ORS Chapter 1 — Courts and Judicial Officers

ORS 1.300. Senior judge; assignment; duties and powers; compensation and expenses. (1) A judge who retires from the circuit court, Oregon Tax Court, Court of Appeals or Supreme Court, except a judge retired under the provisions of ORS 1.310, may be designated a senior judge of the State of Oregon by the Supreme Court and, if so designated, shall be so certified by the Secretary of State. (2)(a) Upon filing with the Secretary of State an oath of office as a senior judge as prescribed in ORS 1.212, a senior judge is eligible for temporary assignment, with the consent of the senior judge, by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court or the designee of the Chief Justice, to a state court as provided in this subsection, whenever the Chief Justice or the designee of the Chief Justice determines that the assignment is reasonably necessary and will promote the efficient administration of justice. (b) A senior judge who retired from the Supreme Court may be assigned under this subsection to any state court. (c) A senior judge who retired from a court other than the Supreme Court may be assigned under this subsection to any state court other than the Supreme Court. (d) A senior judge assigned to serve as a circuit court judge may be assigned under this subsection to serve in any one or more counties or judicial districts during the term of the assignment. (3) The assignment of a senior judge shall designate the court or courts to which the judge is assigned and the duration of the assignment. The Chief Justice or the designee of the Chief Justice shall promptly notify the senior judge, and the court or courts to which the judge is assigned, of the assignment. (4) Each senior judge assigned as provided in this section has all the judicial powers and duties, while serving under the assignment, of a regularly elected and qualified judge of the court to which the senior judge is assigned. The powers, jurisdiction and judicial authority of the senior judge in respect to any case or matter tried or heard by the senior judge while serving under the assignment shall continue beyond the expiration of the assignment so far as may be necessary to: (a) Decide and dispose of any case or matter on trial or held under advisement. (b) Hear and decide any motion for a new trial or for a judgment notwithstanding a verdict, or objections to any cost bill, that may be filed in the case. (c) Settle a transcript for appeal and grant extensions of time therefor. (5) A senior judge assigned as provided in this section shall receive as compensation for each day the senior judge is actually engaged in the performance of duties under the assignment an amount equal to five percent of the gross monthly salary of a regularly elected and qualified judge of the court to which the senior judge is assigned, or one-half of that daily compensation for services of one-half day or less. However, a retired judge shall not receive for services as a senior judge during any calendar year a sum of money which when added to the amount of any judicial retirement pay received by the senior judge for the year exceeds the annual salary of a judge of the court from which the senior judge retired. The compensation shall be paid upon the certificate of the senior judge that the services were performed for the number of days shown in the certificate. Services by a senior judge under an assignment and receipt of compensation for services shall not reduce or otherwise affect the amount of any retirement pay to which the senior judge otherwise would be entitled. (6) A senior judge assigned to a court located outside the county in Oregon in which the senior judge regularly resides shall receive, in addition to daily compensation, reimbursement for hotel bills and traveling expenses necessarily incurred in the performance of duties under the assignment. The expenses shall be paid upon presentation of an itemized statement of the expenses, certified by the senior judge to be correct.