Rule 10. Filing and service of papers - generally. (1) Filing.
     a. Papers required or permitted to be filed must be placed in the custody of the clerk of the supreme court within the time fixed for filing. Filing may be accomplished by mail addressed to the clerk of the supreme court, but filing shall not be timely unless the papers are actually received within the time fixed for filing. Procedural motions may be filed by facsimile between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. on business days, provided the original document is filed with the clerk within 5 business days of the receipt of the facsimile; otherwise, the filing will be treated as void.
     b. A party to an appeal or original proceeding who is represented by counsel may not file pleadings, motions, or documents on the party's own behalf, except that a party may file a motion for substitution or removal of counsel.
     (2) Service of all papers required. Copies of all papers, including any transcript, filed by any party and not required by these rules to be served by the clerk of the supreme court shall, at or before the time of filing, be served by the party on all other parties to the appeal or review. Service on a party represented by counsel shall be made on counsel. In criminal cases appealed by the defendant and in appeals relating to involuntary commitment and proceedings regarding abused or neglected children, all transcripts, briefs, motions, and other papers shall be served on both the county attorney and the attorney general.
     (3) Manner of service. Service may be made personally or by mail. Personal service includes delivery of the copy to a clerk or other responsible person at the office of counsel. Service by mail is complete on mailing.
     (4) Proof of service. Papers presented for filing shall contain a certificate of service in the form of a statement of the date and manner of service and of the names and addresses of the persons served, certified by the person who made service. Proof of service may appear on or be affixed to the papers filed. The clerk of the supreme court may permit papers to be filed without a certificate of service but shall require the certificate to be filed within 5 business days.
     (5) Number of copies to be filed. A signed original and 7 copies of all motions (other than motions for extension of time), petitions for rehearing, and the answers or responses thereto, shall be filed with the clerk of the supreme court unless otherwise ordered by the court. The original only of motions for extension of time shall be filed. The number of copies of transcripts shall be in accordance with rule 8(4)(b) and the number of copies of briefs shall be in accordance with rule 13(2). At the time of filing an uncontested procedural motion, counsel shall present a proposed order granting the relief requested, together with sufficient copies for service upon all parties, as well as stamped envelopes addressed to the same.
     (6) Use of initials for parties in certain proceedings. In any proceeding regarding abused or neglected children under Title 41, Chapter 3, or in any proceeding under Title 40, Chapter 6, part 1 (Uniform Parentage Act); Title 42 (Adoption); Title 52, Chapter 3, part 8 (Montana Elder and Persons With Developmental Disabilities Abuse Prevention Act); Title 53, Chapter 20 (Developmental Disabilities); Chapter 21 (Mentally Ill); or Chapter 24 (Alcoholism and Drug Dependence); only the initials of the child, parent(s), or individual party(ies), as the case may be, may be used in all filings. References to the names of these individuals within documents included in appendices shall be redacted by the party who files the document.
     (7) Redaction of confidential personal information. References to confidential personal information shall be redacted from documents filed with the clerk of the supreme court by the party who files the document. Confidential personal information includes, by way of example, complete social security numbers, complete financial account numbers, full birth dates of any person, full names of minor children unless the law requires a child's name to be accessible to the public, and information that is not to be accessible to the public pursuant to state or federal law. One original document without redaction of confidential personal information shall be filed with the clerk of the supreme court and shall remain under seal absent a request to obtain access granted under the Rules for Privacy and Public Access to Court Records in Montana or further order of the supreme court.

     History: En. Sup. Ct. Ord. No. AF 07-0016, July 3, 2007, eff. October 1, 2007.