Portland Eviction Court Steps 2026–27: The 10-Day Notice, First Appearance at 8:45 a.m., Your Right to Pay and Stay, and Free Legal Defense
If you rent in Portland or anywhere in Multnomah County and you've been handed eviction papers, the most important thing to know is this: you won't be evicted at your first court date unless you don't show up. Oregon also gives renters some of the strongest protections in the country for nonpayment cases, including the right to pay what you owe right up until trial and have the case thrown out.
Below is the whole process in order, from the notice on your door to the sheriff, with what to do at each step and who will help you for free.
Last checked October 2026. Sources: Multnomah County Circuit Court's Landlord/Tenant page, the Oregon Judicial Department's official Residential Eviction Summons form, Oregon Law Help's "Your First Eviction Hearing," and a Multnomah County presentation by Oregon Law Center's Eviction Defense Project on the 2023 HB 2001 changes. This is general information, not legal advice.
The Short Version
Nonpayment notice: at least 10 days to pay for most renters. A 72-hour notice is only allowed for week-to-week tenancies. Federally subsidized units need 30 days.
Pay in full during the notice period and the landlord can't file.
Court papers: your First Appearance is typically 7 to 14 days after filing, and can be 15 to 21 days for some nonpayment cases. Hearings start at 8:45 a.m.
You can join remotely for First Appearance. Instructions are on your notice.
Free to attend. The summons says there's no court fee for the first hearing.
Want a trial? File an Answer the same day as First Appearance.
Right to redeem: you can pay what the notice says you owe up until trial and get the case dismissed.
Free lawyer: Eviction Defense Project, (888) 585-9638, evictiondefense@oregonlawcenter.org.
Rent help: dial 2-1-1.
Step 1: The Notice
Oregon landlords have to give you a written termination notice before they can go to court. Multnomah County Circuit Court says the date in the notice must pass before a case can be filed.
Nonpayment of rent
The 2023 law, HB 2001, changed nonpayment notices. According to Oregon Law Center's Eviction Defense Project:
If you rent month to month or have a lease, you're entitled to at least 10 days' notice to pay before your landlord can evict for unpaid rent.
72-hour notices for nonpayment are allowed only in week-to-week tenancies. If you got a 72-hour notice and you're not week-to-week, you may have a legal defense.
In its sample timeline, the notice can't go out until rent is more than 7 days late.
If your unit has a federal subsidy (project-based Section 8, LIHTC or a Housing Choice Voucher), the landlord must give 30 days' notice for nonpayment.
If you pay the late rent in full during the notice period, the landlord can't file an eviction for that unpaid rent.
Other notices
Other notices exist for other reasons. The Eviction Defense Project lists 24-hour notices for outrageous conduct, 30-day for-cause notices, 30- or 60-day no-cause notices and 90-day landlord-cause notices. It notes that no-cause notices in Portland can require 90 days.
Partial payments
The court notes that if a landlord accepts partial rent after serving a nonpayment notice, the original notice "may no longer be effective." Keep receipts for everything.
Get help now, not later. The Eviction Defense Project says Multnomah County tenants can get its help as soon as they receive a termination notice, even before a court case exists. Its presentation also warns that rent assistance gets harder to find once the court process has started.
Step 2: The Landlord Files and You're Served
Once the notice period is over, the landlord files a Summons and Complaint (sometimes called an FED). The court then sets a First Appearance date. The court says these are typically 7 to 14 days out, but can be 15 to 21 days for some nonpayment cases.
A few rules protect you here:
The landlord can't serve the papers personally. Someone else has to.
Papers have to be served by the next judicial day after filing.
Proof of service must be filed before First Appearance.
Which courthouse?
Multnomah County hears evictions in two places, based on your ZIP code:
Central Courthouse, 1200 SW 1st Ave., downtown Portland
East County Courthouse, 18480 SE Stark St., for these ZIP codes: 97010, 97019, 97024, 97030, 97060, 97080, 97216, 97220, 97230, 97233, 97236 and 97266
Your summons has to list the right location. Check it against your ZIP.
What the summons tells you
The official summons says, in plain terms:
If you don't come and your landlord does, your landlord wins automatically and can have the sheriff remove you.
If you come and your landlord doesn't, the court dismisses the case.
If you both come, the judge may ask you to try to reach an agreement. That's voluntary, and trained mediators may be available for free.
