Meagher County District Court, Montana Chambers Communication Rules

CRITICAL

Anyone seeking a conference with the judge must first check in with the Court Administrator to avoid scheduling conflicts.

All persons seeking a conference with the judge MUST, in order to avoid conflict, first check in with the Court Administrator Derinda Hazelton.

CRITICAL

Contact

Phone

Phone

(406) 323-1701

At least ten (10) days prior to the scheduling conference, attorneys for the parties and any unrepresented parties shall have a phone conference with the Court’s Administrator at (406) 323-1701 to discuss a proposed scheduling order.

At least ten (10) days prior to the scheduling conference, attorneys for the parties and any unrepresented parties shall have a phone conference with the Court’s Administrator at (406) 323-1701 to discuss a proposed scheduling order.

CRITICAL

Phone

406-323-1701

Scheduling inquiries, court-appointed counsel assignment inquiries, and transcript requests must be referred to Derinda Hazelton at the listed address or contact numbers.

All inquiries concerning the scheduling of matters, court appointed counsel assignments, and requests for transcripts MUST, in order to avoid conflicts, be referred to Derinda Hazelton, 506 Main Street, Roundup, Montana 59072; Telephone: 406-323-1701, Fax: 406-323-1710.

CRITICAL

Contact

Phone

If a case settles before trial without documentation, the parties must promptly inform the Court in person or by conference call.

If a case is settled by settlement conference or other method before the trial date without documentation, parties shall forthwith inform the Court in person or by conference call and a minute entry will be made vacating trial as the case has been settled.

CRITICAL

Anyone anticipating that a jury-trial witness may invoke the Fifth Amendment must advise the court before the witness testifies.

Any attorney, party, or witness, who anticipates that any witness to be called in a trial by jury might refuse to answer a question on the grounds that the answer may tend to incriminate him or her, shall so advise the court in advance of such witness testifying.

CRITICAL

Counsel or parties must notify the Court Administrator by noon on the preceding business day to place a matter on the law and motion calendar.

Counsel or parties shall notify the Court Administrator by noon on the preceding business day of matters to be placed on the law and motion calendar.

WARNING

Failing to diligently respond to the Court Administrator’s deadline-monitoring inquiries may result in sanctions, including removal from the trial calendar or loss of trial priority.

Failure to diligently respond to monitoring inquiries may result in sanctions, including removal from the trial calendar or loss of trial priority status.

WARNING

A party may present an emergency matter to the court at any time upon an adequate showing.

Emergency matters may be presented to the court at any time upon adequate showing by moving party.

WARNING

If a party believes a potentially violent situation may arise, the party, through counsel or pro se, should notify the assigned judge and Court Administrator sufficiently in advance for security measures to be arranged.

In any type of case where a party believes that a potentially violent situation might arise, that party, through counsel or pro se, should notify the assigned judge and court administrator sufficiently in advance so that appropriate security measures can be taken.

INFO

Counsel may withdraw a matter from the law and motion calendar if it was placed there solely because of counsel’s prior notification to the Court Administrator.

Counsel may withdraw from the law and motion calendar any matter placed thereon solely by reason of their prior notification to the Court Administrator.

INFO

After any allowed briefing or additional-filing period, parties may—and are encouraged to—send the Court a reminder letter limited to a brief description of the matter and the date it was made or taken under advisement.

In matters pending or taken under advisement including, but not limited to, a motion or decision in a bench trial, parties may, and are encouraged, following any period as allowed for briefing or additional filing, to send the Court a reminder letter containing only a brief description of the matter needing attention and the date it was made or taken under advisement.

INFO

Parties should ask the Court at the final pretrial conference which stock instructions need to be duplicated.

Parties should inquire of the Court at the final pre-trial conference of any conference. stock instructions which need to be duplicated.