2023 Montana Code Annotated › Title 25. Civil Procedure › Chapter 21. Rules of Appellate Procedure › Part 1. Rules › Rule 9. Transmission of the record and other matters relating to the record on appeal

Rule 9. Transmission of the record and other matters relating to the record on appeal.
(1) Time for transmission - duty of appellant - generally. The record on appeal, including any transcript in the format required by rule 8(4)(b), shall be transmitted to the supreme court within 40 days after the filing of the notice of appeal unless the time is reduced or extended by an order entered under section (3) or (4) of this rule, or a stipulation holding the time requirements of these rules in abeyance is filed with the clerks of the supreme court and the district court pursuant to rule 7(3). In the event of a cross-appeal, a single record shall be transmitted within 40 days after the filing of the notice of cross-appeal.
(2) Duty of clerk to transmit the record. The clerk of the district court shall transmit the record on appeal within the time provided in section (1) of this rule, or such reduced or extended time as may be ordered by the district court or the supreme court pursuant to section (3) or (4) of this rule. The clerk of the district court shall number the documents comprising the record and transmit with the record a numbered list of the documents, identifying each with reasonable definiteness. In the event the clerk of the district court determines that exhibits are too large or weighty to be conveniently mailed, the clerk shall notify the parties in writing that the item or items will not be transmitted and will so indicate as a numbered item in the list of documents. If a party desires a large or weighty exhibit so identified to be transmitted, the party shall notify the clerk in writing and make advance arrangements with the clerks of the district court and the supreme court for the safe transportation, chain of custody, and receipt of the item(s), at the party's expense. Transmission of the record is effected when the clerk of the district court mails or otherwise forwards the record to the clerk of the supreme court. The clerk of the district court shall indicate, by endorsement on the face of the record or otherwise, the date on which the record is transmitted to the clerk of the supreme court.
(3) Reduction or extension of time for transmission of the record by the district court - duties of court reporter and appellant - generally.
(a) A motion to reduce the time for transmission of the record shall be made only in extraordinary circumstances, and only on a showing that the court reporter can prepare any ordered transcripts within the reduced period. A motion to reduce the time for transmission shall be filed and served on the opposing party within 15 days after the filing of the notice of appeal and shall be brought to the district court's attention immediately.
(b) Except in involuntary mental commitments and proceedings regarding abused or neglected children, a motion for extension of time for transmission of the record may be filed with the district court by the appellant or the court reporter based on the court reporter's inability to timely prepare a transcript or transcripts, but the motion must be filed within the 40-day time for transmission of the record. The district court may grant the motion for a period not to exceed 90 days from the filing of the first notice of appeal. The clerk of the district court shall immediately transmit any such order to the clerk of the supreme court, and the clerk of the supreme court shall file the order and cause it to be docketed.
(4) Extension of time for transmission of the record by the supreme court - duties of the appellant and the court reporter. A motion for extension of time to transmit the record on appeal in an involuntary mental commitment or proceedings regarding abused or neglected children, and any other motion for extension of time for transmission of the record subsequent to one granted by the district court pursuant to section (3) of this rule, shall be filed by the appellant with the clerk of the supreme court as a motion for an extension of time to transmit the record and shall be accompanied by an affidavit of the court reporter setting forth in detail why the transcript(s) have not been timely prepared and why the additional time sought is needed. In like manner as extensions of time to file briefs pursuant to rule 26(2) of these rules, there shall be a presumption against granting motions for extension of time to transmit the record under this section. A motion for extension and supporting affidavit shall state the date on which the transcript will be filed if the motion is granted. A motion for extension of time to transmit the record captioned as a motion for extension of time to file a brief will not be considered by the supreme court. The clerk of the supreme court shall docket such a motion as received and rejected, stamp the original and one copy of such a motion with a "received" date stamp and a "rejected per rule 9(4)" stamp, return the copies at the appellant's counsel's expense, and docket the rejection.
(5) Retention of the record in the district court by court order. If the record or a part thereof is required in the district court pending the appeal, the district court may enter an order to that effect, and the clerk of the district court shall retain the record and shall transmit a copy of the order and of the docket entries, together with such parts of the original record as the district court may allow, to the clerk of the supreme court in lieu of the entire record on appeal.
(6) Filing of the record. Upon receipt of the record by the clerk of the supreme court following its timely transmittal, the clerk of the supreme court shall file the record. The clerk of the supreme court shall immediately give notice to all parties of the date on which the record was filed.
(7) Return of the record. The clerk of the supreme court shall return the record to the clerk of the district court upon issuance of the remittitur or on remand. In civil cases, the clerk of the supreme court shall charge the appellant mailing costs for the return of the record.
History: En. Sup. Ct. Ord. No. AF 07-0016, July 3, 2007, eff. October 1, 2007; amd. Sup. Ct. Ord. No. AF 07-0016, April 26, 2011, eff. October 1, 2011.