Montana Code Annotated 2023

TITLE 3. JUDICIARY, COURTS

CHAPTER 5. DISTRICT COURTS

Part 3. District Court Jurisdiction

Original Jurisdiction

3-5-302. Original jurisdiction. (1) The district court has original jurisdiction in:

(a) all criminal cases amounting to felony;

(b) all civil and probate matters;

(c) all cases at law and in equity;

(d) all cases of misdemeanor not otherwise provided for; and

(e) all special actions and proceedings that are not otherwise provided for.

(2) The district court has concurrent original jurisdiction with the justice's court in the following criminal cases amounting to misdemeanor:

(a) misdemeanors arising at the same time as and out of the same transaction as a felony or misdemeanor offense charged in district court;

(b) misdemeanors resulting from the reduction of a felony or misdemeanor offense charged in the district court; and

(c) misdemeanors resulting from a finding of a lesser included offense in a felony or misdemeanor case tried in district court.

(3) The district court has exclusive original jurisdiction in all civil actions that might result in a judgment against the state for the payment of money.

(4) The district court has the power of naturalization and of issuing papers for naturalization in all cases where it is authorized to do so by the laws of the United States.

(5) The district court and its judges have power to issue, hear, and determine writs of mandamus, quo warranto, certiorari, prohibition, and injunction, other original remedial writs, and all writs of habeas corpus on petition by or on behalf of any person held in actual custody in their respective districts. Injunctions and writs of prohibition and habeas corpus may be issued and served on legal holidays and nonjudicial days.

History: En. Sec. 41, C. Civ. Proc. 1895; re-en. Sec. 6275, Rev. C. 1907; re-en. Sec. 8829, R.C.M. 1921; Cal. C. Civ. Proc. Sec. 76; re-en. Sec. 8829, R.C.M. 1935; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 11, L. 1973; R.C.M. 1947, 93-318; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 409, L. 1979; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 594, L. 1981; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 441, L. 1985; amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 540, L. 1987; amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 481, L. 2007.