105:. Section 9 allowed the legislature to define the method of selection for non-justice inferior courts, and to establish the qualifications for office for all inferior courts. Section 10 barred any inferior court judge from running for elective office (other than another judicial position), while Section 11 provided for a new statewide Judicial Standards Committee to hear cases of misconduct and recommend sanctions (up to and including removal from the bench) to the
228:(as if no evidence or testimony had been heard). Justices of the Peace Courts are not "courts of record", which is why District Courts must try "the matter anew, the same as if it had not been heard before and as if no decision had been previously rendered." Appeals from City Courts and Municipal Courts which are defined as "courts of record" are the two exceptions, and such appeals are limited to a review of the record and questions of law.
92:
Montana voters approved a new state constitution in 1972. Article VII, Section 1 of this constitution authorized the state legislature to create
Justice Courts as well as whatever other inferior courts it deemed necessary. Section 5 specifically required there to be at least one Justice Court and
201:
Municipal Courts generally have the same jurisdiction as
Justice Courts, but with some important differences. Their jurisdiction does not extend to the enforcement of city ordinances, and they can hear civil suits involving up to $ 7,000. Unlike Justice or City Courts, Municipal Courts may issue
88:
courts. None of these courts were courts of record. Justices of the peace were to be elected, but the constitution left it up to the legislature to decide how police magistrates and municipal court judges were to be named. All three courts had very limited jurisdiction. The 1889 constitution also
182:
City Courts generally have the same jurisdiction as
Justice Courts, but their jurisdiction extends only to the enforcement of city ordinances. Their process covers the city in which they are located. There is no qualification for office. Each city determines whether the city court judge will be
97:, and for justices of the peace to be elected. It also authorized the legislature to give Justice Courts whatever jurisdiction the legislature deemed fit, although the constitution barred Justice Courts from hearing any
152:. There is no qualification to be a justice of the peace. The office is elected, and vacancies are filled by the commissioners of the county in which the court is located.
625:
155:
There are 62 justice courts in
Montana. Each county has the right to determine if its justice court will be a court of record. Only three counties have done so:
148:
covers the county in which they are located. When there is no city or municipal court in a county, the justice court hears cases involving both city and county
268:; reduced sentencing and other incentives to encourage the individual to stay in treatment; and much more regular, much more frequent judicial oversight.
206:
for felony crimes. Their process covers the city in which they are located. Municipal Court judges must be lawyers, and must be elected to office.
620:
457:
446:
435:
576:
342:
331:
320:
309:
295:
224:
Except as otherwise provided for by law, Montana
District Courts act as appellate courts for inferior courts, and must hear cases
164:
144:, except for cases involving possession of alcohol or tobacco, gambling, fish and game violations, and traffic offenses. Their
17:
615:
252:
to drugs or alcohol. Drug courts provide treatment as well as sanctions, with the goal of treating addiction, reducing
129:
537:
167:. Both Cascade and Flathead county have two justices of the peace, due to the heavy workload in those counties.
160:
112:
Trial in all inferior courts may be by judge or by jury, at the discretion of the criminal or civil defendant.
61:(in that a transcript of all proceedings is made), or they may not. Appeals from inferior courts are made to
156:
62:
38:
121:
94:
106:
587:
77:
42:
458:
https://leg.mt.gov/bills/mca/title_0460/chapter_0050/part_0020/section_0200/0460-0050-0020-0200.html
447:
https://leg.mt.gov/bills/mca/title_0460/chapter_0050/part_0020/section_0200/0460-0050-0020-0200.html
436:
https://leg.mt.gov/bills/mca/title_0460/chapter_0050/part_0020/section_0200/0460-0050-0020-0200.html
257:
102:
140:, hearing small claims involving less than $ 3,000. They generally do not handle cases involving
145:
137:
73:
Montana has had two constitutions in its history, both of which have authorized inferior courts.
572:
277:
149:
58:
379:
240:
used by some inferior courts. The docket provides specialized attention to misdemeanors,
237:
213:
209:
There are just five
Municipal Courts in Montana, and all of them are courts of record.
