---
name: or-hearings
description: >
  Prepare for and conduct hearings in Oregon circuit court. Use
  when the user asks about oral argument, motion hearings, WebEx
  or in-person hearings, courtroom etiquette, what to wear to
  court, how to address the judge, how to present argument,
  hearing-day checklist, or how to prepare as a pro se litigant
  for an Oregon hearing. Covers UTCR 5.050 oral argument
  conventions and per-county quirks for Multnomah, Washington,
  Clackamas, Lane, Marion, and other circuit courts.
version: 0.1.0
---

# Oregon Hearings — Preparation and Conduct

A hearing is where a well-prepared pro se litigant wins or loses
the motion. The judge has usually read the briefs but has
questions. The hearing is your chance to answer them directly.

This skill covers both in-person and remote (WebEx / phone)
hearings in Oregon circuit courts, with specific guidance for
Multnomah, Washington, and the other high-volume counties.

> **NOT LEGAL ADVICE.** Court rules, etiquette, and remote-
> hearing details change. Verify against your court's standing
> orders before any hearing.

## Core principles

1. **The judge has read the briefs** — do not recite them. Focus
   on the two or three points the judge needs clarified, and on
   any questions the court will plausibly have.
2. **Answer questions directly** — when the judge asks a
   question, answer it first, then explain. Never dodge.
3. **Concede what must be conceded** — acknowledge weak points;
   argue the stronger points. A pro se litigant who concedes
   nothing loses credibility.
4. **Keep it short** — Oregon judges tend to limit civil motion
   argument to 10–20 minutes per side. If you have 15 minutes,
   make 2–3 points well, not 8 points lightly.

## Before the hearing

### 24 hours before

- **Confirm date, time, courtroom, and mode**. WebEx link or
  in-person address. Check the assigned judge's standing order
  for any last-minute changes.
- **Review the file** — your motion, opposing response, your
  reply (if any), the exhibits.
- **Outline 2–3 main points** you must make. Write them down.
- **Outline 2–3 likely judge questions** and how you would
  answer.
- **Prepare your closing line** — typically a 30-second
  summary of the relief you want.

### Day of

- **For in-person**: arrive 30 minutes early. Allow 15–20
  minutes for security at major courthouses (Multnomah Central,
  Washington Co Hillsboro).
- **For WebEx**: log in 10–15 minutes early. Test audio and
  video. Have a backup phone connection ready.
- **For phone**: have the call-in number and meeting ID handy.
  Find a quiet location.

## What to wear

In-person hearings:

- **Court dress** — business or business-casual. A button-up
  shirt and slacks for men; a similar level of dress for women.
  Suit is rarely required but never wrong.
- **No t-shirts, jeans, hats**, even for routine motion
  practice. Oregon judges are generally informal but expect
  basic professional dress.
- **No hats inside the courtroom** (except for religious head
  coverings, which are always allowed).

WebEx hearings:

- **Same standard, top-half only** — you're on camera from the
  shoulders up. Wear a collared shirt or its equivalent. Even
  for a 10-minute motion hearing, looking professional matters.
- **Plain background** — no clutter or visible household items.
  A blurred background is acceptable; a virtual background that
  is conservative is fine.

Phone hearings:

- Pajamas are OK. The judge can't see you. But sit upright at a
  desk — your voice carries your posture.

## Addressing the court

- **"Your Honor"** is the standard form of address for any
  judge.
- **"The Court"** in argument when referring to the judge in
  the third person: "The Court will recall from the briefs..."
- **Never "Judge"** without their last name, and never their
  first name.
- **"Counsel"** when addressing opposing attorney; "Plaintiff"
  or "Defendant" when referring to their client (or use the
  party name if multiple parties).
- For pro se opposing party: "Plaintiff" or their last name —
  "Mr./Ms. Smith".

## Courtroom etiquette

- **Stand when the judge enters** the courtroom. Remain standing
  until the judge says "Be seated" or sits down.
- **Stand when speaking** to the court — at counsel table or at
  the lectern. Sit when the judge is asking the other side
  questions.
- **One person speaks at a time**. No interrupting opposing
  counsel or the judge.
- **Address the court, not opposing counsel**. Even when arguing
  against opposing counsel's point, speak to the judge.
- **Wait for the judge to call your matter** before approaching
  the lectern.
- **Be brief**. If you have nothing new to add to the briefs,
  say so: "Your Honor, I will rest on the briefs unless the
  Court has questions."

## Presenting argument

### Standard structure

1. **Opening** (15 seconds): Identify yourself, the case, and
   the relief you seek.
   > "Good morning, Your Honor. John Doe, pro se defendant, in
   > Case No. 25CV12345. The Court has Defendant's Motion to
   > Compel before it; I am asking the Court to grant the motion
   > and order production within 14 days."

2. **The strongest point** (2–3 minutes): your best argument,
   one clear point.

3. **Anticipate the opposing argument** (1–2 minutes): what
   would the other side say, and why is it wrong?

4. **Brief answer to likely judge questions** (varies).

