Montana Standards of Review
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

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

Trial Decisions

98. Reserved
99. Alter Ego
100. Authentication
101. Bench Trials
102. Best Evidence Rule
103. Bifurcation
104. Choice of Laws
105. Closing Arguments
106. Credibility Findings
107. Cross-Examination
108. Directed Verdict
109. Evidentiary Rulings
     1. GeneraIIy
     2. Attorney Testimony
     3. Extra-Record Evidence
     4. Hearsay
     5. Best Evidence
     6. Witness Sequestration
110. Experts
111. Montana Rules of Civil Procedure
112. Reserved
113. Hearsay
114. Judgment as a Matter of Law
115. Juror Partiality, Bias and Misconduct
116. Jury Instructions
117. Jury Selection
118. Jury Verdicts
119. Reserved
120. Parol Evidence
121. Proximate Cause
122. Regulations
123. Statutes
124. 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
125. Supervising Trials
126. Supplemental Jury Instructions
127. Tribal Courts
128. Verdict Forms

Post-Trial Decisions

129. Post-Trial Decisions in Civil Cases
130. reserved
131. Attorneys’ fees
     1. Civil Rights
     2. Class Actions
132. Bonds
133. Reserved
134. Reserved
135. Reserved
136. Costs
137. Damages
138. Default
139. Equitable Relief
140. Excusable Neglect
141. Fines
142. Interest
143. Judgment Notwithstanding the Verdict (“JNOV”)
144. Judgments
145. Post-Judgment Orders Pending Appeal
146. New Trials
147. Permanent Injunctions
148. Motions for Reconsideration
149. Reserved
150. Reopening or Supplementing Record
151. Sanctions
     1. Rule 11
     2. Discovery Sanctions
     3. Contempt
152. Reserved
153. Supersedeas Bonds
154. Reserved
155. Vacatur
156. Void Judgments