203:
190:
171:
89:
restricted the creation of inferior courts only to state-incorporated cities or towns.
212:
Like with City Court Judges and
Justice Court Judges, Municipal Court Judges can sign
609:
245:
380:
Proposed 1972 Constitution for the State of
Montana: Official Text With Explanation
85:
76:
The constitution of 1889 explicitly authorized the creation of justice courts (and
120:
Justice Courts, also known as
Justice of the Peace Courts, have jurisdiction over
566:
241:
141:
125:
261:
253:
133:
81:
265:
249:
186:
There are 81 city courts in
Montana. None of them are courts of record.
296:
Constitution of the State of Montana, Article VIII, §1, §§20-23 (1889).
343:
Constitution of the State of Montana, Article VIII, §§221, 24 (1889).
98:
419:
417:
415:
413:
411:
409:
189:
Similar to Justice Court Judges, City Court Judges can also sign
332:
Constitution of the State of Montana, Article VIII, §20 (1889).
321:
Constitution of the State of Montana, Article VIII, §25 (1889).
310:
Constitution of the State of Montana, Article VIII, §24 (1889).
18:
Drug courts in city, justice, and municipal courts in Montana
538:
Montana Drug Courts: An Updated Snapshot of Success and Hope
256:, and improving rehabilitation. Drug courts rely heavily on
503:
Montana Code Annotated, Title 3, Chapter 11, Part 1, §110.
27:
American courts in Montana with limited state jurisdiction
543:(Report). Helena, Mont.: Montana Supreme Court. p. 2
512:
Montana Code Annotated, Title 3, Chapter 6, Part 1, §110.
480:
Montana Code Annotated, Title 3, Chapter 5, Part 3, §303.
236:
Drug courts are not actual courts, but rather a separate
536:
Office of the Court Administrator (January 22, 2013).
423:
400:
248:
cases, and juvenile cases which involve individuals
170:Justice Court Judges, under MCA 46-5-220, can sign
37:, refer to those courts of law, established by the
264:addiction treatment programs; frequent, mandatory
568:The Montana State Constitution: A Reference Guide
494:, 303 P.3d 1279 (Mont. 2013).
305:
303:
526:, 291 P.3d 572 (Mont. 2012).
132:, traffic violations, fish and game violations,
136:, and preliminary hearings. They also act as a
593:(Report). Helena, Mont.: Montana Supreme Court
8:
468:
365:
353:
220:Appealing the decision of an inferior court
378:Montana Constitutional Convention (1972).
588:The Montana Citizen's Guide to the Courts
586:State Bar of Montana (January 14, 2010).
626:Courts and tribunals established in 1889
565:Elison, Larry M.; Snyder, Fritz (2001).
216:, under the provisions of MCA 46-5-220.
288:
382:(Report). Helena, Mont. pp. 12–13
7:
571:. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press.
25:
621:1889 establishments in Montana
35:courts of limited jurisdiction
1:
124:involving less than $ 5,000,
93:Justice of the Peace in each
80:), police courts (and police
130:driving under the influence
41:or authorized by law, with
642:
57:. Inferior courts may be
45:. These courts consist of
31:Inferior courts in Montana
424:State Bar of Montana 2010
401:State Bar of Montana 2010
128:, misdemeanor charges of
469:Elison & Snyder 2001
366:Elison & Snyder 2001
354:Elison & Snyder 2001
69:Constitutional authority
193:, as per MCA 46-5-220.
63:Montana District Courts
39:Constitution of Montana
183:appointed or elected.
