Rule 4.080.Appearance at Criminal Proceedings by Means of Simultaneous Electronic Transmission
Current through August 1, 2026 · Last verified September 12, 2026
Full Text of Rule 4.080
Plain-English Summary
The rule authorizes a court to conduct an appearance in a criminal proceeding at any circuit court location by simultaneous electronic transmission, using the forms it names: telephone, closed-circuit television, and video conference, whether over the internet or another platform. The transmission must be simultaneous electronic transmission as ORS 131.045 defines the term.
Permission comes with a condition. The transmission has to comply with the requirements of the statutes the rule identifies, which include ORS 131.045, 135.030, 135.360, 135.767, 137.040, and 137.545. Those statutes govern particular criminal events and the defendant's presence at them, so the rule opens the door to remote appearances without displacing the statutory protections that apply to any given hearing.
Local practice fills in the rest. SLR 4.081 is reserved for judicial districts that want to adopt a supplementary local rule on appearance at criminal proceedings by simultaneous electronic transmission. Check the district's supplementary local rules before assuming how a particular circuit court handles remote criminal appearances.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a criminal proceeding be held by video conference in an Oregon circuit court?
Yes. The rule lets a court conduct an appearance in a criminal proceeding by video conference, whether via the internet or another platform, as one of the permitted forms of simultaneous electronic transmission.
What counts as simultaneous electronic transmission under this rule?
The term carries the definition in ORS 131.045. The rule lists the permitted forms as telephone, closed-circuit television, and video conference.
Does this rule override the statutes about a defendant's presence?
No. The transmission must comply with the requirements of ORS 131.045, 135.030, 135.360, 135.767, 137.040, and 137.545. The rule permits the technology; the statutes still control the proceeding.
Where does a remote criminal appearance take place?
The rule allows the court to conduct the appearance at any circuit court location.
Can a judicial district adopt its own rule on this?
Yes. SLR 4.081 is reserved for judicial districts to adopt a local rule on appearance at criminal proceedings by means of simultaneous electronic transmission.