ORS 70.040: When Secretary of State to serve as agent; service on Secretary of State; when default may be entered.

(1) Under any circumstance described in this subsection, the Secretary of State shall be an agent of a domestic or foreign limited partnership and each general partner thereof, for the purpose of serving any process, notice or demand that arises out of the conduct of the affairs of the domestic or foreign limited partnership and that is required or permitted by law to be served upon the domestic or foreign limited partnership or any general partner thereof. The Secretary of State may be served as agent of the domestic or foreign limited partnership and each general partner thereof: (a) Whenever the domestic or foreign limited partnership and its general partners fail to appoint or maintain a registered agent in this state; (b) Whenever the registered agent cannot with reasonable diligence be found at the address of the registered agent’s business office in this state as shown by the records of the Office of Secretary of State; or (c) Whenever a domestic or foreign limited partnership has been dissolved or has become and remains inactive for failure to file its annual report pursuant to ORS 70.610. Such dissolution or inactivity shall not: (A) Terminate the authority of the registered agent of the foreign or domestic limited partnership or the general partners thereof; (B) Prevent the commencement of a proceeding against the dissolved or inactive partnership; or (C) Abate or suspend a proceeding by or against the partnership pending on the effective date of the dissolution or inactivity. (2) A person who causes service to be made on the Secretary of State under this section must satisfy the following requirements: (a) The person shall serve the Secretary of State as follows: (A) By serving the Secretary of State or a clerk on duty in the Office of Secretary of State with a copy of the process, notice or demand and any papers required by law to be delivered in connection with the service and paying the required fee for each party being served; or (B) By mailing to the Secretary of State a copy of the process, notice or demand by certified or registered mail, and paying the required fee for each party being served. (b) The person shall transmit to the registered agent, the domestic or foreign limited partnership and all general partners thereof a notice of the service on the Secretary of State and a copy of the process, notice or demand and accompanying papers. The person shall transmit such documents by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested, to the last-known address of the registered agent’s business office in this state, of the domestic or foreign limited partnership and of each general partner respectively, as shown on the records of the Office of Secretary of State. (c) The person shall file with the appropriate court or other body, as part of the return of service, the return receipt of mailing and an affidavit of the person initiating the proceedings that the person has complied with the requirements of this subsection. (3) A court may not enter a default against any defendant served under this section who has not either received or rejected a registered or certified letter containing the notice of such service and a copy of the process, notice or demand and accompanying papers, unless the plaintiff can show that the defendant, after due diligence, cannot be found within or without this state and that fact appears by affidavit to the satisfaction of the court or judge thereof. Due diligence is satisfied when it appears from the affidavit that the defendant cannot be found at the last-known address as shown by the records of the Office of Secretary of State, if it appears from the affidavit that inquiry at such address was made within a reasonable time preceding service on the Secretary of State. When due diligence is proved to the court by such an affidavit, the service upon the Secretary of State shall be sufficient valid personal service upon the defendant notwithstanding that the defendant did not actually receive a notice of the service because of the defendant’s failure to notify the Secretary of State of a change in address as required by this chapter. (4) The Secretary of State shall keep a record of all processes, notices and demands served upon the Secretary of State under this section. (5) After the completion of initial service upon the Secretary of State, no additional documents need be served upon the Secretary of State to maintain jurisdiction in the same proceeding or to give notice of any motion or provisional process. [1985 c.677 §5d; 1987 c.543 §6; 1991 c.132 §7]