ORS Chapter 12

TITLE 2

 

PROCEDURE INCIVIL PROCEEDINGS

 

Chapter     12.       Limitationsof Actions and Suits

                  14.       Jurisdiction;Venue; Change of Judge

                  17.       Compromise;Settlement

                  18.       Judgments

                  19.       Appeals

                  20.       AttorneyFees; Costs and Disbursements

                  21.       FeesGenerally

                  22.       Bondsand Other Security Deposits

                  24.       Enforcementand Recognition of Foreign Judgments; Foreign-Money Claims

                  25.       SupportEnforcement _______________

 

Chapter 12 — Limitationsof Actions and Suits

 

2009 EDITION

 

 

LIMITATIONSOF ACTIONS AND SUITS

 

PROCEDUREIN CIVIL PROCEEDINGS

 

GENERALPROVISIONS

 

12.010       Timeof commencing actions

 

12.020       Whenaction deemed begun

 

12.040       Limitationsof suits generally; land patent suits; defense of possession by equitabletitle; suit on new promise, fraud or mistake

 

12.050       Actionto recover real property

 

12.060       Suitor action on land contracts; time when they cease to affect the property

 

12.070       Actionon judgment, decree or sealed instrument

 

12.080       Actionon certain contracts or liabilities

 

12.085       Actionagainst garnishee

 

12.090       Accounts;accrual of cause of action

 

12.100       Actionon official act or penalty

 

12.110       Actionsfor certain injuries to person not arising on contract; action for overtime orpremium pay; action for professional malpractice; effect of fraud or deceit;action for injuries to person arising from nuclear incident

 

12.115       Actionfor negligent injury to person or property

 

12.117       Actionsbased on child abuse

 

12.120       Actionon escape; action for defamation

 

12.125       Actionarising under rental agreement

 

12.130       Actionfor penalty

 

12.135       Actionfor damages from construction, alteration or repair of improvement to realproperty; “substantial completion” defined; application

 

12.137       Actionfor loss of or damage to property arising from nuclear incident

 

12.140       Actionsnot otherwise provided for

 

12.150       Suspensionof running of statute by absence or concealment

 

12.155       Effectof notice of advance payment on running of period of limitation

 

12.160       Suspensionfor minors and persons who are insane

 

12.170       Disabilitymust exist when right of action accrues

 

12.180       Coexistingdisabilities must all be removed

 

12.190       Effectof death on limitations

 

12.195       Effectof attorney death on limitations

 

12.200       Suspensionby war as to alien

 

12.210       Suspensionby injunction or prohibition of statute

 

12.220       Commencementof new action after involuntary dismissal

 

12.230       Acknowledgmentor promise taking contract case out of statute; effect of payment

 

12.240       Effectof payment after obligation becomes due

 

12.250       Actionsby state, county or public corporations

 

12.270       Conclusivepresumption of validity of governmental subdivision boundary proceedings oneyear after effective date

 

12.272       Actionbased on pesticide application

 

12.274       Actionagainst trustee of express trust

 

12.276       Actionfor death, injury or damage resulting from breast implants

 

12.278       Actionagainst manufacturer of certain pickup trucks

 

12.280       Actionbased on practice of land surveying

 

12.282       Actionagainst manufacturer of extendable equipment

 

UNIFORMCONFLICT OF LAWS-LIMITATIONS ACT

 

12.410       Definitionsfor ORS 12.410 to 12.480

 

12.420       Purpose

 

12.430       Claimsbased on law of other states; limitation period

 

12.440       Applicationof statutes and rules governing conflict of laws

 

12.450       Whenlimitation period of another state not applicable

 

12.460       Claimsto which statutes apply

 

12.470       Severability

 

12.480       Shorttitle

 

GENERALPROVISIONS

 

      12.010Time of commencing actions. Actions shall only be commenced within the periodsprescribed in this chapter, after the cause of action shall have accrued,except where a different limitation is prescribed by statute. [Amended by 1979c.284 §43]

 

      12.020When action deemed begun. (1) Except as provided in subsection (2) of thissection, for the purpose of determining whether an action has been commencedwithin the time limited, an action shall be deemed commenced as to eachdefendant, when the complaint is filed, and the summons served on thedefendant, or on a codefendant who is a joint contractor, or otherwise unitedin interest with the defendant.

