Rule 21.020.Local Rules of Court not Permitted
Current through August 1, 2026 · Last verified September 12, 2026
Full Text of Rule 21.020
Plain-English Summary
eFiling in Oregon is a statewide system, and this rule keeps it that way. A circuit court may not write its own rule about how documents are filed or served electronically, and may not enforce a rule it already has. Practitioners who move between judicial districts get the same mechanics everywhere.
The rule names its own exceptions. Local rules authorized by UTCR 4.090, UTCR 10.020, and UTCR 11.110 survive, and so does a local rule authorized by a Chief Justice Order.
SLR 21.011 is the reserved slot. A judicial district that receives authority through a Chief Justice Order adopts its local electronic filing and service rule at that number in its supplementary local rules, which tells everyone exactly where to look. If nothing appears there, the statewide chapter stands alone in that district.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can my county's circuit court have its own eFiling rules?
Not on its own. No circuit court may make or enforce a local rule governing electronic filing and electronic service unless UTCR 4.090, 10.020, or 11.110 authorizes it, or a Chief Justice Order does.
Where would a local eFiling rule appear?
At SLR 21.011 in that judicial district's supplementary local rules. The number is reserved for exactly that purpose, so a filer checking whether a district has added anything local about eFiling knows where to look.
What is a Chief Justice Order and why does it matter here?
A Chief Justice Order is an order issued by the Chief Justice of the Oregon Supreme Court. Under this rule it is the gateway for local variation: a judicial district can adopt a local electronic filing and service rule only under such an order.
Does this rule wipe out every local rule about filing?
No. It reaches local rules governing the electronic filing and electronic service of documents. Supplementary local rules on other subjects are untouched, and the chapter itself sends filers to a district's supplementary local rules on several points, including the stipulated and ex parte matters a district lists there.
What happens if a court enforces a local eFiling rule the UTCR does not allow?
The rule forbids both making and enforcing such a rule, but it sets no penalty and creates no procedure of its own. A filer who meets such a rule raises it with the court, pointing to this rule and to the short list of authorized exceptions.