After a police report is made, the next step in the criminal justice system process is for the District Attorney’s Office to review the case. There are a few different ways the District Attorney’s Office may receive a case for review including:
- An arrest or citation is made by the police
- The police finish the investigation and forward the police report to the District Attorney’s Office
When an arrest is made, the District Attorney’s Office will review the case before the offender’s first court date, which is usually the next business day after the arrest. If the offender is not arrested or cited then it may take weeks or many months to review the case.
Tip for victims: Not all police reports are automatically sent to the District Attorney’s Office for review. You can call the District Attorney’s Office at 503-988-3222 for an update on the review of your case.
The District Attorney's Office reviews information about the case, including evidence and police reports, to decide if there is enough information to prove the offender committed a crime beyond a reasonable doubt. During the review there are many factors including legal rules that are used to determine what crimes can be charged. The District Attorney’s Office considers if the victim wants a case to move forward or not. However, the decision to move forward with charges is ultimately up to the District Attorney’s Office. If the District Attorney’s Office charges an offender with a crime, the court process begins. Learn more about the review process and types of charges.
If there is not enough information to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the offender committed a crime, or if there are other legal barriers, the District Attorney’s Office cannot charge the offender with a crime. Cases where an offender is not charged are called rejected or no complaint cases. If more information is given to the District Attorney’s Office by police, witnesses or victims, then they may review a no complaint or rejected case again. There is a statute of limitations for most crimes, which means that in many cases the District Attorney’s Office has a time limit on when a case can be filed. Please call the District Attorney’s Office if you have questions about the statute of limitation for your case.
If the District Attorney’s Office charges an offender for a crime where you are the victim, then you have rights as a crime victim. For more information about the specific rights that apply in your case, you can call the District Attorney’s Office. Learn more information about your rights.
Typically, the contact information the District Attorney’s Office will have for you is what is listed in the police report. If your contact information is not in the police report, is not correct or has changed you may not receive updates about your case or information about your rights. It is helpful for the District Attorney’s Office to have multiple forms of contact information for victims. You can call the District Attorney’s Office to ensure they have your correct contact information.
Tip for victims: Call the District Attorney’s Office at 503-988-3222 after a police report is made. If the offender was arrested, then the District Attorney’s Office strongly encourages you to call before 10:00 AM the following business day. The District Attorney’s Office may have questions for you that will help with the review of your case. They may ask about your safety to help them prepare for court hearings such as hearings about the offender’s release from jail.
Glossary of terms
The collection of county and state agencies that work together to enforce laws and hold people responsible for breaking Oregon’s laws. These agencies can include: local police, the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office, Multnomah County Sheriff's Office, Oregon Courts, Oregon Department of Community Justice, Oregon Board of Parole, and Multnomah County Department of Community Justice or other community supervision agencies. Back to content.
A small form given to the offender by police that requires the offender to attend court to address a crime. The citation will list the date and time of the offender’s court hearing. If the offender fails to attend the court hearing, a warrant for their arrest will be issued by the courts. Back to content.
Police try to find information and evidence about what happened. This may include interviewing victims, offenders, and witnesses and documenting or recording what they say. This could also include collecting evidence such as photos, recordings, text messages, weapons, records or other items. Back to content.
Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM except on court closures or holidays. Back to content.
Oregon law defines a victim as any person the court or an attorney from the District Attorney’s Office finds has experienced financial, mental, or physical harm as a result of a crime. The victim of the crime may also be a witness in the case. If the victim is under the age of 18, the victim’s parent or legal guardian may also be considered a victim. If the victim lost their life as a result of the crime, the victim’s immediate family may also be considered victims. Back to content.
Information that helps prove or disprove that an offender committed a crime. This may include the police collecting items such as pictures, recordings, text messages, weapons, records or interviews with the offender, victims, or witnesses. Back to content.
The legal standard that the District Attorney’s Office must meet in order for an offender to be found guilty of a crime. Back to content.
A person that has information related to the case. Witnesses may be required to testify in court hearings by answering questions from both the defense attorney and the District Attorney's Office. Back to content.
This page was produced by Multnomah County under grant number 15POVC-21-GK-01091-NONF, awarded by the Office for Victims of Crime, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed on this page are those of the contributors and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice.