Montana Standards of Review
CRIMINAL

  1. Introduction
    1. Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law
    2. Harmless Error
    3. Plain Error
    4. Structural Error
  2. Pretrial Decisions in Criminal Cases
    1. Bail
    2. Brady Violations
    3. Competency to Stand Trial
    4. Confessions
    5. Confidential Informants
    6. Consolidation of Counts
    7. Continuances
    8. Defenses
    9. Discovery
      1. Depositions
      2. Sanctions
    10. Discriminatory (Selective) Prosecution
    11. Dismissals
    12. Evidentiary Rulings
    13. ExParte Hearings
    14. ExPost Facto
    15. Extradition
    16. Franks Hearings
    17. Fugitive Status
    18. Grand Juries
    19. Guilty Pleas
      1. Voluntariness
      2. Withdrawal
    20. Immunity Agreements
    21. In Camera Proceedings
    22. Indictments and Informations
      1. Amendments
      2. Dismissals
      3. Duplicitous/Multiplicitous
      4. Misjoinder
      5. Prosecutorial Misconduct
      6. Sufficiency
      7. Validity
    23. In Limine Orders
    24. Interpreters
    25. Investigators
    26. Judicial Estoppel
    27. Judicial Notices
    28. Jurisdiction
    29. Jury Demand
    30. Jury Waiver
    31. Juveniles
    32. Lack of Prosecution
    33. Law of the Case
    34. Lineups
    35. Miranda Rights
    36. Motionto Quash
    37. Out-of-Court Identification
    38. Plea Agreements
      1. Breaches/Enforcement
      2. Interpretation
      3. Negotiations
      4. Waiver
    39. Preclusion of Proffered Defense
    40. Pre-Indictment Delay
    41. Pretrial Detention and Release
    42. Pretrial Hearings
    43. Pretrial Identifications
    44. Probable Cause
    45. Recusal
    46. Regulations
    47. Representation
      1. Conflict-Free Representation
      2. Disqualification of Counsel
      3. Hybrid Representation
      4. Ineffective Representation
      5. ProSe Representation
      6. Right to Counsel
      7. Substitution of Counsel
      8. Waiver of Representation
      9. Withdrawal of Counsel
    48. Sealed Materials
    49. Searchand Seizure
      1. Abandonment
      2. Consent to Search
      3. Exclusionary Rule
      4. Exigent Circumstances
      5. Expectation of Privacy
      6. Governmental Conduct
      7. Inevitable Discovery
      8. Investigatory Stops
      9. Issuance of a Search Warrant
      10. Knock and Announce
      11. Private Searches
      12. Probable Cause
      13. Probation/Parole Searches
      14. Protective Sweeps
      15. Reasonable Suspicion
      16. Suppression Motions
      17. Terry Stops
      18. Warrantless Searches and Seizures
    50. Selective Prosecution
    51. Severance
    52. Sixth Amendment Rights
    53. Speedy Trial
    54. Statutes
    55. Statutes of Limitation
    56. Suppression
    57. Transfer of Trial
    58. Venue
    59. Vindictive Prosecution
    60. Voluntariness of a Confession
    61. Waiver of Rights
    62. Warrants
    63. Wiretaps
  3. TrialDecisions in Criminal Cases
    1. Acquittals
    2. Admission of Evidence
    3. Authenticity
    4. Batson Claims
    5. Best Evidence Rule
    6. Bruton Violations
    7. Burden of Proof
    8. Chain of Custody
    9. Character Evidence
    10. Closing Arguments
    11. Coconspirator Statements
    12. Comments on the Evidence
    13. ConfrontationClause
    14. Constitutionality of Regulations
    15. Constitutionality of Statutes
    16. Contempt
    17. Continuances
    18. Credibility Determinations
    19. Cross-Exanimation
    20. Documentary Evidence
    21. Double Jeopardy
    22. Entrapment
    23. Evidentiary Rulings
    24. Expert Testimony
    25. Extrinsic Evidence
    26. Fifth Amendment Rights
    27. Griffin Violations
    28. Hearsay
    29. Immunity from Prosecution
    30. Impeachment Evidence
    31. InAbsentia Proceedings
    32. In-Court Identification
    33. Ineffective Assistance of Counsel
    34. Jewell Instruction
    35. Judge Conduct
    36. Juror Misconduct
    37. Jury Examination of Evidence
    38. Jury Inquiries
      1. District Court's Response
      2. Supplemental Instructions
    39. Jury Instructions
      1. Formulation of Instructions
      2. Adequacy of Instructions
      3. Denial of Requested Instruction
      4. Special Verdict Forums
      5. Due Process Challenges
      6. Procedure for Reviewing Instructions
      7. Harmless Error and Plain Error
      8. Invited Error
      9. Allen Charges
      10. Jewell Instructions
    40. Jury Selection
      1. Challenges for Cause
        1. VoirDire/Peremptory Challenges
        2. Jury Misconduct
      2. Jury Composition
      3. Anonymous Jury
    41. Materiality of False Statement
    42. Opening Statements
    43. Opinion Evidence
      1. Expert Opinion Evidence
        1. Admission or Exclusion of Evidence
        2. Reliability
        3. Qualifications
      2. Lay Opinion Testimony
    44. Photographs
    45. Presence of Defendant
    46. Prior Crimes, Wrongs, or Acts
      1. M.R. Evid. 404(b)
      2. M.R. Evid. 608
      3. M.R. Evid. 609
    47. Privileges
      1. Attorney-Client, Doctor-Patient, Marital
      2. Fifth Amendment/Defendant's Silence
      3. M.R. Evid. 403—Probative Value vs. Prejudicial Harm
    48. Prosecutorial Misconduct
      1. Generally
      2. Bolstering/Vouching
      3. Dismissal
      4. Disqualification of Prosecutor
      5. Suppression of Exculpatory Evidence
    49. Rebuttal and Surrebuttal Evidence
    50. Recess
    51. Recusal and Disqualification of Judge
    52. Relevancy of Evidence
    53. Reopening
    54. Rule of Completeness
    55. Sanctions
    56. Shackling
    57. Side-Bar Conferences
    58. Witnesses
      1. District Court Decisions
      2. Witness Immunity
      3. Witness Sequestration
  4. Post-Trial Decisions in Criminal Cases
    1. Allocution
    2. Appeals
    3. Apprendi Violations
    4. Arrest of Judgment
    5. Attorney's Fees
    6. Bail Pending Sentence and Appeal
    7. Correcting/Amending/Reducing Sentences
    8. Disciplinary Orders
    9. Expungement
    10. Fines
    11. Forfeiture
    12. Mistrial
    13. New Trial
    14. Parole
    15. Probation
    16. Resentencing
    17. Sentencing
      1. Constitutionality
      2. Continuances
      3. Death Penalty
      4. Disproportionate Sentences
      5. Factual Findings
      6. Fines
      7. Legality
      8. Persistent Felony Offender
      9. Restitution
      10. Restrictions/Conditions on Sentence
      11. Revocation of Suspended/Deferred Sentence
      12. Sentence Review Division
    18. Sufficiency of the Evidence
    19. Supervised Release
    20. Transcripts