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In Oregon, “criminal law” refers to the system that addresses cases that involve violations of criminal law. This includes crimes like burglary, assault, murder, DUII, and other crimes.
Use this article as general information to understand the issue, preserve useful records, and identify the next questions to ask an attorney about your own facts.
Published August 22, 2020
In Oregon, “criminal law” refers to the system that addresses cases that involve violations of criminal law. This includes crimes like burglary, assault, murder, DUII, and other crimes. Criminal cases are handled by a municipality (city), state, or the federal government. The prosecutor (or district attorney) decides whether to prosecute a crime. It is the government that brings the case against the violator, not the victim of the crime. While it is possible that a victim of crime might not wish to cooperate with the cases (sometimes called “pressing charges”), the district might decide to drop the criminal charges. This is not necessarily true. The prosecutor can also continue to prosecute over the objection of the victim. They could even issue a subpoena (a court order) to force a victim to testify at the trial against the victim’s will. In a criminal case, the prosecutor represents the interests of the government, not the victim specifically.
Family transitions can bring court deadlines, financial uncertainty, parenting questions, and strong emotions at the same time. The first job is to steady the situation, understand the facts, and identify the legal options that fit your family.
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