_____________ bill NO. _____________

INTRODUCED BY _________________________________________________

By Request of the ****

A BILL FOR AN ACT ENTITLED: "AN ACT establishing a reporting requirement for the court administrator related to district court judge case numbers and substitutions; and AMENDING SECTION 3-1-713, MCA."

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MONTANA:

Section 1. Section 3-1-713, MCA, is amended to read:

"3-1-713. Office of court administrator to report. (1) Each quarter of the fiscal year, the office of court administrator shall report to the law and justice interim committee and the legislative finance committee on the number of civil cases that have been pending for more than 2 years by judicial district. The report must identify:

(1)(a)    the judicial district;

(2)(b)    the number of cases in that district that are pending for more than 2 years but less than 3 years;

(3)(c)    the number of cases in that district that are pending for more than 3 years but less than 4 years;

(4)(d)    the number of cases in that district that are pending for more than 4 years but less than 5 years; and

(5)(e)    the number of cases in that district that are pending for more than 5 years.

(2)        By September 1 of each year, the office of court administrator shall report to the law and justice interim committee in accordance with 5-11-210. The report must identify:

(a)        the number of cases assigned to each district court judge;

(b)        the number of times each judge is substituted;

(c)        the number of each type of case in which a judge is substituted; and

(d)        the percentage of cases in which each judge is substituted."