As parties increasingly seek to limit liability through contractual disclaimers, the Oregon Supreme Court has issued a clear reminder: tort waivers must be stated in unmistakable terms to be enforceable. Courts will not infer a waiver from context or implication alone. About The Author

Consider this hypothetical: It is 2 a.m. on a Monday morning. John and Jill Smith are fast asleep in the master bedroom while their kids are asleep down the hall. John awakes to the noisy smoke detector and the smell of smoke coming from their master bathroom. John goes to the bathroom to see what...