Oregon Revised Statutes

Or. Rev. Stat. § 138.052 (2026)

Appeal from judgment of conviction and sentence of death; direct review by Supreme Court

✓ current as of May 2026
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      138.052 Appeal from judgment of conviction and sentence of death; direct review by Supreme Court. (1) The judgment of conviction and sentence of death entered under ORS 163.150 (1)(f) is subject to automatic and direct review by the Supreme Court. The review by the Supreme Court has priority over all other cases and shall be heard in accordance with rules adopted by the Supreme Court.

      (2) Notwithstanding ORS 163.150 (1)(a), after automatic and direct review of a conviction and sentence of death the following apply:

      (a) If a reviewing court finds prejudicial error in the sentencing proceeding only, the court may set aside the sentence of death and remand the case to the trial court. No error in the sentencing proceeding results in reversal of the defendant’s conviction for aggravated murder. Upon remand and at the election of the state, the trial court shall either:

      (A) Sentence the defendant to imprisonment for life in the custody of the Department of Corrections as provided in ORS 163.105 (1)(c); or

      (B) Impanel a new sentencing jury for the purpose of conducting a new sentencing proceeding to determine if the defendant should be sentenced to:

      (i) Death;

      (ii) Imprisonment for life without the possibility of release or parole as provided in ORS 163.105 (1)(b); or

      (iii) Imprisonment for life in the custody of the Department of Corrections as provided in ORS 163.105 (1)(c).

      (b) The new sentencing proceeding is governed by the provisions of ORS 163.150 (1), (2), (3) and (5). A transcript of all testimony and all exhibits and other evidence properly admitted in the prior trial and sentencing proceeding are admissible in the new sentencing proceeding. Either party may recall any witness who testified at the prior trial or sentencing proceeding and may present additional relevant evidence.

      (c) The provisions of this subsection are procedural and apply to any defendant sentenced to death after December 6, 1984. [Formerly 138.012]

 

      Note: 138.052 was enacted into law by the Legislative Assembly but was not added to or made a part of ORS chapter 138 or any series therein by legislative action. See Preface to Oregon Revised Statutes for further explanation.

 

      138.053 [1989 c.849 §3; 1993 c.14 §16; 2001 c.644 §2; 2003 c.737 §101; repealed by 2017 c.529 §26]

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 6 cases (5 in the last 5 years), 2019–2023 · leading case: State v. Taylor, 434 P.3d 331 (Or. 2019).
State v. Taylor, 434 P.3d 331 (Or. 2019). · cites it 2× “ORS 138.052. III. ANALYSIS On direct review to this court, defendant raises 131 assignments of error.”
State v. Bartol, 496 P.3d 1013 (Or. 2021). “ORS 138.052(1). In the trial court, defendant was convicted of aggravated murder and sentenced to death.”
State v. Mott, 527 P.3d 758 (Or. 2023). “See ORS 138.052(1) (“The judgment of conviction and sentence of death entered under ORS 163.”
State v. Rogers, 499 P.3d 45 (Or. 2021). · cites it 2× “We described much of the relevant factual and pro- cedural background in one of the prior appeals: “Over a period of time in 1987, police discovered the bodies of seven women in the Molalla Forest. The State Medical Examiner determined that each of the women had been stabbed or…”
Barrett v. Bd. of Parole, 522 P.3d 544 (Or. Ct. App. 2022). “122(4) states, “The provisions of this section do not apply to prisoners sentenced to life imprison- ment without the possibility of release or parole under ORS 138.052 or 163.150.” As explained above, that sentence is different from a life imprisonment sentence, which entitles…”
State v. Brumwell, 507 P.3d 258 (Or. 2022). “That provision has since been recodified at ORS 138.052(2)(a). 478 State v. Brumwell Finally, this court looked to its then-recent decision in Hattersley, in which it had construed the statute autho- rizing state’s appeals, and concluded that the “legislature intended to…”
— Or. Rev. Stat. § 138.052(1) — 3 cases
State v. Bartol, 496 P.3d 1013 (Or. 2021). “ORS 138.052(1). In the trial court, defendant was convicted of aggravated murder and sentenced to death.”
State v. Mott, 527 P.3d 758 (Or. 2023). “See ORS 138.052(1) (“The judgment of conviction and sentence of death entered under ORS 163.”
State v. Rogers, 499 P.3d 45 (Or. 2021). “We described much of the relevant factual and pro- cedural background in one of the prior appeals: “Over a period of time in 1987, police discovered the bodies of seven women in the Molalla Forest. The State Medical Examiner determined that each of the women had been stabbed or…”
— Or. Rev. Stat. § 138.052(2)(a) — 2 cases
State v. Rogers, 499 P.3d 45 (Or. 2021). “We described much of the relevant factual and pro- cedural background in one of the prior appeals: “Over a period of time in 1987, police discovered the bodies of seven women in the Molalla Forest. The State Medical Examiner determined that each of the women had been stabbed or…”
State v. Brumwell, 507 P.3d 258 (Or. 2022). “That provision has since been recodified at ORS 138.052(2)(a). 478 State v. Brumwell Finally, this court looked to its then-recent decision in Hattersley, in which it had construed the statute autho- rizing state’s appeals, and concluded that the “legislature intended to…”
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