Criminal Justice (Courts)

introduced · Montana · Legislature Feb 18, 2025

LC 758: Generally revise contempt of court laws

This bill revises Montana's contempt of court laws to clarify when certain actions do not constitute contempt and to strengthen procedural protections for individuals facing contempt charges. It specifically states that violating a gag order is not contempt if the person is asserting First Amendment rights without intentionally violating someone's privacy, and that criticizing court proceedings is not contempt if it alleges the court violated the law or constitution. The legislation also requires jury trials for contempt cases involving potential incarceration beyond three days, prohibits holding non-attorney laypersons in contempt under certain circumstances, and increases the maximum fine for contempt from $500 to higher amounts. Additionally, the bill allows laypersons to appear with plaintiffs or defendants in court to provide legal information and establishes specific procedures for challenging contempt orders.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill strengthens procedural protections for contempt charges and protects First Amendment rights, advancing civil liberties within the judicial system.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections Courts

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introduced · Montana · Legislature Jan 15, 2025

LC 28: Generally revise criminal justice oversight council laws

This bill amends Montana law to revise the composition and duties of the Criminal Justice Oversight Council, expanding the types of local court judges eligible for appointment to the council. The key changes include clarifying that both district court judges and municipal court judges or justices of the peace may serve, while maintaining the existing 18-member structure that includes legislators, state agency directors, and community representatives. The council will continue its role of monitoring the criminal justice system, recommending data policies, and providing guidance to the board of crime control, with provisions for filling vacancies and reimbursing member expenses. Additionally, the bill directs the code commissioner to reorganize the statute within the Montana Code Annotated for better integration with other criminal justice laws.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill strengthens criminal justice oversight by expanding council composition to include more judges, enhancing accountability and monitoring capabilities within the system.75% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts

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introduced · Montana · Legislature Jan 13, 2025

LC 568: Generally revise laws related to juries

This bill updates Montana laws governing jury selection and service to improve how courts notify potential jurors and handle delays in trial scheduling. It requires court clerks to send jury summonses by mail with qualification questionnaires and provides additional contact methods like phone calls and online communication for those who do not respond. The legislation also clarifies that jurors can serve beyond their standard one-year term if they are already selected for a trial, and it sets specific deadlines for filing motions to challenge how a jury panel was chosen.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill improves jury selection processes and court efficiency, enhancing access to justice and fair trial procedures within the criminal justice system.75% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts

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introduced · Montana · Legislature Mar 19, 2025

LC 3069: Generally revise bailbond laws

This bill revises Montana's bail bond laws to expand the legal authority of bail bond agents and improve their ability to locate and return defendants to court. It grants bail bond producers arrest authority to seize defendants without waiting for a court forfeiture order, allows them to enter private residences if necessary, and permits them to pursue defendants across state lines. The legislation also requires courts to notify bail bond agents of changes in court dates and ensures agents can participate directly in legal proceedings related to their bonds. Additionally, it establishes a statute of limitations for bond forfeitures and clarifies that judicial continuance of bonds without notifying agents is considered arbitrary.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill strengthens bail bond authority to improve defendant return to court, enhancing criminal justice system efficiency and reducing flight risk.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts

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introduced · Montana · Legislature Apr 22, 2025

LC 4342: Interim study of the Montana state hospital

This joint resolution (LC 4342) requests an interim study of the Montana State Hospital and patient transition issues. It directs a committee or staff to examine how to refocus the hospital on forensic/civil commitments, expand community treatment teams, leverage existing programs, explore alternatives to court-ordered evaluations, and compare costs of hospital beds versus community care. The study must be completed by September 15, 2026, and its findings reported to the 70th Legislature. The resolution does not change current law but seeks to address challenges in patient placement and community support systems.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeStudies refocusing Montana State Hospital on forensic commitments and community care alternatives, aligning with criminal justice reform goals to reduce institutional reliance and improve treatment pathways.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts

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died · Montana · Senate May 23, 2025

SB 370: Generally revise laws related to jury duty

SB 370 increases daily compensation for Montana jurors: $25-$60 per day for attending jury duty and an additional $25-$60 per day if selected for a specific case. It directly affects individuals summoned for jury service in criminal cases, providing higher pay than current rates. The bill establishes a funding mechanism where counties submit invoices to the Office of Court Administrator for reimbursement of these costs. This replaces the existing fee structure under Section 3-15-201, MCA, specifically for criminal trials or settlements requiring jury service.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeIncreases juror compensation for criminal cases, improving court operations and access to fair trials - key aspects of criminal justice reform.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts

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died · Montana · Legislature May 20, 2025

LC 1531: Resolution in support of temporary admission to the bar

This resolution recommends Montana's Supreme Court adopt rules allowing out-of-state lawyers in good standing to practice temporarily in Montana under supervision. It specifically proposes a one-year temporary admission process modeled after North Dakota's rule, designed to help address staffing shortages at the Office of State Public Defender. The resolution directly affects public defenders needing immediate legal support and out-of-state attorneys seeking to practice in Montana. It does not create new law but urges the Supreme Court to establish these temporary admission rules.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill directly addresses public defender staffing shortages via temporary lawyer admission, strengthening criminal justice defense services and ensuring defendant rights access.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts

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died · Montana · Legislature May 26, 2025

LC 1560: Require court administrator to publish list of record and non-record courts

This bill (LC 1560) would have required court administrators to publicly post a list identifying which courts maintain official records ("record courts") and which do not ("non-record courts"). It would directly affect state courts and their administrators by mandating this transparency measure. The bill was drafted but ultimately died in the legislative process in May 2025, meaning it never became law.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeMandates court transparency by requiring public lists of record/non-record courts, enhancing accountability in judicial processes per criminal justice reform indicators.75% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts

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vetoed · Montana · Senate Jun 27, 2025

SB 40: Revise supreme court public records laws by opening deliberations and files to the public

SB 40 would require Montana's Supreme Court to publicly disclose its deliberations by mandating recordings of closed meetings and making those records available after a case is final. It amends Montana law (sections 2-3-203, 2-3-212, and 2-6-1002, MCA) to ensure closed judicial discussions - currently private - are recorded and accessible to the public once all appeals are exhausted. The bill directly affects the Montana Supreme Court's internal proceedings and expands public access to judicial decision-making. Key provisions include requiring electronic recordings of closed meetings, redacting only confidential information as defined by law, and specifying that cases become final after all review periods expire.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeExpands public access to judicial deliberations, enhancing transparency in court proceedings - a key aspect of criminal justice reform and judicial accountability.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts Judges

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introduced · Montana · Legislature Mar 26, 2025

LC 3453: Generally revise criminal procedure law

This bill (LC 3453) requires Montana's Department of Justice, Department of Corrections, and Judicial Branch to collaborate by October 1, 2025, to determine the most efficient method for providing criminal history data of district court offenders (from the past five fiscal years and all future convictions) to the state's Criminal Justice Data Warehouse. If the agencies cannot reach agreement, the Department of Corrections must provide this data directly. The bill amends Section 44-7-126, MCA, to clarify data-sharing responsibilities, ensure offender names are linked to their records, and allocates $2,000 to each agency for the collaboration effort. It directly affects state criminal justice agencies and the centralized data system used for policy and operational decisions.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeRequires interagency collaboration for efficient criminal history data sharing to Criminal Justice Data Warehouse, enhancing system coordination and oversight.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections Courts

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