Oregon Statutes 734.144 – Immunity of certain persons from civil liability
(1) The following persons are entitled to protection under this section:
Terms Used In Oregon Statutes 734.144
- Assets: (1) The property comprising the estate of a deceased person, or (2) the property in a trust account.
- Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
- Delinquency proceeding: means any proceeding commenced against an insurer pursuant to this chapter for the purpose of liquidating, rehabilitating or conserving the insurer. See Oregon Statutes 734.014
- Indemnification: In general, a collateral contract or assurance under which one person agrees to secure another person against either anticipated financial losses or potential adverse legal consequences. Source: FDIC
- Receiver: means receiver, rehabilitator, liquidator or conservator, as the context may require. See Oregon Statutes 734.014
- Settlement: Parties to a lawsuit resolve their difference without having a trial. Settlements often involve the payment of compensation by one party in satisfaction of the other party's claims.
- Tort: A civil wrong or breach of a duty to another person, as outlined by law. A very common tort is negligent operation of a motor vehicle that results in property damage and personal injury in an automobile accident.
(a) All receivers responsible for the conduct of a delinquency proceeding, including present and former receivers.
(b) All employees of the receiver. For purposes of this section, such employees include all present and former special deputies and assistant special deputies appointed by the Director of the Department of Consumer and Business Services and all persons whom the director, special deputies, or assistant special deputies have employed to assist in a delinquency proceeding. Unless designated as special deputies, attorneys, accountants, auditors and other professional persons or firms who are retained by the receiver as independent contractors and their employees are not entitled to protection under this section.
(2) The receiver and employees of the receiver shall have official immunity and shall be immune from civil action and liability, both personally and in their official capacities, for any tort claim or demand, whether groundless or otherwise, arising out of any alleged act, error or omission of the receiver or any employee occurring in the performance of their duties. For purposes of this section, ‘tort’ has the meaning given that term in ORS § 30.260.
(3) The receiver and employees of the receiver shall be indemnified from the assets of the insurer against any tort claim arising out of any alleged act, error or omission of the receiver or any employee occurring in the performance of their duties, whether personally or in the official capacity of the receiver or employee. Any indemnification made under this subsection is an administrative expense of the insurer.
(4) The provisions of subsections (2) and (3) of this section do not apply in case of malfeasance in office or willful or wanton neglect of duty.
(5) In any legal action in which the receiver is a defendant, the portion of any settlement relating to the alleged act, error or omission of the receiver is subject to the approval of the court before which the delinquency proceeding is pending. The court may not approve the portion of the settlement if it determines:
(a) That the claim did not occur in the performance of the receiver’s duties; or
(b) That the claim was caused by malfeasance in office or willful or wanton neglect of duty by of the receiver.
(6) This section shall not be construed or applied to deprive the receiver or any employee of any immunity, indemnity, benefits of law, rights or any defense otherwise available. [1993 c.447 § 95]
See note under 734.142.