In Oregon’s agricultural heartland, neighbors have long resolved disputes fence side. However, public records at the Coos County Circuit Court reveal a very different resolution unfolding in the judicial system. Vermillion v. Stevens, Byrd and Little (Case No. 26CV32834) has transformed a local property disagreement into a complex legal battle involving agricultural liens, state estray statutes, and a substantial counterclaim.
At the center of the litigation are eight head of cattle, two neighboring ranch families on Ward Creek Lane near Myrtle Point, and conflicting legal claims. According to court filings, plaintiffs Amy and John Vermillion III initiated the lawsuit claiming they are owed nearly $30,000 for unpaid breeding fees and the care of cattle they took into their possession.
Conversely, the Answer and Counterclaim filed by the defense presents a sharply contrasting narrative, alleging that a rightful owner was unlawfully denied access to his recently purchased herd, and asserting counterclaims totaling $88,800 in economic damages.
Because this is an active civil lawsuit, no court or arbitrator has yet decided the issues. The filings represent the allegations of the respective parties. Based entirely on the public documents on file in Coos County, this report details the case record.
The Setup: Disputed Fences and Invoices
The public record shows that underlying tensions began to surface in early spring 2026. According to court documents filed by the defense, Tracy and Traci Byrd, who occupy property adjacent to the Vermillions, stated that they provided approximately 1,300 feet of barbed wire and twelve posts to help the Vermillions rebuild a boundary fence.
Despite this assistance, the defense alleges in court documents that in February and March 2026, the Vermillions’ bull repeatedly broke through the boundary fence onto the Byrds’ pasture. According to the Answer and Counterclaims, Tracy Byrd notified John Vermillion multiple times about the trespassing bull. The defense filings state that Mr. Vermillion dismissed the issue, asserting the bull would return when it was ready. Court records indicate the Vermillions did not retrieve the animal, prompting Tracy Byrd to install a solar charger and additional wire himself.
The filings further state that on March 21, 2026, Amy Vermillion offered to buy the Byrds’ cows, an offer the Byrds declined. Shortly thereafter, court records show the Vermillions issued two invoices to the Byrds totaling $4,194.99. This total included charges for grazing, fence labor, and materials, which the defense asserts included the wire and posts the Byrds had supplied, alongside an $1,800 bull stud fee for nine head of cattle.
The defense vigorously disputes these charges. According to the Answer, the Byrds had already leased a bull named Butterball to breed their cows in August 2025, months before the Vermillions bull entered their pasture. The court file shows the Byrds formally disputed the invoices in writing, stating they never requested or agreed to any breeding services.
The April 1 Sale
According to the case record, on March 28, 2026, the owners of the property occupied by the Byrds demanded in writing that the cattle be removed. To comply, the Byrds sold their entire eleven head herd on April 1, 2026, to Todd Little, a rancher residing nearby on Catching Creek Lane.
The parties executed the transaction through a written bill of sale guaranteeing title. According to defense filings, Little paid the purchase price in full and took delivery of the animals that same morning, trailering them to his property. The court documents note the sale included an agreement that the animals, carrying the bloodline of a family herd, would not be slaughtered and that the family could continue to visit them.
Crucially, the defense emphasizes in the public record that at the time of this April 1 sale, no lien had been filed, noticed, or asserted in writing by the Vermillions. According to the timeline established in the pleadings, the first written lien threat from the Vermillions did not occur until April 19, 2026, and their filing with the Oregon Secretary of State did not take place until on or about May 6, 2026, weeks after the cattle had changed hands.
The June 13 Seizure and Allegations Regarding Calves
The dispute escalated significantly on June 13, 2026. According to the pleadings of both parties, eight of Little’s animals, consisting of four cows, one steer, one yearling heifer, and three calves, strayed onto the Vermillions property. The defense alleges the animals crossed through an unfenced low water creek crossing that the Vermillions were responsible for fencing.
Court records show that Amy Vermillion texted photographs of the cattle to Traci Byrd and asked if they belonged to the Byrds. Traci Byrd responded that the animals belonged to Todd Little and notified Little that same afternoon.
