(1) A suit to enforce a lien perfected under ORS 87.035 shall be brought in circuit court, and the pleadings, process, practice and other proceedings shall be the same as in other cases.
(2) In a suit to enforce a lien perfected under ORS 87.035, evidence of the actual costs of the labor, equipment, services and material provided by the lien claimant establishes a rebuttable presumption that those costs are the reasonable value of that labor, equipment, services and material.
(3) In a suit to enforce a lien perfected under ORS 87.035, the court shall allow or disallow the lien. If the lien is allowed, the court shall proceed with the foreclosure of the lien and resolve all other pleaded issues. If the lien is disallowed, and a party has made a demand for a jury trial as provided for in subsection (4) of this section, the court shall impanel a jury to decide any issues triable of right by a jury. All other issues in the suit shall be tried by the court.
(4) A party may demand a trial by jury of any issue triable of right by a jury after the lien is disallowed, if that party serves a demand therefor in writing upon the other parties at any time prior to commencement of the trial to foreclose the lien. The demand shall be filed with the court. The failure of a party to serve a demand as required by this subsection shall constitute a waiver by the party of trial by jury. A demand for trial by jury made as provided in this subsection may not be withdrawn without the consent of the parties.
(5) When notice of intent to foreclose the lien has been given, pleaded and proven as provided for in ORS 87.057, the court, upon entering judgment for the lien claimant, shall allow as part of the costs all moneys paid for the filing or recording of the lien and all moneys paid for title reports required for preparing and foreclosing the lien. In a suit to enforce a lien perfected under ORS 87.035 the court shall allow a reasonable amount as attorney fees at trial and on appeal to the party who prevails on the issues of the validity and foreclosure of the lien.
(6) In case the proceeds of any sale under ORS 87.001 to 87.060 and 87.075 to 87.093 are insufficient to pay all lienholders claiming under such statutes, the liens of all persons shall be paid pro rata. Each claimant is entitled to execution for any balance due the claimant after the distribution of the proceeds, and that execution shall be issued by the clerk of the court, upon demand, after the return of the sheriff or other officer making the sale showing the balance due.
(7) All suits to enforce any lien perfected under ORS 87.035 shall have preference on the calendar of the court over every civil suit, except suits to which the state is a party, and shall be tried by the court without unnecessary delay. In such a suit, all persons personally liable, and all lienholders whose claims have been filed for record pursuant to ORS 87.035, shall, and all other persons interested in the matter in controversy, or in the property sought to be charged with the lien, may be made parties; but persons not made parties are not bound by the proceedings. The proceedings upon the foreclosure of the liens perfected under ORS 87.035 shall, as nearly as possible, conform to the proceedings of a foreclosure of a mortgage lien upon real property. [Amended by 1975 c.466 §16; 1981 c.897 §20; 1981 c.898 §44; 1983 c.517 §2; 1987 c.662 §13]
Section: Previous 87.039 87.040 87.045 87.050 87.055 87.057 87.058 87.060 87.065 87.070 87.075 87.076 87.078 87.080 87.081 NextLast modified: August 7, 2008