Step 3: First Appearance
Multnomah County holds First Appearances at 8:45 a.m. at both courthouses. You can appear in person or remotely by phone or video, using the instructions on your notice. If you go in person, check in at the counter first. Lawyers must appear in person.
Your options at First Appearance
Oregon Law Help lists what you can do:
Ask the court to dismiss the case if your landlord doesn't show up.
Pay the rent. If you're being evicted for nonpayment and you have the money, tell the judge. You don't have to make an agreement. You can pay what the termination notice says you owe and ask for dismissal. Oregon Law Help says the landlord can't make you pay their court costs or attorney fees to dismiss the case, though they may try to collect those later.
Make an agreement. You could agree to move by a later date, pay on a plan, or something else. Making an agreement usually means giving up your chance at a trial.
Ask for a trial if you have a legal defense.
If you appeared by phone
The court says the judge may ask you and the landlord to exchange phone numbers and talk. You'll need to call back into the hearing afterward. If you haven't heard from the landlord after 45 minutes, call back in to check.
If you make an agreement and don't keep it
Breaking a court agreement is serious. Oregon Law Help says the landlord can go back to court, and the court can issue a Notice of Restitution giving you four days to move out.
Step 4: The Answer (If You Want a Trial)
If you can't reach an agreement and want to fight, you have to file an Answer. The summons says you must:
File the Answer the same day as First Appearance, giving a legal reason you shouldn't be evicted
Give a copy to your landlord or their lawyer
Pay a filing fee, which the judge may defer if you're low-income
You can get the form at the court or use the state's interactive iForms to e-file. If you ask for a jury trial, the court says there's an extra jury fee that you're responsible for.
Free form help: The court's Legal Resource Center helps with court forms for free. Central: 1200 SW 1st Ave., 2nd floor, Room 02307. East County: Tuesdays and Thursdays. Phone (971) 236-8670.
The court also notes that new forms and rules for eviction cases took effect August 1, 2026, so use current versions.
Step 5: Trial
Oregon Law Help says trials are usually within one or two weeks of First Appearance. You're expected to appear in person. If you can't, you have to file a motion for remote appearance at least 3 days before trial.
Bring:
Copies of every document for yourself, the landlord and the judge: receipts, texts, letters, photos, inspection reports
A laptop or tablet for any video. The court can't use USB drives.
Your witnesses, in person
Paying before trial
This is your right to redeem. Under HB 2001, Oregon Law Center says renters can pay the rent stated in the termination notice up until trial, and the landlord can't refuse just because the notice deadline passed. Oregon Law Help says to bring proof of payment to court. If the trial isn't canceled, go anyway and bring that proof.
Landlords who won't take rent assistance
If your landlord refused to work with a rent assistance provider and that's why you couldn't pay, the Eviction Defense Project says you may have a defense. Keep a record of every call, email and payment attempt.
Parents of infants
The court's nonpayment notice says if you have a child under 1 living with you and you've been approved for rent assistance through Medicaid, you may be able to delay the eviction.
Step 6: After Trial
If the landlord wins, the court may issue a Notice of Restitution, giving you a final deadline to leave. The Eviction Defense Project's timeline describes this as 4 days. After that, the landlord can ask for a Writ of Execution, which lets the sheriff remove you. A writ that isn't served within 30 days of being issued expires.
You can appeal to the Oregon Court of Appeals. Talk to a lawyer quickly if you're considering it.
If you missed court
If you missed First Appearance and lost by default, don't give up. Oregon Law Help says the Eviction Defense Project may be able to help you file a Motion to Set Aside the judgment.
Who to Call
Eviction Defense Project (free legal defense): (888) 585-9638, evictiondefense@oregonlawcenter.org
Rent assistance: 2-1-1 or 211info.org
Court Landlord/Tenant Department: (971) 274-0545. Phone hours are weekdays 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 to 4 p.m.
Oregon State Bar Lawyer Referral: 503-684-3763 or 800-452-7636
Multnomah County Sheriff Civil Process: (503) 988-0512
What we couldn't confirm: current filing and jury fee amounts weren't on the pages we checked. The Eviction Defense Project's income limits aren't stated. The Portland 90-day no-cause figure comes from a 2024 presentation, not the city code. The East County Legal Resource Center room number didn't display. Portland rent-assistance programs aren't covered beyond 211.
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