OR HB2641

Amends ORS 40.355 to modify rules for using prior criminal convictions to impeach witness credibility in court proceedings

Requires automatic admission of felony convictions (punishable by death or more than one year imprisonment) in civil cases and criminal cases where the witness is not a defendant; for defendant-witnesses, admission requires probative value to outweigh prejudicial effect

Allows admission of any crime involving dishonest acts or false statements, regardless of punishment level, if the court can readily determine dishonesty was an element of the offense

Reduces the time limit for using prior convictions from 15 years to 10 years after conviction or release from confinement, with older convictions admissible only if probative value substantially outweighs prejudice and reasonable written notice is provided

Bars admission of convictions that have been pardoned, annulled, or subject to rehabilitation certificates (if no subsequent serious crime), or pardoned based on a finding of innocence