Oregon Statutes 18.780 – Pleadings; default judgment
(1) If the court orders a garnishee to appear for a hearing under ORS § 18.782, the garnishor must serve upon the garnishee written allegations not less than 20 days before the time set for the hearing or within such time as may be specified in the order. The allegations must inform the garnishee that if the garnishee fails to answer the allegations not less than 10 days before the time when the garnishee is required to appear for hearing, default judgment may be given against the garnishee for an amount no greater than the judgment against the debtor, plus any costs awarded by the court in the proceeding. The garnishor may also serve upon the garnishee, not less than 20 days before the time set for the hearing or within such time as may be specified in the order, written interrogatories concerning matters relating to the garnishment.
Terms Used In Oregon Statutes 18.780
- Answer: The formal written statement by a defendant responding to a civil complaint and setting forth the grounds for defense.
- Garnishment: Generally, garnishment is a court proceeding in which a creditor asks a court to order a third party who owes money to the debtor or otherwise holds assets belonging to the debtor to turn over to the creditor any of the debtor
- Interrogatories: Written questions asked by one party of an opposing party, who must answer them in writing under oath; a discovery device in a lawsuit.
- Judgment: means the concluding decision of a court on one or more requests for relief in one or more actions, as reflected in a judgment document. See Oregon Statutes 18.005
- Oath: A promise to tell the truth.
(2) Unless further time is allowed for good cause, not less than 10 days before the time when the garnishee is required to appear for hearing, the garnishee must file with the court an answer to the allegations and interrogatories of the garnishor and deliver a true copy of the answer to the garnishor. The answer shall be on oath and shall contain a full response to all of the allegations and interrogatories.
(3) The garnishor may except to the answer of the garnishee for insufficiency, within such time as may be allowed by the court. If the answer is adjudged insufficient, the garnishee may be allowed to amend the answer.
(4) If the garnishee fails to answer as required under subsection (2) of this section, the creditor may have judgment against the garnishee for want of answer. In no case shall default judgment be given against the garnishee for an amount greater than the judgment against the debtor, plus any costs awarded by the court in the proceeding. The judgment provided for in this subsection is in lieu of any judgment under ORS § 18.775. Any amounts other than costs collected from a garnishee under a judgment entered pursuant to this subsection must be credited against the debt owed by the debtor to the creditor. [2001 c.249 § 53]