Sweet Grass County District Court, Montana Chambers Communication Rules

CRITICAL

Communications with the Court must be routed through the District Court Administrator or the Clerk of Court.

A. Communications. All communications with the Court shall go through the District Court Administrator or the Clerk of Court to ensure that no ex parte communications take place and to ensure judicial economy.

CRITICAL

Substantive issues in pending or anticipated cases may not be discussed ex parte with the Court unless opposing counsel is present or notified, or has given prior approval or stipulated; violations may result in sanctions.

B. Ex Parte Communications. There will be no ex parte discussion with the Court of substantive issues involved in pending or anticipated cases without the presence of or notice to all opposing counsel, or without prior approval or stipulation by such counsel. A violation of this rule may result in the imposition of sanctions against the offending attorney or party.

CRITICAL

Contact

Email

In cases that are not e-filed, proposed orders, judgments, and decrees must be filed and emailed as Word-format attachments to the Court Administrator.

All proposed Orders, Judgments and Decrees in cases not e-filed shall be filed and e-mailed as attachments in Word format to the Court Administrator.

CRITICAL

Counsel or the party must notify the appropriate lower court and law enforcement agencies when this Court modifies or dissolves a certified lower-court order.

Counsel or the party shall notify the appropriate lower court and appropriate law enforcement agencies of any modification or dissolution of lower court orders certified to this Court and subsequently modified or dissolved by this Court.

CRITICAL

In the stated cases, counsel or the lower-court petitioner must promptly notify the lower court of the District Court action.

When any action for declaration of invalidity of marriage, legal separation, dissolution of marriage, or child custody action is filed in the District Court between parties who are also parties to a self-help temporary order of protection proceeding in a court of limited jurisdiction, counsel for the petitioner or the party who is the petitioner in the lower court proceeding shall promptly notify said lower court of the District Court action and move the lower court to suspend all further proceedings therein and certify the pleadings and any orders of that court to the Clerk of the District Court.

WARNING

A motion that has not been ruled on at least two weeks before trial should be brought to the Court's attention.

Any motion not ruled on at least two weeks before trial should be brought to the Court's attention.

WARNING

If no Case Scheduling Conference is scheduled within 30 days after answers are filed, either party may ask the Court Administrator to schedule one.

If a Case Scheduling Conference is not scheduled within thirty (30) days after answers to the complaint are filed, either party may request that the Court Administrator schedule the conference.

INFO

Contact

Email to clerk

Email filings for Sweet Grass County should be sent to clerkofcourt.sweetgrass @mt.gov.

clerkofcourt.sweetgrass @mt.gov for Sweet Grass County.

INFO

After the discovery period set by the Case Scheduling Order has run, a party may request or move for a trial date from the Court Administrator.

At any time after the discovery period has run, according to the Case Scheduling Order, any party may move for, or request, a trial date from the Court Administrator.

INFO

Phone

406-932-5433

Fax filings for Sweet Grass County should be sent to 406-932-5433.

and 406-932-5433 for Sweet Grass County.

INFO

Contact

Email to clerk

Email filings should be submitted to parkdcc@mt.gov for Park County

Email filings should be submitted to parkdcc@mt.gov for Park County

INFO

Phone

406-222-4128

Fax filings for Park County should be sent to 406-222-4128.

Fax filings should be submitted to 406-222- 4128 for Park County

INFO

If a matter has been under advisement for more than 30 days, affected parties are encouraged to send the Court a reminder letter or Notice of Issue describing the matter and stating when it was taken under advisement.

C. Reminders to the Court. In the event the Court has under advisement any matter (including but not limited to a motion or decision in a bench trial) for a period of more than thirty (30) days, each party affected thereby is encouraged to send to the Court a reminder letter or "Notice of Issue" particularly describing the matter under advisement and stating the date the matter was taken under advisement.