2023 Montana Code Annotated › Title 3. Judiciary, Courts › Chapter 1. Courts and Judicial Officers Generally › Part 8. Disqualification and Substitution of Judges Supreme Court Rule › 3-1-804. Substitution of district judges

3-1-804. Substitution of district judges.
SUBSTITUTION OF DISTRICT JUDGES
This section applies to judges presiding in district courts. It does not apply to any judge sitting as a water court judge, to a workers' compensation court judge, or to a judge supervising the distribution of water under 85-2-406, including supervising water commissioners under Title 85, chapter 5, part 1.
(1) Each adverse party is entitled to one substitution of a district judge.
(a) In a civil action other than those noted in subsection (1)(c), a motion for substitution by the party filing the action must be filed within 30 calendar days after the first summons is served or an adverse party has appeared. A motion for substitution by the party served must be filed within 30 calendar days after service has been completed in compliance with M. R. Civ. P. 4.
(b) In a criminal action, a motion for substitution by the prosecution or the defendant must be filed within 10 calendar days after the defendant's arraignment.
(c) A motion for substitution may not be filed in the following cases: a child abuse or neglect proceeding under Title 41, chapter 3; a youth court action proceeding under Title 41, chapter 5; or a mental health commitment proceeding under Title 53, chapter 21, part 1.
(2) (a) When an initial pleading is filed, the clerk of court shall stamp the name of the district judge to whom the case is assigned on the face of the original and all copies of that document.
(b) A motion for substitution of district judge must be made by filing a written motion with the clerk as follows:
The undersigned hereby moves for substitution of District Judge _______ in this case.
The moving party shall serve copies of the motion for substitution upon all other parties to the proceeding. The clerk shall immediately notify the district judge of the motion and, if there has already been a substitution, the first district judge to whom the case was assigned.
(3) In civil cases, the motion for substitution is not effective for any purpose unless the filing fee for a motion for substitution required by 25-1-201 is paid to the clerk of the district court.
In criminal cases, the motion for substitution is effective upon filing, except as otherwise provided herein for a motion filed by a defendant who is not represented by a public defender, as defined by 47-1-103.
In criminal cases filed by the county attorney, the county attorney shall pay the substitution motion fee required by 25-1-201 within 30 days of receipt of a claim from the clerk of district court. In criminal cases filed by the attorney general, the attorney general shall pay the substitution motion fee required by 25-1-201 within 30 days of receipt of a claim from the clerk of district court.
In criminal cases where the motion is filed by or on behalf of an indigent defendant, as defined by 47-1-103, represented by a public defender, as defined by 47-1-103, the office of public defender, as defined by 47-1-103, shall pay the substitution motion fee within 30 days of receipt of a claim from the clerk of district court. In criminal cases where the motion is filed by or on behalf of a defendant who is not represented by a public defender, as defined by 47-1-103, the motion for substitution is not effective for any purpose unless the substitution motion fee required by 25-1-201 is paid to the clerk of the district court except as waived pursuant to 25-10-404.
The substitution motion filing fee required by 25-1-201 is not a district court expense within the meaning of 3-5-901.
(4) Any motion for substitution that is not timely filed is void. The district judge for whom substitution is sought has jurisdiction to determine timeliness, and if the motion for substitution is untimely, shall enter an order denying the motion.
(5) After a timely motion has been filed, the substituted district judge does not have the power to act on the merits of the case or to decide legal issues in the case, except as provided in subsection (10).
(6) The first district judge who has been substituted or disqualified for cause has the duty of calling in all subsequent district judges. In a multijudge district, all other district judges in that district must be called before a district judge from another district is called.
(7) When a new district judge has accepted jurisdiction, the clerk of court shall provide a copy of the assumption of jurisdiction to the first district judge to whom the case was assigned and to each attorney or party of record. A certificate of service must be attached to the assumption of jurisdiction form in the court file.
(8) If the presiding judge in any action recuses himself or herself or if a new district judge assumes jurisdiction in any action, the right to move for substitution of a district judge is reinstated, except as to parties who have previously obtained a substitution. The time periods run anew from the date of service of notice or other document identifying the new district judge.
(9) No party who is joined or intervenes has any right of substitution after the time has run as to the original parties to proceed.
(10) A district judge who has previously been substituted from the case may agree to set the calendar, draw a jury, and conduct all routine matters including arraignments, preliminary pretrial conferences in civil cases, and other matters that do not address the merits of the case, if authorized by the presiding district judge.
(11) When a new trial is ordered by the district court, each adverse party shall be entitled to one motion for substitution of district judge. The motion must be filed, with the required filing fee, within 20 calendar days after the district court has ordered a new trial.
(12) When a judgment or order is reversed or modified on appeal and the cause is remanded to the district court for a new trial, or when a summary judgment or judgment of dismissal is reversed and the cause remanded, each adverse party is entitled to one motion for substitution of district judge. The motion must be filed, with the required filing fee, within 20 calendar days after the remittitur from the supreme court has been filed with the district court. There is no other right of substitution in cases remanded by the supreme court.
In criminal cases, there is no right of substitution when the cause is remanded for sentencing.
History: En. Sup. Ct. Ord. dated June 17, 1987; amd. July 29, 1987; amd. Sup. Ct. Ord. Sept. 13, 1988, eff. Sept. 13, 1988; amd. Sup. Ct. Ord. Nov. 20, 1989, eff. Nov. 20, 1989; amd. Sup. Ct. Ord. Nov. 14, 1994, eff. Feb. 1, 1995; amd. Sup. Ct. Ord. Apr. 6, 1995, eff. June 1, 1995; amd. Sup. Ct. Ord. July 9, 2009, eff. Oct. 1, 2009; amd. Sup. Ct. Ord. No. AF 09-0289, March 24, 2015, eff. July 1, 2015.