The Big Picture

Oregon’s mandatory-minimum Measure 11 was meant to be iron-clad, yet the state’s own data paint a different reality:

• Only 29 percent of defendants indicted from 2013-2018 were ultimately convicted of the top Measure 11 charge.
• Nearly one in two pled down to a non-Measure 11 felony or misdemeanor.
• About one in ten walked away with no conviction at all.

In other words, six out of ten Measure 11 indictments never end in a Measure 11 sentence. Though these results may be promising for the accused, experienced legal representation is usually a factor in these outcomes. (source: oregon.gov)

Surge in New Filings

Court statistics show Measure 11 case filings jumped 10.7 percent in 2024, even as most other felony categories stayed flat or fell. (source: courts.oregon.gov)

More indictments plus unchanged courtroom capacity means tougher odds for defendants who wait to build their defense.

When DA offices are flooded with cases, they’re more likely to overcharge upfront (e.g.: add a Measure 11 charge even when the facts are borderline). This gives them more leverage in plea negotiations, especially when the defendant is under pressure to resolve the case quickly due to jail time, job loss, or family disruption.

When dockets fill up, judges are under pressure to move cases fast. They could push plea agreements instead of approving continuances for deeper investigation or defense preparation. You may find your trial date delayed but your plea deadline accelerated.

And if all that wasn’t enough, delays usually hurt the defense more than the prosecution. Witnesses can disappear, security footage may get overwritten, etc.

Oregon’s Defense Crisis

Good outcomes usually start with good counsel, but Oregon’s public-defender shortage is at crisis scale:

• Oregon has roughly 31% of the lawyers needed for their PD roster.
• 4,000-plus defendants were unrepresented at the end of March 2025, including more than 190 in jail.
• Under a 2024 federal ruling, anyone jailed seven days without a lawyer must be released, forcing courts to dismiss or delay serious cases.

(source: opb.org, apnews.com)

How a Measure 11 Trial Attorney Changes the Odds

Targeted negotiations: Knowing that half of Measure 11 indictments already resolve below the mandatory minimum, we can potentially push for specific alternative charges (Assault III, Robbery III) that carry probationary options.

Mitigation packets: We assemble treatment records, expert evaluations, and community letters to give prosecutors a reason to deviate from ballot-measure sentencing.

Trial Ready: If prosecutors refuse to deal, we are prepared to try the case inside statutory time limits, forcing the state to prioritize your matter over its crowded docket of cases.

Bottom Line

Measure 11 charges are daunting, but the numbers show they are far from automatic. When more than half of cases statewide end below the mandatory minimum, and the state is struggling to staff its own defense tables, your best leverage is a specialized defense attorney who knows how to turn systemic pressure into negotiating power.

If you or a loved one faces a Measure 11 indictment, contact Ryan Corbridge today. Early intervention is the single strongest predictor of a favorable outcome.