      (2)If the first publication of summons or other service of summons in an actionoccurs before the expiration of 60 days after the date on which the complaintin the action was filed, the action against each person of whom the court by suchservice has acquired jurisdiction shall be deemed to have been commenced uponthe date on which the complaint in the action was filed. [Amended by 1973 c.731§1]

 

      12.030 [Repealed by1973 c.731 §2]

 

      12.040Limitations of suits generally; land patent suits; defense of possession byequitable title; suit on new promise, fraud or mistake. (1) A suitshall only be commenced within the time limited to commence an action asprovided in this chapter; and a suit for the determination of any right orclaim to or interest in real property shall be deemed within the limitationsprovided for actions for the recovery of the possession of real property.

      (2)No suit shall be maintained to set aside, cancel, annul or otherwise affect apatent to lands issued by the United States or this state, or to compel anyperson claiming or holding under such patent to convey the lands describedtherein, or any portion of them, to the plaintiff in such suit, or to hold thesame in trust for, or to the use and benefit of such plaintiff, or on accountof any matter, thing or transaction which was had, done, suffered or transpiredprior to the date of such patent, unless such suit is commenced within 10 yearsfrom the date of such patent.

      (3)This section shall not bar an equitable owner in possession of real propertyfrom defending possession by means of the equitable title; and in any actionfor the recovery of any real property, or the possession thereof, by any personor persons claiming or holding the legal title to the same under such patentagainst any person or persons in possession of such real property under anyequitable title, or having in equity the right to the possession thereof asagainst the plaintiff in such action, such equitable right of possession may bepleaded by answer in such action, or set up by bill in equity to enjoin suchaction or execution upon any judgment rendered therein; and the right of suchequitable owner to defend possession in such action, or by bill for injunction,shall not be barred by lapse of time while an action for the possession of suchreal property is not barred.

      (4)In a suit upon a new promise, fraud or mistake, the limitation shall only bedeemed to commence from the making of the new promise or the discovery of thefraud or mistake.

 

      12.050Action to recover real property. An action for the recovery of realproperty, or for the recovery of the possession thereof, shall be commencedwithin 10 years. No action shall be maintained for such recovery unless itappear that the plaintiff, an ancestor, predecessor, or grantor was seized orpossessed of the premises in question within 10 years before the commencementof the action.

 

      12.060Suit or action on land contracts; time when they cease to affect the property. (1) Unless suitor action to enforce a contract for the sale of real property is instituted inthe county in which the real property is situated within five years from thedate of maturity of the final payment provided for in the contract, or from thedate to which the final payment shall have been extended by agreement ofrecord, the contract shall not thereafter be a lien, encumbrance, or cloud onthe title of the property.

      (2)When the purchase price fixed in the contract is payable in installments, thecontract shall be deemed to mature on the date upon which the final paymentwould be payable if the minimum amount of the principal due on each installmenthad been paid as provided in the terms of the contract.

 

      12.070Action on judgment, decree or sealed instrument. (1) An actionupon a judgment or decree of any court of the United States, or of any state orterritory within the United States; or

      (2)An action upon a sealed instrument entered into before August 13, 1965,

shallbe commenced within 10 years. [Amended by 1965 c.502 §3]

 

      12.080Action on certain contracts or liabilities. (1) An action upon a contract orliability, express or implied, excepting those mentioned in ORS 12.070, 12.110and 12.135 and except as otherwise provided in ORS 72.7250;

      (2)An action upon a liability created by statute, other than a penalty orforfeiture, excepting those mentioned in ORS 12.110;

      (3)An action for waste or trespass upon or for interference with or injury to anyinterest of another in real property, excepting those mentioned in ORS 12.050,12.060, 12.135, 12.137 and 273.241; or

      (4)An action for taking, detaining or injuring personal property, including anaction for the specific recovery thereof, excepting an action mentioned in ORS12.137;

shallbe commenced within six years. [Amended by 1957 c.374 §3; 1961 c.726 §396; 1973c.363 §1; 1983 c.437 §2; 1987 c.705 §3; 1991 c.968 §2]

 

      12.085Action against garnishee. (1) Except as provided in subsection (2) of thissection, proceedings against a garnishee under ORS 18.775 to 18.782 must becommenced within one year after the delivery of the writ of garnishment.