Accompanied by the Byrds’ daughter, Little went to the Vermillion property that exact day to retrieve his livestock. However, the pleadings state that the Vermillions had already placed the animals in an enclosure and refused to release them. According to the defense, Little called the Coos County Sheriff that night, but the Sheriff declined to intervene.
Furthermore, paragraph 52 of the defense counterclaims alleges that when the Vermillions locked up two specific cows, named Brix and Sophie, they left the cows’ month old nursing calves outside the enclosure. The defense alleges that despite searches by Little, the two calves were never found and are presumed dead due to separation from their mothers, sustaining a claimed economic loss of $4,000.
The Plaintiffs’ Complaint and Foreclosure Notice
On June 29, 2026, the Vermillions filed their formal Complaint in Coos County Circuit Court. In the lawsuit, the plaintiffs assert they hold a possessory lien under ORS 87.152 and an agricultural services lien under ORS 87.226.
The plaintiffs state in their filings that since June 13, they have provided regular daily care, feed, and maintenance for the animals, incurring a total claimed cost of $14,259.36 through July 31, 2026. Factoring in the valuation of four animals remaining in Little’s possession, the Vermillions stated a total claim of $29,759.36.
To enforce these claims, the original complaint filed by the Vermillions noticed a judicially supervised foreclosure sale of the cattle for July 31, 2026, at the Coos County courthouse. However, public records indicate that after defense counsel appeared, the plaintiffs agreed the sale would not proceed and that they would hold the animals as is while the case moves forward.
The Defense’s Legal Position and Counterclaims
In their Answer and Counterclaims filed on August 21, 2026, the defense raises several core legal arguments based on Oregon statutes:
Absence of a Valid Lien: The defense argues under ORS 87.152 that a possessory lien requires labor or services to be furnished at the request of the owner or lawful possessor. The defense alleges that because Little appeared on June 13 to retrieve his cattle and was refused, detaining the animals over the owner’s objection does not constitute a requested service, meaning no possessory lien could legally arise.
Compliance with Estray Statutes: The defense asserts that because Coos County is a designated livestock district under ORS 607.005, stray animals are governed by Oregon estray statutes found in ORS 607.303 to 607.341. The defense alleges the Vermillions failed to provide mandatory notices to the Department of Agriculture and unlawfully refused to deliver the animals when the owner appeared, bypassing state mandated arbitration procedures for care cost disputes.
Good Faith Purchaser Status: The defense maintains that Little acquired the animals for value, in good faith, and without notice of any unfiled lien claims.
Based on these allegations, the defense has asserted counterclaims for Declaratory Judgment, Replevin, Conversion, and Trespass. The counterclaims demand the immediate return of the animals, a legal declaration that no lien exists, and $88,800 in economic damages. These claimed damages include $200 per day in loss of use and wrongful detention fees, $4,000 for the two lost calves, and compensation for destroyed fencing and hay.
Current Status of the Litigation
The case has been assigned to court annexed arbitration with Portland arbitrator Adam Greenman. Under Oregon law, a trial date is reserved for April 2027 if either party requests a trial de novo following the arbitration award. In the interim, the eight animals remain in the physical possession of the Vermillions pursuant to the ongoing proceedings.
Counsel of Record
For plaintiffs Amy Vermillion and John Vermillion III: Geordie Duckler, Geordie Duckler, P.C.
For defendants Todd Little, Tracy Byrd, and Traci Byrd: Beauregard G. Moody, Blackthorn Law Firm P.C.
Disclaimer: The information detailed above is drawn entirely from public records and pleadings on file with the Coos County Circuit Court. Allegations made by either plaintiffs or defendants represent claims asserted in court documents and have not been proven or decided by a judge, jury, or arbitrator.
Primary Sources and Records Access:
- Official public docket search and electronic case records are managed via the Oregon eCourt Case Information (OECI) System.
- General guidance on requesting state trial court filings and records is available through the Oregon Judicial Department Records Search Portal.
- Physical and public court files for Case No. 26CV32834 are housed at the Coos County Circuit Court, located at 250 N. Baxter St., Coquille, OR 97423, and are available for public review.
