§ 131.363 Change of venue in other cases

If you're facing a criminal trial in Oregon, you or your lawyer can ask the court to move your trial to a different county. This request is called a motion for change of venue. The judge will consider whether moving the trial would be more convenient for everyone involved, including the people testifying as witnesses, and whether it would help make sure the trial is fair.

Only the defendant can make this request. The prosecution cannot ask to move the trial under this rule. It's the judge's decision whether to grant the request, based on what makes sense for the people involved and what serves justice in the case.

This rule gives defendants a way to address problems that might come up with holding a trial in a particular location. For example, if pretrial publicity in the local area could make it hard to find fair jurors, or if there are other practical reasons why a different county would work better, a defendant can raise this with the court and ask for the change.