Rule 7.010.Pleas, Negotiations, Discovery, and Trial Dates in Criminal Cases
Current through August 1, 2026 · Last verified September 12, 2026
Full Text of Rule 7.010
Plain-English Summary
At arraignment the court has a choice. It can accept a not guilty plea and set the case for trial, or it can set a separate date for entry of a plea. Either way the case gets a date early, and the criminal docket stays predictable.
That plea date does double duty, because it is also the date by which discovery and investigations must be concluded. The rule does not set a fixed date. It gives the court a window, and custody drives it. For a defendant in custody, the date the court sets must fall at least 21 days after arraignment and no later than 21 days before trial. For a defendant who is not in custody, it must fall at least 35 days after arraignment and no later than the 35th day before trial.
By that same date, trial counsel has to report to the court: whether a jury trial is requested, the probable length of trial, whether a pretrial hearing is needed, and any other matter affecting the case. These are the answers a calendaring judge needs to reserve the right amount of courtroom time.
Relief from the dates must be granted for good cause shown. The rule's commentary adds two useful points: arraignment here means the defendant's initial appearance in the court that can dispose of the case, and because the deadline is measured against trial, moving the trial date moves the plea date with it.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does discovery have to be finished in an Oregon criminal case?
By the date the court sets, and UTCR 7.010 brackets that date. For a defendant in custody it is no earlier than 21 days after arraignment and no later than 21 days before trial. For a defendant out of custody it is no earlier than 35 days after arraignment and no later than the 35th day before trial.
The same date is the deadline for entry of a plea when the court sets one at arraignment.
What counts as arraignment for this rule?
The rule's commentary answers this: arraignment means the defendant's initial appearance in the court that has jurisdiction to dispose of the case. That matters when a case moves between courts, because the clock runs from the appearance in the court that will handle it.
What does trial counsel have to tell the court by the plea date?
The rule lists them: whether a jury trial is requested, how long the trial will probably take, whether a pretrial hearing is needed, and any other matter affecting the case. The last item is open ended on purpose, and it is where counsel should flag an interpreter need, a witness problem, or anything else that will shape the setting.
Can the deadlines in this rule be extended?
Yes. The rule says relief from the dates shall be granted for good cause shown. The commentary also points to UTCR 1.100, which lets a judge relieve a party from the UTCR or a supplementary local rule on good cause when that is needed to prevent hardship or injustice.
If the trial date moves, does the plea deadline move too?
Yes. The deadline is measured backward from trial as well as forward from arraignment, and the commentary says the last date for entry of a plea changes with changes in trial dates. Recalculate after every reset rather than assuming the original date survives.