Senate Bill No. 277

Introduced By bartlett, ahner, ellingson



A Bill for an Act entitled: An Act generally revising procedure for the small claims court; providing that the small claims court procedure in district court must conform to the small claims court procedure in justice's court; repealing the small claims procedure for district court; amending section

3-12-101, MCA; repealing sections 3-12-106, 25-34-101, 25-34-102, 25-34-103, 25-34-104, 25-34-105, 25-34-106, 25-34-201, 25-34-202, 25-34-203, 25-34-204, 25-34-205, 25-34-206, 25-34-207, 25-34-208, 25-34-301, 25-34-302, 25-34-303, 25-34-401, 25-34-402, 25-34-403, and 25-34-404, MCA; and providing an effective date.



Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Montana:



Section 1.  Procedure. A small claims court created under this chapter shall follow the small claims procedure used in justice's court, as provided in Title 25, chapter 35.



Section 2.  Section 3-12-101, MCA, is amended to read:

"3-12-101.   Purpose -- liberal construction. It is the purpose of this chapter and chapter 34 of Title 25 to provide a speedy remedy in claims falling hereunder under this chapter and to promote a forum in which such the claims may be heard and disposed of without the necessity of formal trial. For this reason, the provisions hereof of this chapter should be liberally construed to provide an informal but equitable means of justice, and the judges appointed hereunder under this chapter are required to assist all parties before them to obtain substantial justice."



Section 3.  Repealer. Sections 3-12-106, 25-34-101, 25-34-102, 25-34-103, 25-34-104, 25-34-105, 25-34-106, 25-34-201, 25-34-202, 25-34-203, 25-34-204, 25-34-205, 25-34-206, 25-34-207, 25-34-208, 25-34-301, 25-34-302, 25-34-303, 25-34-401, 25-34-402, 25-34-403, and 25-34-404, MCA, are repealed.



Section 4.  Codification instruction. [Section 1] is intended to be codified as an integral part of Title 3, chapter 12, part 1, and the provisions of Title 3, chapter 12, part 1, apply to [section 1].



Section 5.  Effective date. [This act] is effective July 1, 1997.

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