contact would be lawful under ORS 163.325 or 163.345.
(3) “Sexual contact” has the meaning given that term in ORS 163.305. [2013 c.687 §1; 2015 c.121 §21]
Note: 163.760 to 163.777 were enacted into law by the Legislative Assembly but were not added to or made a part of ORS chapter 163 or any series therein by legislative action. See Preface to Oregon Revised Statutes for further explanation.
Cross-references
Connections may be documented source relationships, shared citations or nearby passages. Each explains its basis; a connection alone does not establish applicability to your situation.
Oregon criminal law — ORS Title 16 (2025 snapshot) · legal_authorities
163.305 Definitions. As used in chapter 743, Oregon Laws 1971, unless the context requires otherwise:
(1) “Forcible compulsion” means to compel by:
(a) Physical force; or
(b) A threat, express or implied, that places a person in fear of immediate or future death or physical injury to self or another person, or in fear that the person or another person will immediately or in the future be kidnapped.
(2) “Mentally incapacitated” means that a person is rendered incapable of appraising or controlling the conduct of the person at the time of the alleged offense.
(3) “Oral or anal sexual intercourse” means sexual conduct between persons consisting of contact between the sex organs or anus of one person and the mouth or anus of another.
(4) “Physically helpless” means that a person is unconscious or for any other reason is physically unable to communicate unwillingness to an act.
(5) “Sexual contact” means any touching of the sexual or other intimate parts of a person or causing such person to touch the sexual or other intimate parts of the actor for the purpose of arousing or gratifying the sexual desire of either party.
(6) “Sexual intercourse” has its ordinary meaning and occurs upon any penetration, however slight; emission is not required. [1971 c.743 §104; 1975 c.461 §1; 1977 c.844 §1; 1979 c.744 §7; 1983 c.500 §1; 1999 c.949 §1; 2009 c.770 §1; 2017 c.318 §2; 2017 c.634 §17; 2021 c.82 §1; 2023 c.407 §1]
Note: Legislative Counsel has substituted “chapter 743, Oregon Laws 1971,” for the words “this Act” in section 104, chapter 743, Oregon Laws 1971, compiled as 163.305. Specific ORS references have not been substituted, pursuant to 173.160. These sections may be determined by referring to the 1971 Comparative Section Table located in Volume 22 of ORS.
163.315 Incapacity to consent; effect of lack of resistance. (1) A person is considered incapable of consenting to a sexual act if the person is:
(a) Under 18 years of age;
(b) Incapable of appraising the nature of the person’s conduct;
(c) Mentally incapacitated; or
(d) Physically helpless.
(2) A lack of verbal or physical resistance does not, by itself, constitute consent but may be considered by the trier of fact along with all other relevant evidence.
(3) A person is incapable of appraising the nature of the person’s conduct if:
(a) The person is unable to understand the nature of the conduct;
(b) The person is unable to understand the right to choose whether and how to engage in conduct, including the right to revoke a prior decision to engage in conduct; or
(c) The person is unable to communicate a decision to engage in conduct. [1971 c.743 §105; 1999 c.949 §2; 2001 c.104 §52; 2021 c.82 §2]
163.325 Ignorance or mistake as a defense. (1) In any prosecution under ORS 163.355 to 163.445 in which the criminality of conduct depends on a child’s being under the age of 16, it is no defense that the defendant did not know the child’s age or that the defendant reasonably believed the child to be older than the age of 16.
(2) When criminality depends on the child’s being under a specified age other than 16, it is an affirmative defense for the defendant to prove that the defendant reasonably believed the child to be above the specified age at the time of the alleged offense.
(3) In any prosecution under ORS 163.355 to 163.445 in which the victim’s lack of consent is based solely upon the incapacity of the victim to consent because the victim is mentally incapacitated, physically helpless or incapable of appraising the nature of the victim’s conduct, it is an affirmative defense for the defendant to prove that at the time of the alleged offense the defendant did not know of the facts or conditions responsible for the victim’s incapacity to consent.
