Rights and Duties of Finders and Owners
98.005 - Rights and duties of finders of money or goods.
- If any person finds money or goods valued at $25 or more, and if the owner of the money or goods is unknown, such person, within 10 days after the date of the findings, shall give notice of the finding in writing to the county clerk or the county in which the money or goods was found. Within 20 days after the date of the finding, the finder of the money or goods shall cause to be published in a newspaper or general circulation in the county a notice of the finding once each week for four consecutive weeks. Each such notice shall state the general description of the money or goods found, the name and address of the finder and final date before which such good may be claimed.
- If no person appears and establishes ownership of the money or goods prior to the expiration of six months after the date of the notice to the county clerk under subsection (1) of this section, the finder shall be the owner of the money or goods. (1973 c. 542 S1)
98.010 (Repealed by 1973 C. 542 S13)
98.015 - Liability of non-complying finder; forfeiture to county of un-reclaimed money or goods.
If any person who finds money or goods valued at $25 or more fails to comply with ORS 98.005, the person shall be liable, upon conviction for violation of ORS 184.065, to the county for the money or goods or the full value of the money or goods. The county treasurer shall hold the money or goods or their value for owner thereof and shall publish notice of the finding of the money or goods in the manner provided in ORS 98.005. If the owner has not reclaimed such money or goods within six months after the date of the first publication of notice by the country treasurer, the owner shall forfeit the rights of the owner to the value of such money or goods and the value of such money or goods shall be placed in the general fund of the county to be used for the payment of the general operating expenses of the county. (1973 c. 542 S2)
98.020 (Repealed by 1973 c. 842 S13)
98.025 Right of owner.
If an owner of money or goods found by another person appears and establishes a claim to such money or goods within the time period prescribed by ORS 98.005 or 98.015, which ever applies, the owner shall have restitution of such money or goods or their value upon payment of all costs and charges incurred in the findings, giving of notice, care and custody of such money or goods. (1973 c. 842 S3)
If you choose not to follow the above procedure, you may turn the found property over to the Pendleton Police Department. At this time, you will relinquish all rights to the property.
