Oregon Revised Statutes

Or. Rev. Stat. § 161.170 (2026)

Criminal liability of corporations

✓ current as of May 2026
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      161.170 Criminal liability of corporations. (1) A corporation is guilty of an offense if:

      (a) The conduct constituting the offense is engaged in by an agent of the corporation while acting within the scope of employment and in behalf of the corporation and the offense is a misdemeanor or a violation, or the offense is one defined by a statute that clearly indicates a legislative intent to impose criminal liability on a corporation; or

      (b) The conduct constituting the offense consists of an omission to discharge a specific duty of affirmative performance imposed on corporations by law; or

      (c) The conduct constituting the offense is engaged in, authorized, solicited, requested, commanded or knowingly tolerated by the board of directors or by a high managerial agent acting within the scope of employment and in behalf of the corporation.

      (2) As used in this section:

      (a) “Agent” means any director, officer or employee of a corporation, or any other person who is authorized to act in behalf of the corporation.

      (b) “High managerial agent” means an officer of a corporation who exercises authority with respect to the formulation of corporate policy or the supervision in a managerial capacity of subordinate employees, or any other agent in a position of comparable authority. [1971 c.743 §16]

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 3 cases, 1974–2017 · leading case: State v. Oregon City Elks Lodge No. 1189, 520 P.2d 900 (Or. Ct. App. 1974).
State v. Oregon City Elks Lodge No. 1189, 520 P.2d 900 (Or. Ct. App. 1974). · cites it 3× “Defendant contends, inter alia, that the indictment does not state a crime because it does not allege specifically how defendant corporation is criminally liable under ORS 161.170. ④ Defendant contends that since the corporation is criminally liable only under the circumstances…”
BP West Coast Prods., LLP v. Oregon Dep't of Just., 396 P.3d 244 (Or. Ct. App. 2017). “As noted, the rule imposes the same requirements for cash price displays on a street sign that the statute does, requiring the display of conditions to obtain the lowest cash price.”
Gattuccio v. Averill, 362 P.3d 691 (Or. Ct. App. 2015). · cites it 3× “100 for the proposition that the term “person” includes organizational entities, and ORS 161.170(1) for the proposition that such entities, under certain circumstances, can be convicted of crimes, including those that defendant argues organizational entities are incapable of…”
— Or. Rev. Stat. § 161.170(1) — 2 cases
BP West Coast Prods., LLP v. Oregon Dep't of Just., 396 P.3d 244 (Or. Ct. App. 2017). “As noted, the rule imposes the same requirements for cash price displays on a street sign that the statute does, requiring the display of conditions to obtain the lowest cash price.”
Gattuccio v. Averill, 362 P.3d 691 (Or. Ct. App. 2015). “100 for the proposition that the term “person” includes organizational entities, and ORS 161.170(1) for the proposition that such entities, under certain circumstances, can be convicted of crimes, including those that defendant argues organizational entities are incapable of…”
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