Montana Code Annotated 2023

TITLE 70. PROPERTY

CHAPTER 5. FINDERS

Part 1. Rights and Duties of Finders Generally

Duty To Inform Owner When Known

70-5-103. Duty to inform owner when known. If a person finds money, goods, things in action, or other personal property or saves a domestic animal from drowning or starvation when the property is of a value of $10 or more and the person knows or suspects who the owner is, the person shall use reasonable diligence to inform the owner and make restitution without compensation, further than a reasonable charge for saving and taking care of the property. If the person fails to do so, the person is liable in damages to the owner and does not have a claim to any reward offered by the owner for the recovery of the thing or to any compensation for the person's trouble or expenses.

History: En. Sec. 2900, Pol. C. 1895; re-en. Sec. 1996, Rev. C. 1907; re-en. Sec. 7694, R.C.M. 1921; Cal. Pol. C. Sec. 3136; re-en. Sec. 7694, R.C.M. 1935; R.C.M. 1947, 20-410(part); amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 115, L. 1979; amd. Sec. 2071, Ch. 56, L. 2009.