Rule 1.020.Amendment of These Rules; Effective Date
Current through August 1, 2026 · Last verified September 12, 2026
Full Text of Rule 1.020
Plain-English Summary
Amendments come from one place. The UTCR may be amended by order of the Chief Justice, and unless the Chief Justice orders otherwise, every amendment takes effect on August 1. That single date is worth remembering: if you practice by a printed copy, it is stale after the first of August.
Before that date the rule builds in two windows. Proposed amendments are posted on the Oregon Judicial Department website with no less than a 49-day period for public comment. Once the Chief Justice approves them, the final rules are posted again no less than 49 days before they take effect. Anyone can read the proposals and send comment during the first window, and everyone gets notice during the second.
Both windows can be waived by order of the Chief Justice. When that happens the rule does not let the change disappear from view. The amendment must be posted for public comment as soon after adoption as is practicable, and it goes on the agenda of the next regularly scheduled UTCR Committee meeting, so a rule adopted on a short fuse still gets looked at.
One more valve handles small problems. The UTCR Reporter may correct typographical errors, grammatical errors, inaccurate citations, and inaccurate website addresses, as long as the correction does not change the substance of the rule, and must give appropriate notice of those corrections to the public. A wrong cross-reference does not have to wait a year for the amendment cycle.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can change the Uniform Trial Court Rules?
The Chief Justice of the Oregon Supreme Court, by order. That is what separates the UTCR from the Oregon Rules of Civil Procedure, which come from a different body. No individual circuit court can amend a UTCR, and UTCR 1.040 bars a court from making a local rule outside the channels the UTCR provide.
When do amendments to the UTCR take effect?
August 1 of each year, unless the Chief Justice orders otherwise. Check the current posted set at the start of August rather than relying on a copy you saved earlier.
Can I comment on a proposed rule change?
Yes. Proposed amendments are posted on the Oregon Judicial Department website, and the rule allows no less than a 49-day period for public comment unless the Chief Justice orders otherwise. The posted proposal tells you where to send comment.
Can a rule change take effect faster than the normal schedule?
It can. The Chief Justice may waive the comment period, the advance posting period, or both. When that happens the amendment must still be posted for public comment as soon after adoption as is practicable, and it must be placed on the agenda of the next regularly scheduled UTCR Committee meeting.
Can a typo in a rule be fixed without a formal amendment?
Yes. The UTCR Reporter may correct typographical and grammatical errors, inaccurate citations, and inaccurate website addresses, provided the correction does not change what the rule means. The Reporter gives appropriate public notice of those corrections. Anything that changes substance has to go through the Chief Justice.