Opinion ID: 885241
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Summary of exclusions

Text: ถ 69 Therefore, even with the various judicial and statutory modifications providing exceptions and exclusions, Montana's open range doctrine remains true to its original purpose from the 1874 Smith decision forward until 1967: to determine the rights and remedies arising from the relationship of livestock owners and landowners in actions involving the accidental trespass on private property of livestock lawfully occupying the open range. Although our Legislature statutorily altered the common law rule regarding trespass to fit the conditions of this state, and has subsequently from time to time modified these laws, it has not similarly addressed the common law rule regarding the duty, or lack of duty, owed by livestock owners to the users of public highways in Montana other than within the narrow scope of งง 60-7-201 through 203, MCA, as addressed in Ambrogini. ถ 70 We conclude, therefore, that any assertion of legal duties arising from the legal relationship between the owners of livestock and motorists is clearly beyond the scope of Montana's statutory open range doctrine.