Civil
The Jefferson County Sheriff's Office Civil Division responds to all legal processes directed to the Sheriff, including, but not limited to: Writs of Execution (Real and Personal Property Sales), Forcible Entry Detainers/Evictions, notice, provisional and enforcement processes, and various other court orders/documents.
The Jefferson County Sheriff's Office Civil Division is comprised of a Civil Manager and a Civil Technician who processes all notice, provisional and enforcement process received. Patrol deputies serve all documents received. The Civil Manager along with the Civil Technician conduct all property sales.
This office only serves and enforces documents in Jefferson County. This includes the city limits of Madras, Metolius, & Culver. Please refer to the appropriate Sheriff's Office for service outside Jefferson County.
In order for the Sheriff's Office to process and serve papers, we need the following:
- The appropriate fee. If you are sending the documents in the mail, please include a Check, money order, or cashier's check.
- A service address (physical address). We do not accept papers with a Post Office Box as the address listed for the defendant.
- A cover letter/letter of instructions. If you have any special instructions that the Sheriff's Office should need, such as a description of the person to be served or any other pertinent service information, please include this in a cover letter or memorandum format. Also, if you have more than one defendant listed, indicate which defendant you want served. Be specific in who you want served. If there is any doubt as to what you want the Sheriff's Office to do, papers will be returned to you.
- A self-addressed stamped envelope is not necessary, but very helpful.
- Certified true copies of the documents, and in some instances, a court seal.
(This office cannot give legal advice pursuant to Oregon Law)
Restraining Orders / Protection Orders:
Where do I obtain a Restraining Order?
Restraining Orders are obtained through Circuit Courts. The phone number for Jefferson County Circuit Court is (541) 475-3317.
After a judge approves a Restraining Order, how is it served, & how long will it take to be served is answered below:
Restraining Orders are processed and put out for service the day they are received by our office. We rely on the relevant data section in the restraining order, which has the name, date of birth, address, and all descriptions of the respondent. The more information you provide in this section, the easier it may be for the Sheriff's Office to complete service. Include an employment address, if applicable, and any other information that will be useful in order for us to serve.
Restraining Orders are the first priority in service documents at the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office. However, it may take anywhere from one day to several weeks to serve a respondent, due to the following:
- A respondent may be avoiding service. Restraining orders are not search warrants, therefore, we cannot force entry into a residence.
- We may be going to the residence at the wrong time because no information was provided as to the best timeframe to serve (or, it is simply unknown).
- Deputies may be responding to emergency calls, or we may only have a limited number of deputies on duty.
How do I check and see if a Restraining Order has been served?
After service is completed, a petitioner will be mailed a copy of the return of service, which is also filed with the court indicating that the Restraining Order has been served. You may also contact the Sheriff's Office to check service status by calling (541)475-6520. If you call after buisness hours (8a - 5p) they will only be able to tell you if the Restraining Order has been served. They cannot provide any other information to you such as how many times the Sheriff's Office has attempted service, etc. If you need to speak to a Deputy or if you need to notify our office of the whereabouts of a respondent, call our main office line at (541) 475-6520.
Please remember to be patient in this process. The Jefferson County Sheriff's Office performs due and diligent search and inquiry when serving civil process.
Protection Orders:
If you do not meet the criteria for a restraining order, you may be able to obtain a stalking protective order. "Stalking" is defined in Oregon Revised Statute (ORS) 163.730 to 163.732. Keywords in the definition are "repeated" and "unwanted contact". "Repeated" means two or more times. If you believe you are a victim of stalking and you would like to see if you could obtain a stalking protective order, contact the law enforcement agency where the stalking is taking place.
Legal Questions:
The Jefferson County Sheriff's Office and other public safety agencies, along with Oregon Courts, are not permitted to give legal advice pursuant to Oregon Law. "Legal Advice" means telling a person how to go about court proceedings, filing, etc., speculating what the outcome in a court case would be, advising or recommending one procedure, form, or pleading over another, advising what words to put in a form or what to say in court, suggesting what you "should do", recommending the services of a specific attorney or group of attorneys, etc.
Questions? Contact
Jefferson County Sheriff's Office, Civil Division
(541) 475-6520 Email: jcso.admin@jcso.law
