ANDREW CUTLER
Publisher/Editor
KATHRYN B. BROWN
Owner
ERICK PETERSON
Hermiston Editor/Senior Reporter
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2021
A4
Founded October 16, 1875
OUR VIEW
We must
not forget
our brave
veterans
V
eterans Day rolls around every year
and for a 24-hour period — or even
less for some — we collectively
push our thoughts to those who served in
the U.S. Armed Forces.
There will be fitting ceremonies to mark
the day. Bugles will blow, flags will be
raised and salutes presented. Then the day
will be over.
Yet, even as the last chords of the bugle
fade on Veterans Day, we all should
remember throughout the year the great
sacrifices made by those who served for
our nation. We cannot mark Veterans Day
without at least considering and trying to
understand the cost war delivers for those
who serve, from urban households to
rural homesteads. And we cannot ignore
the bravery and gallantry of the men and
women who fought for our nation on some
foreign shore.
These great men and women, whom we
justly celebrate on Nov. 11, joined to serve
for a variety of reasons, including lofty
ideals that resonate from the dusty cham-
bers where our founders pounded out the
Bill of Rights and the Constitution.
These men and women we praise today
continue to etch a legacy of what America
is supposed to stand for. These warriors in
the uniforms of our armed forces created a
vast inheritance for the rest of us to enjoy
and live up to.
One day, perhaps, war will not exist. We
sure hope so. Until that time, though, there
will be the need to preserve freedom in
places across the globe and there will be a
cost and a risk to sustaining democracy. We
cannot shrink from that obligation.
So, on Veterans Day, we should remem-
ber, if only for a moment, the sacrifice
made by so many for so long so that many
of us can enjoy the very freedoms we count
on and expect. We must acknowledge there
is no way we can repay those who, in the
words of President Abraham Lincoln, “gave
the last full measure of devotion” to this
republic, and we must acknowledge the
great many who served and came home
different from when they left their families
and friends, and those bound to that end.
The only feasible method for appreci-
ation is, on this day, to remember, if only
for a moment, those who work to defend
our freedom. Their sacrifice, their blood
and sweat and even lives are woven into
the blanket of democracy that covers these
United States.
Our debt to them will forever remain
unpaid.
And we must not forget them.
ON VETERANS DAY,
WE SHOULD
REMEMBER, IF ONLY
FOR A MOMENT, THE
SACRIFICE MADE BY
SO MANY FOR SO LONG
SO THAT MANY OF US
CAN ENJOY THE VERY
FREEDOMS WE COUNT
ON AND EXPECT.
Understanding how ‘bail’ works in Oregon
BLAINE
CLOOTEN
ASK AN ATTORNEY
Q
: What is bail? Who is allowed
to pay it? What does a bail
bondsman do?
A: This is a frequently asked crim-
inal law question, and important to
understand. In Oregon, “bail” is a
method for ensuring a criminal defen-
dant’s compliance with conditions of
release, such as: making future court
appearances, abiding by no contact
orders, abstaining from intoxicants,
not purchasing or possessing firearms
during the pendency of a case, not leav-
ing the state of Oregon, notifying the
court of future address changes and any
other similar conditions that the court
might impose, depending on the case.
Most states use the traditional bail
method, which means you would need a
bail bondsman to help post “bond” in a
criminal case. When most people think
of bail, they undoubtedly picture a bail
bondsman. Think, “Dog the Bounty
Hunter.” Only Wisconsin, Kentucky
and Illinois, along with Oregon, do not
allow bail bonds. Oregon does have bail,
but technically it is “security release”
more than it is “bail.”
Oregon Revised Statue (ORS)
135.265 Security Release governs the
terms (rules) of security in cases where
the judge has set bail. Posting secu-
rity is known informally as “release
on bail.” The defendant then executes
a security release in the amount set by
the judge. The difference in Oregon
compared to other states is that only
10% of the security amount must be
posted to qualify for the release.
EDITORIALS
Unsigned editorials are the opinion
of the East Oregonian editorial
board. Other columns, letters and
cartoons on this page express
the opinions of the authors and
not necessarily that of the East
Oregonian.
LETTERS
The East Oregonian welcomes
Here are some things to consider
before posting security release for your-
self or another person:
• The court will automatically keep
15% of the security release posted (not
less than $5 and not more than $750).
• The court will, unless otherwise
ordered, apply the security release
deposit to any financial obligations on
the case to which it was posted, and any
other financial obligations the defendant
owes within the State of Oregon, includ-
ing child support arrears.
• If the defendant fails to appear
at the next scheduled court hearing,
the court may order forfeiture of the
entire security release posted, as well
as a security judgment for the full
amount of the ordered security release.
Example: Judge orders $10,000 secu-
rity release, 10% posted is $1,000 for
defendant’s release. If a security judg-
ment is imposed, the payee will be
responsible for the full amount of the
$10,000.
• Refunds are disbursed to the person
posting the bail once the case is closed
or exonerated and will be mailed to the
address listed on the bail receipt. If a
change of address is needed, a written
request must be submitted to the court
by the person posting the bail.
• If bail funds are deposited in the
Inmates Trust Account by anyone other
than the defendant, and the defendant
self-bails, a refund will be issued to the
defendant — not the person depositing
the funds in the account.
• The state is not required to refund
bail posted. Once posted, the state will
go through its process in applying funds
anywhere else, before being returned to
the defendant.
If you are facing any stage of a crimi-
nal proceeding, it is best to have counsel
representing you. It may be possible for
your attorney to reduce or eliminate the
need to post security to ensure a defen-
dant’s release from custody.
Q: What are the disadvantages of
getting a payday loan?
A: This is a crucial question. I’ve
filed over 80 bankruptcies on behalf of
folks in Umatilla County. In my expe-
rience, most people facing bankruptcy
have taken a payday loan to make ends
meet.
We are living in challenging times,
and money is often tight. Most Amer-
icans are now living paycheck to
paycheck. When you’re counting every
dollar just to get by, even a minor
increase in expenses can completely
derail your budget.
This is where payday loans come in.
The terms seem manageable. You may
feel out of options. I’m in so deep, what
can this one more bill hurt? It’s better
than being evicted, right?
In your case, you might survive,
pay off the terms, and remain cash flow
positive. But in many instances, this
bandage is the beginning of the end.
Once you start payday loans, you keep
going back. You need that cash to make
other ends meet, and the cycle gets
worse and worse.
As an attorney, I am strictly prohib-
ited from giving financial advice. But,
if you are considering a payday loan, I
can tell you to talk to an attorney about
bankruptcy, an accountant about book-
keeping, or a financial advisor about
investments.
———
Blaine Clooten is an attorney at law,
serving Umatilla County with a focus on
family law, estate planning and personal
injury cases. Questions answered do not
create an attorney-client relationship.
Facts and law may vary; please talk to
an attorney for more information.
original letters of 400 words or less
on public issues and public policies
for publication in the newspaper
and on our website. The newspaper
reserves the right to withhold
letters that address concerns about
individual services and products or
letters that infringe on the rights
of private citizens. Letters must be
signed by the author and include the
city of residence and a daytime phone
number. The phone number will not
be published. Unsigned letters will
not be published.
SEND LETTERS TO:
editor@eastoregonian.com,
or via mail to Andrew Cutler,
211 S.E. Byers Ave., Pendleton, OR
97801