Article VII (Amended): Judicial department
Section 1. Courts; election of judges; term of office; compensation.
The judicial power of the state shall be vested in one supreme court and in such other courts as may from time to time be created by law. The judges of the supreme and other courts shall be elected by the legal voters of the state or of their respective districts for a term of six years, and shall receive such compensation as may be provided by law, which compensation shall not be diminished during the term for which they are elected.
[Created through initiative petition filed July 7, 1910, and adopted by the people Nov. 8, 1910]
Section 1a. Retirement of judges; recall to temporary active service.
Notwithstanding the provisions of section 1, Article VII (Amended) of this Constitution, a judge of any court shall retire from judicial office at the end of the calendar year in which he attains the age of 75 years. The Legislative Assembly or the people may by law: Fix a lesser age for mandatory retirement not earlier than the end of the calendar year in which the judge attains the age of 70 years; Provide for recalling retired judges to temporary active service on the court from which they are retired; and Authorize or require the retirement of judges for physical or mental disability or any other cause rendering judges incapable of performing their judicial duties. This section shall not affect the term to which any judge shall have been elected or appointed prior to or at the time of approval and ratification of this section.
[Created through S.J.R. 3, 1959, and adopted by the people Nov. 8, 1960]
Section 2
Amendment’s effect on courts, jurisdiction and judicial system; Supreme Court’s original jurisdiction.
The courts, jurisdiction, and judicial system of Oregon, except so far as expressly changed by this amendment, shall remain as at present constituted until otherwise provided by law. But the supreme court may, in its own discretion, take original jurisdiction in mandamus, quo warranto and habeas corpus proceedings.
[Created through initiative petition filed July 7, 1910, and adopted by the people Nov. 8, 1910]
Section 2a
Temporary appointment and assignment of judges.
The Legislative Assembly or the people may by law empower the Supreme Court to: Appoint retired judges of the Supreme Court or judges of courts inferior to the Supreme Court as temporary members of the Supreme Court. Appoint members of the bar as judges pro tempore of courts inferior to the Supreme Court. Assign judges of courts inferior to the Supreme Court to serve temporarily outside the district for which they were elected. A judge or member of the bar so appointed or assigned shall while serving have all the judicial powers and duties of a regularly elected judge of the court to which he is assigned or appointed.
[Created through S.J.R. 30, 1957, and adopted by the people Nov. 4, 1958]
Section 2b. Inferior courts may be affected in certain respects by special or local laws. Notwithstanding the provisions of section 23, Article IV of this Constitution, laws creating courts inferior to the Supreme Court or prescribing and defining the jurisdiction of such courts or the manner in which such jurisdiction may be exercised, may be made applicable: To all judicial districts or other subdivisions of this state; or To designated classes of judicial districts or other subdivisions; or To particular judicial districts or other subdivisions.
[Created through S.J.R. 34, 1961, and adopted by the people Nov. 6, 1962]
Section 3
Jury trial; re-examination of issues by appellate court; record on appeal to Supreme Court; affirmance notwithstanding error; determination of case by Supreme Court.