Oregon Code § 30.847·Enacted ·Last updated March 01, 2026
Statute Text
Action
for engaging in paramilitary activity; attorney fees.
(1) A person or group of persons
is subject to an action described in subsection (2) or (3) of this section for
engaging in paramilitary activity if the person or group of persons knowingly,
while acting as part of a private paramilitary organization or on behalf of or
in furtherance of any objective of a private paramilitary organization:
(a) While armed
with a deadly weapon, publicly patrols or drills;
(b) While armed
with a dangerous or deadly weapon:
(A) Publicly
engages in techniques capable of causing physical injury or death;
(B) Substantially
disrupts governmental operations or a government proceeding;
(C) Assumes,
exercises or asserts, without legal authorization, the functions, powers or
duties of:
(i) A law
enforcement officer, including any sheriff, police officer, marshal or other
peace officer; or
(ii) Any local,
city, county, state or federal official; or
(D) Interferes
with another person and thereby:
(i) Prevents the
other person, or attempts to prevent the other person, from engaging in conduct
in which the other person has a legal right to engage; or
(ii) Causes the
other person, or attempts to cause the other person, to engage in conduct from
which the other person has a legal right to abstain; or
(c) Trains to
engage in any activity described in paragraph (a) or (b) of this subsection.
(2)(a) If the
Attorney General has reasonable cause to believe that a person or group of
persons has engaged in, or is about to engage in, paramilitary activity as
described in subsection (1) of this section, the Attorney General may bring a
civil action in the name of the State of Oregon for injunctive relief in Marion
County Circuit Court or any other circuit court of this state.
(b)(A) If it
appears to the Attorney General that a person has possession, custody or
control of any information, document or other material that is relevant to an
investigation of paramilitary activity as described in subsection (1) of this
section, or that could lead to the discovery of relevant information in an
investigation of paramilitary activity as described in subsection (1) of this
section, the Attorney General may cause an investigative demand to be served
upon the person. The investigative demand may require the person:
(i) To appear and
testify under oath at the time and place stated in the investigative demand;
(ii) To answer
written interrogatories; or
(iii) To produce
relevant documentary material or physical evidence for examination at the time
and place stated in the investigative demand.
(B) An
investigative demand under this paragraph shall be served in the manner
provided by ORS 646.622 and may be enforced in the manner provided by ORS
646.626.
(c) When
conducting investigations under this section, the Attorney General may not
demand, collect or maintain information about the political, religious or
social views, associations or activities of any individual, group, association,
organization, corporation, business or partnership unless the information
directly relates to an investigation into, and there are reasonable grounds to
suspect that the subject of the information is involved in, paramilitary
activity as described in subsection (1) of this section.
(3)(a) A person
injured as a result of paramilitary activity as described in subsection (1) of
this section may bring a civil action, individually or jointly with other
aggrieved persons, in the appropriate court for relief against the person or
persons who engaged in the paramilitary activity.
(b) A plaintiff
who prevails in a claim under this subsection may recover:
(A) Economic or
noneconomic damages, as those terms are defined in ORS 31.705;
(B) Injunctive
relief;
(C) Reasonable
attorney fees; and
(D) Any other
appropriate equitable relief.
(4) This section
does not apply to:
(a) The Armed
Forces of the United States or the National Guard, as those terms are defined
in 10 U.S.C. 101, or any regularly organized state militia or unorganized or
reserve militia called into service by a state or the United States, including
a defense force authorized under 32 U.S.C. 109(c).
(b) A group of
individuals that associates as a military organization solely for historical
purposes or fictional performances, or that parades in public as part of a bona
fide veterans organization, so long as the group does not carry or use
ammunition or explosives.
(c) Students in
an education institution authorized by a state or federal government to teach
military science as a prescribed part of the course of instruction, when under
the supervision of a military instructor.
(d) Members of an
organization that is authorized under state or federal law to provide
paramilitary, law enforcement or security services training or to engage in
paramilitary activity or the provision of law enforcement or security services,
when performing the functions authorize
Plain English Explanation
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Key Points
01Part of Oregon statutory law
02Referenced as Oregon Code § 30.847
03Subject to legislative amendments
04Consult a licensed attorney for application to specific cases
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