Oregon Statute of Limitations on Debt Collection
When debts go unpaid for a long period of time, creditors may
decide to institute a lawsuit against the consumer so that the
creditor can obtain a judgment. A judgment provides the
ability to collect money involuntarily through wage garnishments or
seizures of bank accounts or other property.
Oregon has a law called the Unlawful Trade Practices Act. This
law pertains to consumers who purchase goods for personal use from
a merchant engaged in the sale or trade of such business. The
statute of limitations for debts owed falling under this category
is a short, 1 year (ORS 646.638(5).
On the contrary, debtors involved in suits by a creditor must be
aware of the lengthy statute of limitations for a breach of
contract action, which is 6 years (ORS 12.080). And judgments
carry an even lengthier collection period of 10 years (ORS
12.070).