(a) The clerk of court shall make civil case assignments in accordance with
caseload distribution targets established by the Court. Such caseload distribution
targets shall be periodically reviewed and, if necessary, revised to ensure equitable
distribution of the Court’s caseload on an ongoing basis. The following cases will
be randomly assigned to an Article III judge regardless of the division of filing:
(1) civil actions involving reapportionment, voting rights, campaign
finance or disclosure laws, or otherwise relating to elections;
(2) civil actions seeking to bar or mandate statewide enforcement of a
state law, including a rule, regulation, policy, or order of the executive
branch or a state agency, whether by declaratory judgment and/or any
form of injunctive relief; and
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D.Mont L.R. 1.1 Scope of Local Rules
(3) civil actions seeking to bar or mandate nationwide enforcement of a
federal law, including a rule, regulation, policy, or order of the
executive branch or a federal agency, whether by declaratory
judgment and/or any form of injunctive relief.
(b) The clerk of court maintains an office in each division. Offices in the
Billings, Butte, Great Falls, and Missoula Divisions are open to the public from
8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, except federal holidays. The
Helena Division office is not open to the public.
(c) The divisions are as follows:
(1) The BILLINGS DIVISION is the counties of Big Horn, Carbon,
Carter, Custer, Dawson, Fallon, Garfield, Golden Valley, McCone,
Musselshell, Park, Petroleum, Powder River, Prairie, Richland,
Rosebud, Stillwater, Sweetgrass, Treasure, Wheatland, Wibaux, and
Yellowstone. Court is held at the James F. Battin Courthouse in
Billings, Montana.
(2) The BUTTE DIVISION is the counties of Beaverhead, Deer Lodge,
Gallatin, Madison, and Silver Bow. Court is held at the Mike
Mansfield Federal Building and United States Courthouse in Butte,
Montana.
(3) The GREAT FALLS DIVISION is the counties of Blaine, Cascade,
Chouteau, Daniels, Fergus, Glacier, Hill, Judith Basin, Liberty,
Phillips, Pondera, Roosevelt, Sheridan, Teton, Toole, and Valley.
Court is held at the Missouri River Courthouse in Great Falls,
Montana.
(4) The HELENA DIVISION is the counties of Broadwater, Jefferson,
Lewis and Clark, Meagher, and Powell. Court is held at the Paul G.
Hatfield Courthouse in Helena, Montana.
(5) The MISSOULA DIVISION is the counties of Flathead, Granite,
Lake, Lincoln, Mineral, Missoula, Ravalli, and Sanders. Court is held
at the Russell Smith Courthouse in Missoula, Montana.
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D.Mont L.R. 1.2 Divisions of the Court
