How to fill out Oregon's Small Claim and Notice of Small Claim

County, case number, party names, "Defendant is a public body" checkbox

The circuit court county and the parties. An inmate SID number line applies to incarcerated plaintiffs, and a checkbox flags a public-body defendant (which triggers different notice rules). Boxes at the top also flag whether the case is subject to UTCR 5.180 and ORS 646A.670(1) — the consumer debt collection rules.

Plaintiff block — name, street, city/state/zip, phone, county

Your identifying information, with a checkbox for additional plaintiffs on an attached page.

Defendant block — name, street (do not use a P.O. Box), city/state/zip, phone, county

The defendant's information — the form itself says the street line may not be a P.O. box, because service needs a physical address. A note points business-defendant filers to the registered agent block on page 2, and a checkbox covers additional defendants on an attached page.

"I need an interpreter" checkboxes — Spanish / ASL / other

A request line for court interpreting services, with a write-in for other languages.

"I, Plaintiff, claim that on or about (date) ___, the above-named defendants owed me the sum of (or property valued at) $___ because ___, and this amount is still due."

One sworn sentence with blanks for the date the claim accrued, the amount (or property value), and the reasons — the plain and simple statement ORS 46.425 requires, ending with the printed assertion that the amount is still due.

"I have paid (or will pay)" — filing fees and service costs, with the Claim + Fees + Costs = TOTAL box

Checkboxes and blanks for the filing fee and service costs you paid or will pay, feeding a printed adding box: Claim, plus Fees, plus Costs, equals TOTAL. These are the amounts a defendant must also cover to simply pay the claim off.

DECLARATION OF GOOD FAITH EFFORT

The form's own words: "I, Plaintiff, have made a good faith effort to collect this claim from the defendants before filing this claim with the court clerk," followed by lines to describe your efforts — the demand letter, the calls, the invoice reminders. ORS 46.425 makes this statement a required element of every Oregon small claim.

Consumer debt collection checkbox

For cases subject to ORS 646A.670(1): a checkbox certifying compliance with that statute and UTCR 5.180, with a completed Consumer Debt Collection Disclosure Statement "attached and incorporated into this pleading." The form points to courts.oregon.gov/debtcollection for information.

Perjury declaration — date, signature, email, printed name

The signature block: "I hereby declare that the above statements are true to the best of my knowledge and belief. I understand they are made for use in court and I am subject to penalty for perjury." You date, sign, and add your email and printed name. No notarization is required.

Defendant's Registered Agent block

Name, street (again, no P.O. box), city/state/zip, phone, and county for the registered agent of a business defendant — the person authorized to receive court papers for the entity.

The printed notice

Addressed to the defendant, not to you: within 30 days of receiving the notice the defendant must pay the claim plus your filing fees and service expenses (directly to you, not the court), demand a hearing and pay the required fee, or demand a jury trial — available only if the amount claimed, with interest, fees, and costs, exceeds $750. Failing all three lets the plaintiff ask for a judgment for the claim plus fees, costs, and a prevailing party fee, and the notice flags the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act for defendants in active military service.

Court name/address/phone and "Defendant's Filing Fees (must be filled in by the PLAINTIFF)"

You enter the court's contact block and — quoting the form — the defendant's fees: "(1) To demand a hearing if the amount claimed is $2,500 or less $___ (2) To demand a hearing if the amount claimed is more than $2,500 $___ (3) To demand a jury trial (only if amount claimed is over $750) $___." The clerk's office publishes the current figures. The notice also points defendants to online response filing at courts.oregon.gov/iforms.