Carter County District Court, Montana Chambers Communication Rules

CRITICAL

At least three weeks before a civil or criminal jury trial, each party's counsel must notify the Clerk of Court in writing whether the trial will proceed as docketed.

At least three (3) weeks prior to the commencement of a civil jury trial or criminal jury trial, counsel for each party shall advise the Clerk of Court in writing as to whether said trial will proceed as docketed. The purpose of this notice is to provide the Clerk of Court sufficient time to summon a jury pool, or alternatively to set other matters in the time slot.

CRITICAL

Court scheduling must be coordinated with the judicial assistant or other personnel designated by the judge.

All the Court’s scheduling shall be coordinated with the judicial assistant or other personnel the judge may designate.

CRITICAL

Counsel must arrange additional time with the judicial assistant for matters expected to be contested or take more than 15 minutes.

Matters which counsel expect will be contested or are expected to take more than 15 minutes shall be scheduled for additional time with the judicial assistant.

CRITICAL

A party may not discuss a substantive issue in a pending or anticipated case ex parte without notice and approval of all opposing counsel, unless law expressly permits it.

No party shall discuss ex parte with the Court any substantive issue related to a pending or anticipated case without notice and approval of all opposing counsel, or as otherwise expressly allowed by law.

CRITICAL

A party or counsel seeking to use JVN for non-court-business hearings or meetings must reserve it through the Clerk of Court or judicial assistant and report to the Clerk upon arrival.

Any party/counsel requesting use of the JVN equipment for hearings or meetings other than Sixteenth Judicial District Court business shall make proper reservations for such use through the Clerk of Court or judicial assistant. The party/counsel shall report to the Clerk of Court upon arriving for the JVN session and will be directed to the appropriate location for use of the equipment.

CRITICAL

Matters must be calendared with the judicial assistant by 4:00 p.m. on the business day before Law and Motion.

All matters shall be calendared with the judicial assistant by 4:00 p.m. on the business day before Law and Motion.

CRITICAL

Contact

Email to clerk

Attorneys or parties who are to receive emailed Orders or Minute Entries must provide their email addresses to the Clerk’s office.

Attorneys or parties must provide the Clerk of Court’s office with the email address(es) to which copies of Orders or Minute Entries are to be emailed.

CRITICAL

Contact

Email to chambers

Attorneys must email the judicial assistant jury instructions with citations in Microsoft Word format.

In addition, attorneys must email the jury instructions with citations to the judicial assistant in Microsoft Word format.

CRITICAL

A party or counsel granted leave to use JVN must make the necessary arrangements with the Clerk of Court or judicial assistant.

Any party/counsel granted leave to use JVN shall make all necessary arrangements for such use with the Clerk of Court or judicial assistant.

CRITICAL

Counsel must keep the Clerk of Court and other relevant individuals informed of changes to JVN participation locations or IP addresses.

Counsel is responsible for keeping the Clerk of Court and other individuals informed of site or IP address changes effecting JVN participation.

WARNING

Contact

Email to chambers

Parties should avoid discussing substantive matters in email correspondence whenever possible.

Whenever possible, parties are to avoid addressing substantive matters within email correspondence.

WARNING

Anyone wishing to use the courtrooms, jury room, or law library for specified activities must contact the Clerk to reserve the facility.

Counsel and other persons wishing to utilize the courtrooms, the jury room, or the law library for meetings, depositions, and video-conferencing shall contact the Clerk of Court to reserve the desired facility so as to avoid possible conflicts with Court matters or others who have already scheduled use of these courthouse facilities.

WARNING

Contact

Phone

JVN participants must maintain a means of communication, such as a cell phone, so they can be contacted if connection difficulties or delays occur.

Participants in the hearing via JVN are to maintain a means of communication (cell phone) so the individual may be readily contacted in the event of unforeseen difficulty establishing the JVN connection, or other delay.

WARNING

Counsel unfamiliar with the electronic evidence presentation system must notify the Clerk of Court well in advance and arrange training at a time convenient to the Clerk.

At a time well-in-advance of the scheduled trial or hearing date, counsel unfamiliar with the electronic evidence presentation system shall advise the Clerk of Court and shall make arrangements to come to the courthouse at a time convenient to the Clerk of Court in order to receive the necessary training for use of the electronic evidence presentation system.

INFO

Uncontested or emergency matters may be presented at other times when the Court is available.

Uncontested or emergency matters may be presented to the Court at such other times as the Court is available to hear the matter.

INFO

Contact the local District Court for exhibits or forms referenced in these rules.

Note: contact the local District Court for any exhibits or forms referred to within these pages.