165:Lewis and Clark County
107:Montana Supreme Court
78:justices of the peace
43:limited jurisdictions
616:Montana state courts
523:Siebken v. Voderberg
103:preliminary hearings
101:cases except during
138:small claims court
278:Courts of Montana
134:protective orders
16:(Redirected from
633:
602:
600:
598:
592:
582:
553:
552:
550:
548:
542:
533:
527:
525:
519:
513:
510:
504:
501:
495:
493:
491:McDunn v. Arnold
487:
481:
478:
472:
466:
460:
455:
449:
444:
438:
433:
427:
421:
404:
398:
392:
391:
389:
387:
375:
369:
363:
357:
351:
345:
340:
334:
329:
323:
318:
312:
307:
298:
293:
59:courts of record
55:Municipal Courts
33:, also known as
21:
641:
640:
636:
635:
634:
632:
631:
630:
606:
605:
596:
594:
590:
585:
579:
564:
561:
556:
546:
544:
540:
535:
534:
530:
521:
520:
516:
511:
507:
502:
498:
489:
488:
484:
479:
475:
467:
463:
456:
452:
445:
441:
434:
430:
422:
407:
403:, pp. 3–4.
399:
395:
385:
383:
377:
376:
372:
364:
360:
352:
348:
341:
337:
330:
326:
319:
315:
308:
301:
294:
290:
286:
274:
234:
222:
214:Search Warrants
204:arrest warrants
199:
197:Municipal Court
191:Search Warrants
180:
172:Search Warrants
161:Flathead County
150:city ordinances
118:
71:
28:
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
639:
637:
629:
628:
623:
618:
608:
607:
604:
603:
583:
577:
560:
557:
555:
554:
528:
514:
505:
496:
482:
473:
461:
450:
439:
428:
405:
393:
370:
358:
356:, p. 144.
346:
335:
324:
313:
299:
287:
285:
282:
281:
280:
273:
270:
233:
230:
221:
218:
198:
195:
179:
176:
157:Cascade County
117:
114:
70:
67:
51:Justice Courts
26:
24:
14:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
638:
627:
624:
622:
619:
617:
614:
613:
611:
589:
584:
580:
578:9780313273469
574:
570:
569:
563:
562:
558:
539:
532:
529:
524:
518:
515:
509:
506:
500:
497:
492:
486:
483:
477:
474:
470:
465:
462:
459:
454:
451:
448:
443:
440:
437:
432:
429:
425:
420:
418:
416:
414:
412:
410:
406:
402:
397:
394:
381:
374:
371:
367:
362:
359:
355:
350:
347:
344:
339:
336:
333:
328:
325:
322:
317:
314:
311:
306:
304:
300:
297:
292:
289:
283:
279:
276:
275:
271:
269:
267:
263:
259:
255:
251:
247:
246:child neglect
243:
239:
231:
229:
227:
219:
217:
215:
210:
207:
205:
196:
194:
192:
187:
184:
177:
175:
173:
168:
166:
162:
158:
153:
151:
147:
143:
139:
135:
131:
127:
123:
116:Justice Court
115:
113:
110:
108:
104:
100:
96:
90:
87:
83:
79:
74:
68:
66:
64:
60:
56:
52:
48:
44:
40:
36:
32:
19:
597:February 26,
595:. Retrieved
567:
559:Bibliography
547:February 26,
545:. Retrieved
531:
522:
517:
508:
499:
490:
485:
476:
471:, p. 3.
464:
453:
442:
431:
426:, p. 3.
396:
386:February 24,
384:. Retrieved
373:
368:, p. 4.
361:
349:
338:
327:
316:
291:
266:drug testing
235:
225:
223:
211:
208:
200:
188:
185:
181:
169:
154:
126:misdemeanors
119:
111:
91:
75:
72:
54:
50:
46:
34:
30:
29:
242:child abuse
232:Drug courts
122:civil suits
82:magistrates
47:City Courts
610:Categories
284:References
254:recidivism
178:City Court
86:municipal
272:See also
250:addicted
262:alcohol
226:de novo
146:process
84:), and
575:
238:docket
163:, and
142:minors
99:felony
95:county
53:, and
591:(PDF)
541:(PDF)
599:2017
573:ISBN
549:2017
388:2017
260:and
258:drug
244:and
612::
408:^
302:^
174:.
159:,
109:.
65:.
49:,
601:.
581:.
551:.
390:.
20:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.