Oregon Supreme Court

The Oregon Supreme Court is the highest state court in the U.S. state of Oregon and the court of last resort there. The only court that may reverse or modify one of its decisions is the Supreme Court of the United States. It sits in the Oregon Supreme Court Building in Salem, near the state capitol, a building finished in 1914 that also houses the state law library. The court traces its heritage to 1841, when Oregon pioneers selected a Supreme Judge with probate powers, and it has grown from a single judge to seven justices who serve six-year terms upon election. The seven justices choose one of their number as Chief Justice, who assigns cases for opinions and is also the chief executive of the Oregon Judicial Department. It hears appeals from the Oregon Tax Court and the Oregon Court of Appeals, along with some select cases such as death penalty appeals, and all cases are heard en banc. A territorial supreme court was created in 1848 and the state supreme court in 1859, when Oregon was admitted to the Union.