5. **Closing** (30 seconds): restate the relief.

### Answering judge questions

The judge will interrupt with questions. When that happens:

- **Stop talking** the moment the judge starts
- **Answer the question first** — yes, no, or "the answer is X"
- **Then briefly explain** why
- **Do not deflect** — if you don't know, say "Your Honor, I
  don't have that information at hand, but it appears in the
  declaration at paragraph 4" or "Your Honor, I'd need to check
  the record on that"

### Concessions

A well-placed concession often wins the case:

> "Your Honor, opposing counsel is right that the Court has
> discretion to deny this motion under ORCP 46. But the
> question for the Court is whether that discretion should be
> exercised here, and we submit it should not because [strong
> reason]."

A litigant who concedes nothing — including obvious points the
judge clearly believes — loses credibility on every point.

## Remote (WebEx) hearings

### Technical setup

- **Use a laptop or desktop** rather than a phone for video.
  Camera quality and audio matter.
- **Plug into ethernet** if available; Wi-Fi can drop.
- **Have backup**: a phone call-in option in case the video
  fails.
- **Headphones with microphone** are best — reduce echo and
  background noise.

### Conduct on video

- **Look at the camera** (not the screen) when speaking — this
  is the eye contact equivalent on video.
- **Mute when not speaking** to suppress background noise.
- **Don't read from your screen** while looking down — your
  notes should be either to the side of the camera or on the
  same screen as the WebEx window so your eyes stay close to
  camera-level.
- **Show what you're holding** if it's relevant: "Your Honor,
  I am holding Exhibit 3, the bill of sale, which..."

### Technical-failure protocol

If your audio or video fails during the hearing:

1. Stay on the line; mute if you can't speak
2. Text or call the court's tech support line (often listed on
   the courthouse website)
3. If you need to drop and re-join, do so calmly; the judge
   will wait
4. If technical issues are recurring, ask to continue the
   hearing

## Working copies and exhibits at hearing

- **Bring your packet** to in-person hearings even if you've
  delivered working copies — the judge may want to refer to a
  specific page
- **Have a digital copy** for WebEx — share-screen capability
  for exhibits, though Oregon judges generally do not encourage
  screen-sharing of exhibits at routine motion hearings (the
  briefs and working copies should cover it)
- **Witnesses at non-evidentiary hearings** are unusual; if a
  declaration is in the record, that's typically enough

## County-specific details

### Multnomah Circuit Court

- WebEx is default for routine civil motions
- Judge standing orders linked from the judge's page (each judge
  has different preferences)
- Connection info from the assigned JA when the date is set
- In-person hearings at the Central Courthouse, 1200 SW 1st
  Avenue, Portland

### Washington County Circuit Court (OR)

- Mode is judge-specific; check the Civil Division
  confirmation
- In-person at 145 NE 2nd Avenue, Hillsboro

### Other counties

- WebEx is increasingly common, but judges in some smaller
  counties prefer in-person
- The local SLR Chapter 7 governs remote hearings (parallels
  UTCR 7.010)

## Hearing-day checklist

- [ ] Confirm date, time, courtroom/WebEx link 24 hours before
- [ ] Print the motion, response, reply, and key exhibits
- [ ] Bring working copies if not previously delivered
- [ ] Outline 2–3 main points
- [ ] Outline 2–3 anticipated judge questions
- [ ] For in-person: arrive 30 minutes early
- [ ] For WebEx: log in 10–15 minutes early; test audio/video
- [ ] Dress appropriately
- [ ] Have backup contact (phone) for tech issues
- [ ] Bring a notepad to take notes during the hearing
- [ ] After: send a follow-up email to the JA if working copies
      were used and need return

## After the hearing

- **If the court rules from the bench**, the prevailing party
  submits the proposed order with any bench modifications.
  See `or-submit-order`.
- **If the court takes the matter under advisement**, the
  ruling comes by written order, typically 2–6 weeks. The
  prevailing party then submits the order if not already done.
- **If a hearing was for evidentiary purposes**, transcripts
  must be ordered separately (the court does not provide
  transcripts for free).

## Common pro se hearing mistakes

| Mistake | Consequence |
|---------|-------------|
| Reading from the brief | Wastes time; judge can read |
| Dodging judge questions | Loses credibility |
| Arguing with opposing counsel | Judge cuts you off |
| Failing to concede obvious points | Loses every argument |
| Being late | Adverse inference; possible dismissal |
| Dressing too casually | First impression matters |
| Talking over the judge | Always lose this fight |
| Bringing irrelevant materials | Cluttered argument |
| No closing | Loses the chance to restate relief |

## References

- `references/oral-argument.md` — extended guide to making
  arguments and fielding questions
- `references/courtroom-etiquette.md` — full etiquette guide
  by county and by judge type
- `references/zoom-hearings.md` — WebEx / Zoom-specific
  techniques (Oregon courts have moved to WebEx; many
  practitioners still call them "Zoom hearings")
- `references/hearing-day-checklist.md` — printable single-page
  checklist