(4) In any prosecution under ORS 163.415 or 163.425 in which the victim’s lack of consent is not based on the incapacity of the victim to consent because of the victim’s age, it is an affirmative defense for the defendant to prove that, at the time of the alleged offense, the defendant reasonably believed that the victim consented to the sexual contact, sexual intercourse or oral or anal intercourse. [1971 c.743 §106; 2021 c.82 §3; 2021 c.410 §1]
163.763 Petition to circuit court for relief; burden of proof. (1) A person who has been subjected to sexual abuse and who reasonably fears for the person’s physical safety may petition the circuit court for a restraining order if:
(a) The person and the respondent are not family or household members;
(b) The respondent is at least 18 years of age; and
(c) The respondent is not prohibited from contacting the person pursuant to a foreign restraining order as defined in ORS 24.190, an order issued under ORS 30.866, 124.015, 124.020, 163.738 or 419B.845 or an order entered in a criminal action.
(2)(a) A petition seeking relief under ORS 163.760 to 163.777 must be filed in the circuit court for the county in which the petitioner or the respondent resides or in which the abuse occurred. The petition may be filed, without the appointment of a guardian ad litem, by a person who is at least 12 years of age or by a parent or lawful guardian of a person who is under 18 years of age.
(b) The petition must allege that:
(A) The petitioner reasonably fears for the petitioner’s physical safety with respect to the respondent; and
(B) The respondent subjected the petitioner to sexual abuse.
(c) The petition must include allegations made under oath or affirmation or a declaration under penalty of perjury.
(d) The petitioner has the burden of proving a claim under ORS 163.760 to 163.777 by a preponderance of the evidence. [2013 c.687 §2; 2015 c.121 §22; 2019 c.353 §1; 2024 c.42 §3]
Note: See note under 163.760.
163.765 Restraining order; service of order; request for hearing; duration of order. (1) When a petition is filed in accordance with ORS 163.763, the circuit court shall hold an ex parte hearing in person or by telephone on the day the petition is filed or on the following judicial day. Upon a finding that it is objectively reasonable for a person in the petitioner’s situation to fear for the person’s physical safety if an order granting relief under ORS 163.760 to 163.777 is not entered and that the respondent has subjected the petitioner to sexual abuse, the circuit court:
(a) Shall enter an order restraining the respondent from contacting the petitioner and from intimidating, molesting, interfering with or menacing the petitioner, or attempting to intimidate, molest, interfere with or menace the petitioner.
(b) If the petitioner requests, may order:
(A) That the respondent be restrained from contacting the petitioner’s children or family or household members;
(B) That the respondent be restrained from entering, or attempting to enter, a reasonable area surrounding the petitioner’s residence;
(C) That the respondent be restrained from intimidating, molesting, interfering with or menacing any children or family or household members of the petitioner, or attempting to intimidate, molest, interfere with or menace any children or family or household members of the petitioner;
(D) That the respondent be restrained from entering, or attempting to enter, any premises and a reasonable area surrounding the premises when necessary to prevent the respondent from intimidating, molesting, interfering with or menacing the petitioner or the petitioner’s children or family or household members; and
(E) Other relief necessary to provide for the safety and welfare of the petitio
163.770 Appearance by telephone or electronic communication device. (1) A party may file a motion under ORS 45.400 requesting that the circuit court allow the appearance of the party or a witness by telephone or by other two-way electronic communication device in a proceeding under ORS 163.760 to 163.777.
(2) In determining whether notice is given sufficiently in advance of the proceeding under ORS 45.400 (2), the circuit court shall consider the expedited nature of a proceeding under ORS 163.760 to 163.777.
