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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Crash kills Rogue River woman ... Alan DeBoer to seek GOP nomination for Bates' seat ... Four generations of Rogue Valley women to tackle 60-mile walk to fight breast cancer ... Crash kills Rogue River woman ... Alan DeBoer to seek GOP nomination for Bates' seat ... Four generations of Rogue Valley women to tackle 60-mile walk to fight breast cancer ... TIMBER LAWSUIT State, Linn County spar in court over timber lawsuit Comment By The Associated Press MailTribune.com By The Associated Press Posted Aug. 18, 2016 at 6:17 PM By The Associated Press Posted Aug. 18, 2016 at 6:17 PM » Social News ALBANY — State attorneys told a judge that Linn County shouldn't be allowed to represent other timber counties in a lawsuit that seeks $1.4 billion from Oregon because of its forest-management practices. The county wants the case to proceed as a class action. Scott Kaplan, an attorney for the state, said during oral arguments Wednesday that would be impractical because there are different forest circumstances in each county, and managing the case as a class action would be "enormous." The county filed the lawsuit earlier this year, asserting that insufficient logging had cost it and more than a dozen other counties over $1.4 billion. Litigation costs are being paid by timber groups and lumber companies, the Capital Press reports. The complaint says the counties turned over ownership of forestlands to the state in the early 20th century with the expectation that timber revenues would be maximized. But a forest management plan adopted more than a decade ago emphasized improvements to fish and wildlife habitat and other conservation measures, which reduced logging and slashed timber revenue in half. The state contends the forests are meant to be managed for the greatest permanent value, which includes factors beyond timber production. Kaplan also told Linn County Judge Daniel Murphy the case doesn't qualify as a class action because of the lack of "commonality" among the counties, which donated their land to Oregon during different times and under specific terms, he said. Chris McCracken, an attorney representing Linn County, rejected the argument, saying counties all face the same issue — that the state violated its contract to maximize timber revenue. "We have common questions in droves," McCracken said. McCracken said the Oregon Department of Forestry does not manage each parcel individually, but instead treats them according to regional forest plans. Moreover, deciding the counties' contractual rights collectively is more efficient than trying separate cases with potentially conflicting verdicts. The judge said he expects to rule on the certification issue by Sept. 19, as well as on state motions to dismiss the case. If class action status is granted, the other timber counties include Benton, Clackamas, Clatsop, Columbia, Coos, Douglas, Josephine, Klamath, Lane, Lincoln, Marion, Polk, Tillamook and Washington. By The Associated Press MailTribune.com By The Associated Press Posted Aug. 18, 2016 at 6:17 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2016 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501