Oregon Statutes 36.675 – Witnesses; subpoenas; depositions; discovery
(1) An arbitrator may administer oaths. An arbitrator or an attorney for any party to the arbitration proceeding may issue a subpoena for the attendance of a witness and for the production of records and other evidence at any hearing. A subpoena must be served in the manner for service of subpoenas under ORCP 55 D and, upon petition to the court by a party to the arbitration proceeding or the arbitrator, enforced in the manner provided by ORCP 55 G.
Terms Used In Oregon Statutes 36.675
- Deposition: An oral statement made before an officer authorized by law to administer oaths. Such statements are often taken to examine potential witnesses, to obtain discovery, or to be used later in trial.
- Discovery: Lawyers' examination, before trial, of facts and documents in possession of the opponents to help the lawyers prepare for trial.
- Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
- Person: includes individuals, corporations, associations, firms, partnerships, limited liability companies and joint stock companies. See Oregon Statutes 174.100
- Subpoena: A command to a witness to appear and give testimony.
- Testify: Answer questions in court.
(2) In order to make the proceedings fair, expeditious and cost-effective, upon request of a party to or a witness in an arbitration proceeding, an arbitrator may permit a deposition of any witness to be taken for use as evidence at the hearing, including a witness who cannot be subpoenaed for or is unable to attend a hearing. The arbitrator shall determine the conditions under which the deposition is taken.
(3) An arbitrator may permit such discovery as the arbitrator decides is appropriate in the circumstances, taking into account the needs of the parties to the arbitration proceeding and other affected persons and the desirability of making the proceeding fair, expeditious and cost-effective.
(4) If an arbitrator permits discovery under subsection (3) of this section, the arbitrator may order a party to the arbitration proceeding to comply with the arbitrator’s discovery-related orders, issue subpoenas for the attendance of a witness and for the production of records and other evidence at a discovery proceeding, and take action against a noncomplying party to the extent a court could if the controversy were the subject of a civil action in this state.
(5) An arbitrator may issue a protective order to prevent the disclosure of privileged information, confidential information, trade secrets and other information protected from disclosure to the extent a court could if the controversy were the subject of a civil action in this state.
(6) All laws compelling a person under subpoena to testify and all fees for attending a judicial proceeding, a deposition or a discovery proceeding as a witness apply to an arbitration proceeding as if the controversy were the subject of a civil action in this state.
(7) The court may enforce a subpoena or discovery-related order for the attendance of a witness within this state, and for the production of records and other evidence issued by an arbitrator or by an attorney for any party to the proceeding in connection with an arbitration proceeding in another state, upon conditions determined by the court so as to make the arbitration proceeding fair, expeditious and cost-effective. A subpoena or discovery-related order issued by an arbitrator or by an attorney for any party to the proceeding in another state must be served in the manner provided by ORCP 55 D for service of subpoenas in a civil action in this state and, upon petition to the court by a party to the arbitration proceeding or the arbitrator, enforced in the manner provided by ORCP 55 G for enforcement of subpoenas in a civil action in this state. [2003 c.598 § 17]
ORCP 55 was repealed and replaced by the Council on Court Procedures Amendments promulgated on December 8, 2018, and effective January 1, 2020. The text of 36.675 was not amended by enactment of the Legislative Assembly to reflect the repeal. Editorial adjustment of 36.675 for the repeal of ORCP 55 has not been made. See the ORCP 55 Cross-Reference Chart available from the Council on Court Procedures.
See note under 36.600.