Montana Code Annotated 2023

TITLE 71. MORTGAGES, PLEDGES, AND LIENS

CHAPTER 3. LIENS

Part 12. Agisters' Liens and Liens for Service

Enforcement Of Agister's Lien -- Sale

71-3-1213. Enforcement of agister's lien -- sale. If payment for keeping, feeding, herding, pasturing, or ranching stock is not made within 30 days after the performance of the keeping, feeding, herding, pasturing, or ranching, the person entitled to a lien under the provisions of 71-3-1211 through 71-3-1214 may enforce the lien in the following manner:

(1) The person shall deliver to the sheriff of the county in which the property is located an affidavit of the amount of the person's claim against the stock and the name of the owner of the stock or of the person at whose request the feed or material was furnished.

(2) Upon receipt of the affidavit, the sheriff shall advertise and sell at public auction as much of the stock covered by the lien as will satisfy the lien.

(3) Notice of the sale must be provided in the manner prescribed in 25-13-701(1)(b).

(4) (a) Before the sheriff sells the stock at public auction, the sheriff shall give notice of the sale to the owner or person at whose request the feed or material was furnished.

(b) Notice must be given at least 10 days before the sale to the owner or person at whose request the feed or material was furnished and to any other person holding a lien on the animals.

(c) The notice must state:

(i) the time and place of the sale;

(ii) the amount of the claim against the stock;

(iii) a description of the stock;

(iv) the name of the owner or person at whose request the feed or material was furnished; and

(v) the name of the person claiming the lien.

(d) The notice may be given by personal service or by mailing a copy of the notice by certified mail to the last-known post-office address of the owner or person at whose request the feed or material was furnished.

(e) If the sheriff is not able to effect personal service or service by mail because the location and mailing address of the owner or person at whose request the feed or material was furnished is unknown, the sheriff may give notice by posting notice of the sale in three public places in the county in which the property is located.

(5) The sheriff shall apply the proceeds of the sale to the discharge of the lien and the cost of the proceedings in selling the stock and enforcing the lien. The remainder, if any, or a part that is required to discharge the claims must be turned over by the sheriff to the holders, in the order of their precedence, of the chattel mortgages or other lien claimants of record against the stock, and the balance of the proceeds must be turned over to the owner of the stock.

(6) Before seizing stock under the provisions of this section, the sheriff may require an indemnity bond from the lienor. The indemnity bond may not exceed double the amount of the claim against the stock. The sheriff shall approve the bond and the surety or sureties on the bond.

History: En. Sec. 3, Ch. 124, L. 2013.