Rule 18.020.Caption
Current through August 1, 2026 · Last verified September 12, 2026
Full Text of Rule 18.020
Plain-English Summary
The caption is the first thing anyone reads, and this rule puts a single piece of information there. In the caption of a complaint filed in an eviction action, the plaintiff must indicate whether the case is subject to ORS chapter 90, using a form substantially like a checkbox followed by a statement that the case is subject to the Residential Landlord and Tenant Act.
Substantially the following form is the operative phrase. The rule prescribes the substance, not the typography. A caption that conveys the same thing in the same place satisfies it, while a caption that leaves the question out does not, however complete the rest of the pleading is.
The marking is not busywork. Answering in the caption means the answer travels with the case from the moment it is filed, and UTCR 18.030 and UTCR 18.040 carry the same question into the body of the complaint and into any proposed order or judgment.
For a case that is subject to ORS chapter 90, the surest route to compliance is the published complaint form, which UTCR 18.030 requires for those cases anyway.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I mark the caption on an Oregon eviction complaint?
Include in the caption a checkbox and a statement that the case is subject to the Residential Landlord and Tenant Act, marked when ORS chapter 90 applies. The rule asks for substantially that form, so the placement and the substance matter more than exact styling.
What wording does the rule prescribe?
A bracketed box followed by a statement that the matter is subject to the Residential Landlord and Tenant Act. The rule offers it as a model rather than a script, since it asks only for substantially that form.
Do I have to use the exact words in the rule?
No, but do not drift far. Substantially the following form gives room for layout differences and for the way a published form renders the line, not for replacing the statement with something that leaves the ORS chapter 90 question unanswered.
What if the eviction is not subject to ORS chapter 90?
The caption still carries the line; the box is left unchecked. Leaving the line out altogether does not answer the question the rule asks. The same question returns at the end of the case, because UTCR 18.040 requires any proposed order or judgment to include a finding on whether the action is subject to ORS chapter 90.
Does the caption marking show up anywhere else in the case?
Yes. UTCR 18.030 requires the plaintiff to indicate in the complaint whether the case is subject to ORS chapter 90, and UTCR 18.040 requires the same finding in any proposed order or judgment submitted to the court.