      (2)If the writ of garnishment is delivered to a person in the person’s capacity asa personal representative of an estate, proceedings against the garnishee underORS 18.775 to 18.782 must be commenced within one year after the entry of ajudgment of final distribution for the estate. [1977 c.786 §3; 1981 c.883 §29;2001 c.249 §66; 2003 c.85 §1; 2003 c.576 §279a]

 

      12.090Accounts; accrual of cause of action. In an action to recover a balance dueupon an account, the cause of action shall be deemed to have accrued from thetime of the last charge or payment proved in the account. Interest, financingand carrying charges shall not be deemed such a charge. [Amended by 1973 c.204 §1]

 

      12.100Action on official act or penalty. (1) An action against a sheriff orconstable upon a liability incurred by the doing of an act in an officialcapacity and in virtue of the office of the sheriff or constable; or by theomission of an official duty, including the nonpayment of money collected uponan execution, but not including an action for an escape, shall be commencedwithin three years.

      (2)An action upon a statute for penalty or forfeiture, where the action is givento the party aggrieved, or to such party and the state, excepting those actionsmentioned in ORS 12.110, shall be commenced within three years. [Amended by1957 c.374 §4; 1965 c.221 §10]

 

      12.110Actions for certain injuries to person not arising on contract; action for overtimeor premium pay; action for professional malpractice; effect of fraud or deceit;action for injuries to person arising from nuclear incident. (1) An actionfor assault, battery, false imprisonment, or for any injury to the person orrights of another, not arising on contract, and not especially enumerated inthis chapter, shall be commenced within two years; provided, that in an actionat law based upon fraud or deceit, the limitation shall be deemed to commenceonly from the discovery of the fraud or deceit.

      (2)An action upon a statute for a forfeiture or penalty to the state or countyshall be commenced within two years.

      (3)An action for overtime or premium pay or for penalties or liquidated damagesfor failure to pay overtime or premium pay shall be commenced within two years.

      (4)An action to recover damages for injuries to the person arising from anymedical, surgical or dental treatment, omission or operation shall be commencedwithin two years from the date when the injury is first discovered or in theexercise of reasonable care should have been discovered. However,notwithstanding the provisions of ORS 12.160, every such action shall becommenced within five years from the date of the treatment, omission oroperation upon which the action is based or, if there has been no actioncommenced within five years because of fraud, deceit or misleadingrepresentation, then within two years from the date such fraud, deceit ormisleading representation is discovered or in the exercise of reasonable careshould have been discovered.

      (5)An action, arising from a nuclear incident, as defined in 42 U.S.C. 2014(q),that involves the release of radioactive material, excluding releases from actsof war, that causes bodily injury, sickness or death, shall be commenced:

      (a)Within two years from the time an injured person discovers or reasonably couldhave discovered the injury and the causal connection between the injury and thenuclear incident; or

      (b)Within two years from any substantial change in the degree of injury to theperson arising out of a nuclear incident. [Amended by 1957 c.374 §1; 1967 c.406§1; 1969 c.642 §1; 1971 c.473 §1; 1975 c.796 §10a; 1981 c.149 §1; 1987 c.705 §4]

 

      12.115Action for negligent injury to person or property. (1) In no eventshall any action for negligent injury to person or property of another becommenced more than 10 years from the date of the act or omission complainedof.

      (2)Nothing in this section shall be construed to extend any period of limitationotherwise established by law, including but not limited to the limitationsestablished by ORS 12.110. [1967 c.406 §2]

 

      12.117Actions based on child abuse. (1) Notwithstanding ORS 12.110, 12.115or 12.160, an action based on conduct that constitutes child abuse or conductknowingly allowing, permitting or encouraging child abuse that occurs while theperson is under 18 years of age must be commenced before the person attains 40years of age, or if the person has not discovered the causal connection betweenthe injury and the child abuse, nor in the exercise of reasonable care shouldhave discovered the causal connection between the injury and the child abuse,not more than five years from the date the person discovers or in the exerciseof reasonable care should have discovered the causal connection between thechild abuse and the injury, whichever period is longer.

      (2)As used in subsection (1) of this section, “child abuse” means any of thefollowing:

      (a)Intentional conduct by an adult that results in:

      (A)Any physical injury to a child; or

      (B)Any mental injury to a child which results in observable and substantialimpairment of the child’s mental or psychological ability to function caused bycruelty to the child, with due regard to the culture of the child;

      (b)Rape of a child, which includes but is not limited to rape, sodomy, unlawfulsexual penetration and incest, as those acts are defined in ORS chapter 163;

      (c)Sexual abuse, as defined in ORS chapter 163, when the victim is a child; or

      (d)Sexual exploitation of a child, including but not limited to:

      (A)Conduct constituting violation of ORS 163.435 and any other conduct whichallows, employs, authorizes, permits, induces or encourages a child to engagein the performing for people to observe or the photographing, filming, taperecording or other exhibition which, in whole or in part, depicts sexualconduct or contact; and