Montana Code Annotated 2023

TITLE 27. CIVIL LIABILITY, REMEDIES, AND LIMITATIONS

CHAPTER 19. INJUNCTIONS

Part 3. Procedure for Obtaining Preliminary Injunction

Security For Damages

27-19-306. Security for damages. (1) Subject to 25-1-402, on granting an injunction or restraining order, the judge shall require a written undertaking to be given by the applicant for the payment of the costs and damages that may be incurred or suffered by any party who is found to have been wrongfully enjoined or restrained. Except as provided in subsection (2), the undertaking:

(a) must be fixed at a sum that the judge considers proper; and

(b) may be waived:

(i) in domestic disputes; or

(ii) in the interest of justice.

(2) (a) If a party seeks an injunction or restraining order against an industrial operation or activity, the judge shall require a written undertaking to be filed by the applicant. The amount of the written undertaking must be set in an amount that includes all of the wages, salaries, and benefits of the employees of the party enjoined or restrained during the anticipated time that the injunction or restraining order will be in effect. The amount of the written undertaking may not exceed $50,000 unless the interests of justice require. The written undertaking must be conditioned to indemnify the employees of the party enjoined or restrained against lost wages, salaries, and benefits sustained by reason of the injunction or restraining order.

(b) As used in subsection (2)(a), "industrial operation or activity" includes but is not limited to construction, mining, timber, and grazing operations.

(3) Within 30 days after the service of the injunction, the party enjoined may object to the sufficiency of the sureties. If the party enjoined fails to object, all objections to the sufficiency of the sureties are waived. When objected to, the applicant's sureties, upon notice to the party enjoined of not less than 2 or more than 5 days, shall justify before a judge or clerk in the same manner as upon bail on arrest. If the sureties fail to justify or if others in their place fail to justify at the time and place appointed, the order granting the injunction must be dissolved.

(4) This section does not prohibit a person who is wrongfully enjoined from filing an action for any claim for relief otherwise available to that person in law or equity and does not limit the recovery that may be obtained in that action.

History: En. Sec. 86, p. 59, Bannack Stat.; re-en. Sec. 115, p. 154, L. 1867; re-en. Sec. 132, p. 52, Cod. Stat. 1871; re-en. Sec. 174, p. 79, L. 1877; re-en. Sec. 174, 1st Div. Rev. Stat. 1879; re-en. Sec. 176, 1st Div. Comp. Stat. 1887; en. Sec. 874, C. Civ. Proc. 1895; re-en. Sec. 6646, Rev. C. 1907; re-en. Sec. 9246, R.C.M. 1921; Cal. C. Civ. Proc. Sec. 529; re-en. Sec. 9246, R.C.M. 1935; amd. Sec. 53, Ch. 535, L. 1975; R.C.M. 1947, 93-4207; amd. Sec. 48, Ch. 12, L. 1979; amd. Sec. 8, Ch. 399, L. 1979; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 575, L. 1995.