§ 135.711 Facts constituting crime or subcategory of crime required

If you're charged with a felony that happened on or after November 1, 1989, the formal charging document (like an indictment or information) has to spell out enough facts to actually show a crime took place. It can't just name the crime in general terms. It has to include details that match up with the Crime Seriousness Scale, which is a system Oregon uses to rank how serious different crimes are.

This matters because Oregon uses the Crime Seriousness Scale to help decide sentencing. Some crimes have different levels or subcategories based on how serious the conduct was. The charging document needs to include facts that show which specific level or subcategory applies, not just the basic name of the crime.

For someone facing charges, this rule is a protection. It means prosecutors can't be vague. They have to lay out real facts that support the specific charge and its seriousness level. This gives the accused person a clear idea of what they're being accused of and helps make sure sentencing later on is based on the right category of crime.