The Montana Supreme Court reviews a trial court's decision to impose sanctions for violations of Mont. R. Civ. P. 11 for an abuse of discretion. Davenport v. Odlin, 2014 MT 109 ¶ 9, 374 Mont. 503, 327 P.3d 478.
We review de novo the trial court's "'determination that the pleading, motion or other paper violates Rule 11.'" Davenport, ¶ 9 (quoting Byrum v. Andren, 2007 MT 107, ¶ 19, 337 Mont. 167, 159 P.3d 1062).
We review a trial court's "'findings of fact underlying [a] conclusion that a pleading violates Rule 11] to determine whether such findings are clearly erroneous.'" Davenport, ¶ 9 (quoting Byrum, ¶ 19).
We review a trial court's "'choice of sanction for [an] abuse of discretion.'" Davenport, ¶ 9 (quoting Byrum, ¶ 19).