1. Use, Misuse and Abuse of the TPOR and Status Quo Process
Bradford F. Miller

2. Definition of Terms “Status Quo Order” “TPOR”
Post-Judgment (ORS )
“TPOR”
Pre-Judgment (ORS )

3. What we’re not Covering
Emergency Relief (Sub (3)); ORS
Interplay with Chapter 109
Unmarried parents
Third party rights re: this relief

4. Pre-Judgment TPOR

5. TPOR - How do you Obtain Relief?
Motion
Affidavit
Declaration?
Order

6. TPOR - Motion What must be included? Request Points and authorities
Not much!
Request
Which relief are you requesting?
Points and authorities
Children affected
Name it correctly!

7. TPOR - Affidavit What Must be included? What Should be included?
ORS Details
What Should be included?
Who you are and what you want
Which relief you are requesting
Support for the relief you are requesting

8. TPOR - Order What must be included What should be included?
The relief ordered
ORS (2)(c) Notice
What should be included?
Names of the children affected
What should NOT be included
Anything not authorized by statute!

9. TPOR – After Signing
Order and Affidavit MUST be served pursuant to ORCP 7 (2)(c)
Relief is not immediate.
Presumably the motion as well?

10. TPOR – Order: Relief Available
“(b) - Upon receipt of an application under this subsection the court may issue a temporary protective order of restraint restraining and enjoying each party from…”
“EACH”?
“Both” – The two considered together…”the one as well as the other”
“Each” – The individual members of a group considered separately
All?
Every?
Either?

11. TPOR - Order What it IS What it is NOT An order of restraint
A custody order
A parenting time order
Distinguish from ORS (3)(a), “A court may enter ex parte a temporary order providing for the custody of or parenting time with, a child if…”

12. TPOR – Order: RELIEF (A) Changing the Usual Place of Residence
Defined in
“The place where the child is living at the time the motion for the temporary order is filed and has lived continuously for a period of three consecutive months,”
“Excluding any periods of time during which the non-custodial parent did exercise or would otherwise have exercised parenting time”
Not the “Place of Present Physical Location”

13. TPOR – Order: RELIEF
(B) Interfering with the present placement and daily schedule of the child
Defined in ORS
“The contact, parenting time, placement, schedule and routine at the time the motion for the temporary order is filed.”

14. TPOR – Order: RELIEF
(D) – Interfering with the other party’s usual contact and parenting time with the child
(F) – In any manner disturbing the current schedule and daily routine of the child until custody or parenting time has been determined
Both also Defined in ORS
“The contact, parenting time, placement, schedule and routine at the time the motion for the temporary order is filed.”

15. TPOR – Order: RELIEF So are (B), (D), and (F) identical?
Strictly, yes, they each have the same definition
If plain language, maybe different, but defined
(F) contains the only difference:
“Interfering with…” versus “In any manner disturbing…”

16. TPOR – Order: RELIEF
(C) Hiding or secreting the child from the other party
Plain language; no definition
(E) – Leaving the state with the child without written permission of the other party or permission of the court
How do you get permission?
Affidavit? Motion? Order?
The Court may be authorized by statute to approve exceptions, if spelled out in the motion/affidavit; but then they must be included in the order

17. TPOR – Order: Relief (A) – (F) It’s your motion, ask for what you want
(E) “permission of the court; or”
It’s your motion, ask for what you want
Nothing precludes the other side from filing a motion requesting this relief

18. TPOR - Response Who can make?
“A party against whom an order is entered under subsection (2)”
Further confirmation this is an order of restraint (on a party) rather than an order of custody and parenting time
When?
“At any time while the order is in effect”

19. TPOR - Response What is the document?
State Court administrator proscribes the content and form
Notice in the Order says you must “tell the court and the other party that you object to the order and specifically why you disagree with the representation of the status quo described in the order”
Who was required to make a representation about the status quo in the motion or affidavit?

20. TPOR - Hearing
When
“’Reasonable Efforts’ to hold within 14 days and shall hold a hearing no later than 21 days after receipt of the request of the hearing”
TPOR remains in place through the date of the hearing. (4)(c)
and continues or is vacated if someone fails to appear

21. TPOR – Hearing
ISSUE: “Limited to a determination of the status quo at the time the order was issued.”
What is the status quo?
Not defined in ORS or
Is it the aggregate of the contents in the affidavit?

22. TPOR – Hearing: What is Status Quo?
ORS – When you get a “temporary status quo order” you must have an affidavit:
“Setting forth with specificity the information required by ORS ”
Contrast with (“conforming to the requirements of ORS ”)
“And the person with whom the child has lived during the preceding year”
“And the child’s current schedule, daily routine and usual place of residence”
We know this means the ‘contact, parenting time, placement, schedule and routine at the time the motion for the temporary order is filed’; and “the place where the child is living at the time the motion is filed and has lived continuously for a period of three consecutive months”
Is this, in aggregate, the “status quo”?

23. TPOR – Hearing: Issue
If the issue is determining the status quo at the time of the motion, what does that make the hearing about?
What is the prima facie case you must prove?
Does the Court continue to only make orders of “restraint” akin to the additional application?

24. TPOR – Hearing: LOOPHOLE
(4)(d)(A) “If the child’s usual place of residence cannot be determined, the court may make any further order the court finds appropriate in the best interest of the child.”
Does this contravene the prefatory paragraph? (“a court may not enter ex parte a temporary order…providing for the custody of or parenting time with, a child”)
You’ve now had a hearing…albeit on a “limited issue”.

25. TPOR – Hearing: Further Order
“ANY”?
Custody order?
Parenting time Order?
Exclusive use?
Drug testing?
Supervision?
Contact restrictions?
Suit money? Child support?

26. TPOR – Hearing: Further Order
How is this record created?
Both parties are limited to the sole issue of the status quo
How does a party present “best interest” evidence to the Court with this limitation?

27. TPOR – Hearing: Further Order
Is this good practice?
Expedited hearing (14-21 days), then authorizing relief that is otherwise reserved until after discovery
ORCP 43 doesn’t permit a Request for Production until 45 days after service
“Reasonable Notice” for depositions
May not be enough time to send subpoenas, obtain mental health or school records; substance abuse issues; domestic violence?
Mediation? Parenting Education class?

28. TPOR - Hearing: Further Order
How do you prove a best interest case in 14 days
Does this create issue preclusion for further pendente lite relief?

29. TPOR – Ethical Issues Ex Parte Relief – What happened to notice?
Not “Contested Relief”?
Relevant SLRs

30. TPOR – Ethical Issues
Contrast with Zealous Advocacy?

31. Status Quo

32. Status Quo – How do you Obtain Relief
When?
“In a proceeding to modify a judgment that awards custody of a child” (1)(a)
What is required prior to entry of the order?
Notification of the other party (1)(a)(A)
Opportunity to Contest (1)(a)(B)

33. Status Quo - How do you Obtain Relief
Motion
Affidavit
Order

34. Status Quo - Affidavit Must include:
“With specificity” the information required by ORS ”; and
The person with whom the child has lived during the preceding year; and
The child’s current schedule, daily routine and usual place of residence
Defined in (3)(a) and (b)

35. Status Quo - Notice To whom When How is notice given
The party against whom the motion for the order is sought
When
At least 21 days before the date set for the hearing
How is notice given
Service

36. Status Quo – Differences from TPOR
No “Best Interests” latitude
No application prior to hearing