Couey v. Atkins
Oregon Supreme Court
355 P.3d 866, 357 Or. 460 (2015)
- Written by Deanna Curl, JD
Facts
Mr. Couey (plaintiff) was registered and employed as a signature collector for initiative petitions. Couey wanted to also collect signatures for other measures as a volunteer, but Oregon law prohibited registered signature collectors from simultaneously working as paid and volunteer signature collectors. Couey sued Oregon Secretary of State Jeanne Atkins (defendant), alleging that the statutory restriction on signature collectors was unconstitutional. While the lawsuit was pending, Couey stopped working as a paid signature collector, and the secretary of state moved to dismiss the case as moot. Couey resisted the motion and argued that, even if the case was moot, the court still had the authority to decide the case under a statutory exception to mootness doctrine.
Rule of Law
Issue
Holding and Reasoning (Landau, J.)
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