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Criminal charges must be dismissed if defendant can't get a lawyer, Oregon Supreme Court rules - OPB
https://www.opb.org/article/2026/02/05/oregon-supreme-court-ruling-criminal-charges-dismiss-defendant-no-lawyer/The ruling could force the dismissal of more than 1,400 criminal cases.
Oregonians charged with crimes who cannot get timely legal representation from the state must have their cases dismissed, the Oregon Supreme Court ruled Thursday.
In a unanimous decision, the court ruled that a defendant’s criminal charges must be dismissed if the state has failed to provide a defense attorney for 60 days in a misdemeanor case or 90 days in a felony case, after the defendant’s first court appearance.
The ruling could force the dismissal of more than 1,400 criminal cases statewide for those who do not have a court-appointed lawyer. More than 900 affected cases are in Multnomah County, according to data from the Oregon Judicial Department.