ORS 86.713: Qualifications of trustee; certificate of authority to transact business; law practice serving as trustee; appointment of successor trustee; trustee’s duties.

(1) The trustee of a trust deed under ORS 86.705 to 86.815: (a) Is not required to comply with the provisions of ORS chapters 707 and 709. (b) Must be: (A) An attorney who is an active licensee of the Oregon State Bar or a law practice that includes an attorney who is an active licensee of the Oregon State Bar; (B) A financial institution or trust company, as defined in ORS 706.008, that is authorized to do business under the laws of Oregon or the United States; (C) A title insurance company or a subsidiary, affiliate, insurance producer or branch of the title insurance company that is authorized to insure title to real property in this state; (D) The United States or any agency of the United States; or (E) An escrow agent that is licensed under ORS 696.505 to 696.590. (c) Shall obtain from the Secretary of State a certificate of authority to transact business in this state as a foreign business entity, if the trustee is a person described in paragraph (b)(B) or (C) of this subsection, unless the trustee has registered with or obtained a certificate of authority from the Director of the Department of Consumer and Business Services. (2) A law practice that, or an attorney who, is a trustee under subsection (1)(b)(A) of this section may represent the beneficiary in addition to performing the duties of trustee. (3) At any time after a trust deed is executed, the beneficiary may appoint in writing another qualified trustee. If the appointment of the successor trustee is recorded in the mortgage records of the county or counties in which the trust deed is recorded, the successor trustee has the powers of the original trustee. (4) A trustee or successor trustee is a necessary and proper party to any proceeding to determine the validity of a trust deed, or to enjoin any private or judicial proceeding to foreclose a trust deed, but a trustee or successor trustee is not a necessary or proper party to any proceeding to determine title to the property subject to the trust deed, or to any proceeding to impose, enforce or foreclose any other lien on the subject property. (5) The provisions of ORS 86.705 to 86.815 do not impose a duty on the trustee or successor trustee to notify any person of any proceeding with respect to the person, except a proceeding that the trustee or successor trustee initiates. (6) A trustee or the attorney for the trustee or any agent that the trustee or the attorney designates may announce and accept a bid from the beneficiary whether or not the beneficiary is present at the sale. (7) The trustee or successor trustee does not have a fiduciary duty or fiduciary obligation to the grantor or other persons that have an interest in the property subject to the trust deed. The trustee or successor trustee is not relieved of the duty to reconvey the property that is subject to the trust deed to the grantor when the beneficiary requests a reconveyance. (8) If a law practice is the trustee under subsection (1)(b)(A) of this section, an attorney who is an active licensee of the Oregon State Bar and is a shareholder, partner, member or employee of the law practice shall sign on the trustee’s behalf any document that is permitted or required to be signed under ORS 86.705 to 86.815. The attorney who signs the document shall make evident in the document the attorney’s name and Oregon State Bar number and shall state in the document that the trustee has authorized the attorney to sign the document on the trustee’s behalf. (9) If an attorney is the trustee under subsection (1)(b)(A) of this section, another attorney who is an active licensee of the Oregon State Bar and is a shareholder, partner, member or employee of the law practice in which the attorney practices law may sign on the trustee’s behalf any document that is permitted or required to be signed under ORS 86.705 to 86.815. The attorney who signs the document shall make evident in the document the attorney’s name and Oregon State Bar number and shall state in the document that the trustee has authorized the attorney to sign the document on the trustee’s behalf. [Formerly 86.790; 2025 c.32 §77]