2017 Oregon Revised Statutes
Volume : 04 - Criminal Procedure, Crimes
Chapter 132 - Grand Jury, Indictments and Other Accusatory Instruments
Section 132.540 - Sufficiency of indictment; previous convictions; use of statutory language.
(1) The indictment is sufficient if it can be understood therefrom that:
(a) The defendant is named, or if the name of the defendant cannot be discovered, that the defendant is described by a fictitious name, with the statement that the real name of the defendant is to the jury unknown.
(b) The crime was committed within the jurisdiction of the court, except where, as provided by law, the act, though done without the county in which the court is held, is triable therein.
(c) The crime was committed at some time prior to the finding of the indictment and within the time limited by law for the commencement of an action therefor.
(2) Except as provided in ORS 136.765 (1) and subsection (3) of this section, the indictment may not contain allegations that the defendant has previously been convicted of the violation of any statute that may subject the defendant to enhanced penalties.
(3) The indictment must allege that the defendant has previously been convicted of an offense when the previous conviction constitutes a material element of the charged offense.
(4) Words used in a statute to define a crime need not be strictly pursued in the indictment, but other words conveying the same meaning may be used. [Amended by 1957 c.657 §1; 1973 c.836 §57; 2009 c.180 §1]
