Montana Code Annotated 2023

TITLE 40. FAMILY LAW

CHAPTER 5. ENFORCEMENT OF SUPPORT

Part 7. Suspension of Licenses for Nonsupport

Stay Of Suspension Of License -- Payment Plan -- Hardship

40-5-710. Stay of suspension of license -- payment plan -- hardship. (1) An obligor may at the time of the hearing conducted under 40-5-703 or at any time after the hearing, petition the support enforcement entity for an order staying suspension of the license.

(2) The support enforcement entity shall consider the obligor's petition for a stay separately from any determination on whether suspension of a license is appropriate.

(3) The support enforcement entity may stay suspension of a license upon a showing that suspension or continued suspension of a license would create a significant hardship to the obligor, to the obligor's employees, to legal dependents residing in the obligor's household, or to persons, businesses, or other entities served by the obligor.

(4) A stay terminates upon:

(a) termination of the circumstances upon which a hardship is based;

(b) failure by the obligor to abide by the terms and conditions of a payment plan; or

(c) the date of termination, if any, provided in the order staying suspension of the license.

(5) If the licensing authority has been notified of an order suspending a license, the support enforcement entity shall notify the licensing authority of any stay or reinstatement unless the support enforcement entity has suspended the license of the obligor for another delinquency or for failure to comply with a subpoena or warrant and the suspension for the other delinquency or failure to comply with a subpoena or warrant is still in effect. The support enforcement entity shall send a copy of any order staying or reinstating suspension of the license to the obligor.

(6) (a) Upon receipt of a notice staying or reinstating suspension of the license, the licensing authority shall:

(i) enter the information on appropriate records;

(ii) report the action as appropriate; and

(iii) demand surrender of the suspended license or return the reinstated license.

(b) Further action by the licensing authority is not necessary to implement the stay or reinstatement of suspension of the license.

History: En. Sec. 8, Ch. 523, L. 1993; amd. Sec. 83, Ch. 552, L. 1997; amd. Sec. 3, Ch. 397, L. 2017.