Montana Code Annotated 2023

TITLE 25. CIVIL PROCEDURE

CHAPTER 2. VENUE

Part 1. Proper Place of Trial -- Venue

Torts

25-2-122. Torts. (1) Except as provided in subsections (2) through (4), the proper place of trial for a tort action is:

(a) the county in which the defendants or any of them reside at the commencement of the action; or

(b) the county in which the tort was committed. If the tort is interrelated with and dependent upon a claim for breach of contract, the tort was committed, for the purpose of determining the proper place of trial, in the county in which the contract was to be performed.

(2) Except as provided in subsection (4), if the defendant is a corporation incorporated in a state other than Montana, the proper place of trial for a tort action is:

(a) the county in which the tort was committed;

(b) the county in which the plaintiff resides; or

(3) Except as provided in subsection (4), if the defendant is a resident of a state other than Montana, the proper place of trial for a tort action is:

(a) the county in which the tort was committed; or

(b) the county in which the plaintiff resides.

(4) If the defendant is a railroad, as defined in 69-14-102, and the plaintiff is a Montana resident, the proper place of trial of a claim subject to the federal Employers' Liability Act, 45 U.S.C. 51, et seq., is any county in which the railroad does business.

History: En. Sec. 20, p. 46, Bannack Stat.; amd. Sec. 20, p. 138, L. 1867; en. Sec. 25, p. 31, Cod. Stat. 1871; re-en. Sec. 59, p. 52, L. 1877; re-en. Sec. 59, 1st Div. Rev. Stat. 1879; re-en. Sec. 59, 1st Div. Comp. Stat. 1887; re-en. Sec. 613, C. Civ. Proc. 1895; re-en. Sec. 6504, Rev. C. 1907; re-en. Sec. 9096, R.C.M. 1921; Cal. C. Civ. Proc. Sec. 395; re-en. Sec. 9096, R.C.M. 1935; R.C.M. 1947, 93-2904(part); amd. Sec. 10, Ch. 432, L. 1985; sec. 25-2-102, MCA 1983; redes. 25-2-122 by Code Commissioner, 1985; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 332, L. 1995; amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 352, L. 1997; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 217, L. 2005; amd. Sec. 4, Ch. 104, L. 2015.