Berger v. State Office for Services to Children & Families

Petitioner appeals from a judgment of the circuit court that dismissed his petition for review under ORS 183.484 of an agency final order determining that there was reason to believe that petitioner had committed child abuse. The court concluded that the agency order was a final order in a contested case and that petitioner therefore should have sought judicial review directly in this court. We reverse and remand.

Petitioner, a resident of Illinois, came to Oregon to meet a child he was hoping to adopt. He spent a weekend with the child in Oregon. Afterwards, the child made statements that led…