(3) In addition to the factors listed in ORS 45.400 (3)(b) that would support a finding of good cause, the circuit court shall consider whether the safety or welfare of the party or witness would be threatened if testimony were required to be provided in person at a proceeding under ORS 163.760 to 163.777.
(4) A motion or good cause determination is not required for ex parte hearings held by telephone under ORS 163.765. [2013 c.687 §5; 2017 c.240 §4; 2025 c.23 §3]
Note: See note under 163.760.
163.773 Enforcement of restraining order; service by sheriff; termination order; contempt proceeding. (1)(a) When a restraining order is issued in accordance with ORS 163.760 to 163.777 and the person to be restrained has actual notice of the restraining order, the clerk of the court or any other person serving the petition and the restraining order shall immediately deliver to a county sheriff copies of the petition and the restraining order and a true copy of proof of service on which it is stated that the petition and the restraining order were served personally on the respondent. If alternative service is ordered by the court, the person performing service shall instead immediately deliver to the county sheriff copies of the petition, the restraining order and, if applicable, the summons, and a true copy of proof of service on which it is stated that alternative service was completed in accordance with ORCP 7 D(6). Proof of service may be made by affidavit or by declaration under penalty of perjury. If a restraining order entered by the circuit court recites that the respondent appeared in person before the court, the necessity for service of the restraining order and proof of service is waived.
(b) Upon receipt of a copy of the restraining order and notice of completion of any required service by a member of a law enforcement agency, the county sheriff shall immediately enter the restraining order into the Law Enforcement Data System maintained by the Department of State Police and the databases of the National Crime Information Center of the United States Department of Justice. If the petition and the restraining order were served on the respondent by a person other than a member of a law enforcement agency, or if alternative service was ordered by the court and
163.775 Renewal and modification of restraining order. (1)(a) A circuit court may renew a restraining order entered under ORS 163.760 to 163.777 upon a finding that it is objectively reasonable for a person in the petitioner’s situation to fear for the person’s physical safety if the restraining order is not renewed. A finding that the respondent has subjected the petitioner to additional sexual abuse is not required.
(b) A circuit court may renew a restraining order on the basis of an ex parte petition alleging facts supporting the required finding. The petition must include allegations made under oath or affirmation or a declaration under penalty of perjury. If the renewal order is granted, the provisions of ORS 163.765 (4) to (8) and 163.767 (3) apply, except that the court may hear no issue other than the basis for renewal, unless requested in the hearing request form and thereafter agreed to by the petitioner. The circuit court shall hold a hearing required under this paragraph within 21 days after the respondent’s request.
(2) At any time after the time period set forth in ORS 163.765 (6):
(a) A party may request that the circuit court modify terms in the restraining order for good cause shown.
(b) A petitioner may request that the circuit court remove terms in the restraining order or make terms in the order less restrictive. Application to the circuit court under this paragraph may be by ex parte motion.
(3) The clerk of the court shall provide without charge the number of certified true copies of the request for modification of the restraining order and notice of hearing necessary to effect service and, at the election of the party requesting the modification, shall have a true copy of the request and notice delivered to the county sheriff for service upon
163.777 Fees or undertaking may not be required; forms and brochures. (1)(a) A filing fee, service fee or hearing fee may not be charged for proceedings seeking only the relief provided under ORS 163.760 to 163.777.
(b) An undertaking may not be required in any proceeding under ORS 163.760 to 163.777.
(2) A proceeding under ORS 163.760 to 163.777 is in addition to any other available civil or criminal remedies.
(3)(a) The State Court Administrator shall produce:
(A) The forms for petitions and restraining orders, hearing requests and any related forms for use under ORS 163.760 to 163.777; and
(B) An instructional brochure explaining the rights set forth in ORS 163.760 to 163.777.
(b) The State Court Administrator shall provide the forms and copies of the instructional brochure to the clerks of the circuit court who shall make the forms and brochures available to the public. [2013 c.687 §8; 2013 c.687 §10]
Note: See note under 163.760.
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