A weekly newsletter + a searchable library of Oregon caselaw
Plain-English summaries of the Oregon decisions that govern police work — what the court held, what changed, and what did not. Every case's current status, kept current.
TRY: DETOX HOLD · INVENTORY · EMERGENCY-LIGHTS STOP · ARTICLE I, § 9
LATEST — EDITION #1 · OCTOBER 27, 2026
NEW — DECIDED OCT. 1, 2026
375 Or 703 (2026) · Oregon Supreme Court, en banc · James, J.
A stop began when the officer activated her emergency lights and parked angled toward the defendant — before any words were spoken — and reasonable suspicion is measured at that instant.
STILL CONTROLLING — REFERENCE SUMMARY
374 Or 498 (2025) · Oregon Supreme Court, en banc · James, J.
On a purely civil detox hold, a closed, opaque container that does not announce its contents may not be opened during an inventory — even under a valid, non-discretionary inventory policy.
Still Good Law? — The Status Index
Every carded case carries a live status. When a later ruling narrows, distinguishes, or overrules one, the card and this index are updated — with the change on the record.