This handbook does not express the opinion of the Montana Supreme Court and shall not be cited as authority.  This handbook is issued only as a research tool for litigants, practitioners, and court staff regarding standards of review applied by the Court.  It is not intended to be comprehensive, and parties involved in appeals should conduct their own independent research.

CIVIL

Introduction

Pre-Trial Decision

Trial Decision

Post-Trial Decision

 

Introduction

  1. Reserved
  2. Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law
  3. Affirming on Alternative Grounds

 

Pre-Trial Decisions

  1. Reserved
  2. Reserved
  3. Reserved
  4. Affirmative Defenses
  5. Amended Complaints
    1. Futility of Amendment
  6. Answers
  7. Appointment of Counsel
  8. Appointment of Guardian Ad Litem
  9. Arbitration
  10. Bifurcation
  11. Reserved
  12. Case Management
  13. Reserved
  14. Claim Preclusion
  15. Class Actions
  16. Collateral Estoppel
  17. Complaints
  18. Consolidation
  19. Constitutionality of Regulations
  20. Constitutionality of Statutes
  21. Contempt
  22. Continuances
  23. Counterclaims
  24. Declaratory Relief
  25. Discovery
    1. Discovery Sanctions
    2. Protective Orders
  26. Dismissals
  27. Disqualifying Counsel
  28. Disqualifying the Judge (Recusal)
  29. Reserved
  30. Equitable Estoppel and Equitable Tolling
  31. Evidentiary Hearings
  32. Exhaustion
  33. Failure to State a Claim
  34. Forum Non Conveniens
  35. Forum Selection Clauses
  36. Frivolousness
  37. Immunities
  38. Impleader
  39. Reserved
  40. Reserved
  41. Injunctions
  42. Interlocutory Appeals
  43. Intervention
  44. Involuntary Dismissal
  45. Issue Preclusion
  46. Joinder/Indispensable Party
  47. Judgment on the Pleadings
  48. Judicial Estoppel
  49. Judicial Notice
  50. Jurisdiction
  51. Jury Demand
  52. Laches
  53. Lack of Prosecution
  54. Law of the Case
  55. Leave to Amend
  56. Reserved
  57. Reserved
  58. Mandamus
  59. Mootness
  60. Reserved
  61. Reserved
  62. Personal Jurisdiction
  63. Preemption
  64. Preliminary Injunctions
  65. Pretrial Conferences
  66. Pretrial Orders
  67. Reserved
  68. Protective Orders
  69. Qualified Immunity
  70. Recusal
  71. Reinstatement of Driver's License
  72. Res Judicata
  73. Ripeness
  74. Sanctions
    1. Contempt
    2. Inherent Powers
    3. Discovery Sanctions
    4. Rule 11
  75. Service of Process
  76. Severance
  77. Sovereign Immunity
  78. Special Masters
  79. Standing
  80. Stare Decisis
  81. Statutes of Limitation
  82. Stays
  83. Striking
  84. Subject Matter Jurisdiction
  85. Reserved
  86. Reserved
  87. Summary Judgment
    1. Related Decisions
  88. Summons
  89. Supplemental Complaints
  90. Reserved
  91. Venue
  92. Vexatious Litigants
  93. Voir Dire
  94. Voluntary Dismissals

 

Trial Decisions

  1. Reserved
  2. Alter Ego
  3. Authentication
  4. Bench Trials
  5. Best Evidence Rule
  6. Bifurcation
  7. Choice of Laws
  8. Closing Arguments
  9. Credibility Findings
  10. Cross-Examination
  11. Directed Verdict
  12. Evidentiary Rulings
    1. GeneraIIy
    2. Attorney Testimony
    3. Extra-Record Evidence
    4. Hearsay
    5. Best Evidence
    6. Witness Sequestration
  13. Experts
  14. Montana Rules of Civil Procedure
  15. Reserved
  16. Hearsay
  17. Judgment as a Matter of Law
  18. Juror Partiality, Bias and Misconduct
  19. Jury Instructions
  20. Jury Selection
  21. Jury Verdicts
  22. Reserved
  23. Parol Evidence
  24. Proximate Cause
  25. Regulations
  26. Statutes
  27. Substantive Areas of Law
    1. Bankruptcy
    2. Constitutional Law
    3. Contracts
    4. Defamation
    5. Employment Discrimination
    6. Environmental Law
    7. Family Law
    8. Labor Law
    9. Arbitration
    10. Termination of Parental Rights
    11. Land Use Planning
  28. Supervising Trials
  29. Supplemental Jury Instructions
  30. Tribal Courts
  31. Verdict Forms

 

Post-Trial Decisions

  1. Post-Trial Decisions in Civil Cases
  2. reserved
  3. Attorneys’ fees
    1. Civil Rights
    2. Class Actions
  4. Bonds
  5. Reserved
  6. Reserved
  7. Reserved
  8. Costs
  9. Damages
  10. Default
  11. Equitable Relief
  12. Excusable Neglect
  13. Fines
  14. Interest
  15. Judgment Notwithstanding the Verdict (“JNOV”)
  16. Judgments
  17. Post-Judgment Orders Pending Appeal
  18. New Trials
  19. Permanent Injunctions
  20. Motions for Reconsideration
  21. Reserved
  22. Reopening or Supplementing Record
  23. Sanctions
    1. Rule 11
    2. Discovery Sanctions
    3. Contempt
  24. Reserved
  25. Supersedeas Bonds
  26. Reserved
  27. Vacatur
  28. Void Judgments

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

Extraordinary Writs

  1. Habeas Corpus - (includes topics under A)
    1. The Writ Defined—Rule 14
    2. Review on Original Petition—Not Appeal
      1. Prima Facie Claim
      2. Generally, No Right to Counsel
      3. The Procedural Bar
    3. When is Habeas Corpus Available?
      1. Bail
      2. Mootness
      3. Relief
  2. Certiorari—Writ of Review - (includes topics under B)
    1. The Writ Defined—Rule 14
    2. Purpose of the Writ
    3. Review on Original Petition
    4. Appellate Review
  3. Quo Warranto - (includes topics under C)
    1. The Writ Defined—Rule 14
    2. Purpose of the Writ
    3. Review on Complaint
    4. Appellate Review
  4. Supervisory Control - (includes topics under D)
    1. Supervisory Control

Other Resources:       University of Montana Law School -Standard of Review in Montana Appellate Courts - Documents  

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