United States District Court for the District of Montana

9th Circuit Missoula, Montana

About This Court

The District of Montana is a federal judicial district covering the entire state of Montana, which at over 147,000 square miles is one of the largest districts by area in the United States. The court sits in several cities across the state to serve a geographically dispersed population, and it operates within the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. The district handles a broad range of civil and criminal matters, including cases arising from the state's significant public lands, natural resources, and Native American tribal issues.

Proceedings are governed by the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, and Federal Rules of Evidence, along with the court's local rules. Bankruptcy cases are handled by the companion Bankruptcy Court, District of Montana.

Divisions

Billings Division (Billings), Butte Division (Butte), Great Falls Division (Great Falls), Helena Division (Helena), Missoula Division (Missoula)

Caseload

The court sees a notable volume of cases involving federal public lands, environmental and natural resources law, and matters arising from the several Native American reservations within Montana. Criminal cases involving drug trafficking across the northern border and on tribal lands are also a consistent part of the docket.

Bar Admission

Attorneys must be admitted to the State Bar of Montana or admitted pro hac vice to appear before this court. Applicants for admission to the district court bar must comply with the court's local rules governing attorney admission.

Clerk's Office

201 East Broadway, Missoula, MT 59802

(406) 542-7260

Active Judges 5

Name	Appointed By	Confirmed	Law School
Dana Christensen	Barack Obama	2011	University of Montana School of Law
William Mercer	Donald J. Trump	2025	George Mason University School of Law (now Antonin Scalia Law School)
Donald Molloy	William J. Clinton	1996	University of Montana School of Law
Brian Morris	Barack Obama	2013	Stanford Law School
Susan Watters	Barack Obama	2013	University of Montana School of Law

Local Rules

110 local rules extracted from this court's published rules. See the court's official website for the authoritative text.

Civil Rules 64

Rule	Title
1.1	Scope of Local Rules
11.1	Signatures in Electronic Filings
11.2	Jointly Filed Documents; Multiple Signatures
1.2	Divisions of the Court
12.1	Responding to Prisoner-Plaintiffs B Waiver of Reply
12.2	Notice of Appearance – In Forma Pauperis Case
12.3	Commissioner's Answer in Social Security Case
1.3	Access to Court Proceedings and Records
1.4	Means of Filing
1.5	Form of Documents and Citations
15.1	Motion for Leave to Amend or Supplement
16.1	Pretrial Conferences; General Rules
16.2	Preliminary Pretrial Conference
16.3	Scheduling
16.4	Final Pretrial Order
16.5	Alternative Dispute Resolution
17.1	Guardian ad Litem
24.1	Motion to Intervene
26.1	Rule 26(f) Conference and Discovery Plan
26.2	Documents of Discovery
26.3	Discovery Responses and Motions
26.4	Protective Orders
3.1	Filing a New Case
3.2	Venue
3.3	Removal and Remand
3.4	Petitions for Writ of Habeas Corpus Filed by State Prisoners
38.1	Demand for Jury Trial
38.2	Matter in Bankruptcy
4.1	Issuance and Service of Process
4.2	Service of Process under State Procedure
4.3	Proof of Service of Process
4.4	Service of Subpoenas by U.S. Marshals Service
4.5	Time Limit for Service
47.1	Examining Jurors
47.2	Manner of Selection and Order of Examination
48.1	Communications with Trial Jurors
48.2	Nondisclosure of Jurors' Identities
5.1	Filing with the Clerk
51.1	Requests for Instructions to Jury
5.2	Filing Under Seal
5.3	Addresses for Service
5.4	Emergency Filings
54.1	Taxation of Costs
54.2	Attorney Fees
56.1	Motion for Summary Judgment
56.2	Motion Filed Against Self-Represented Prisoner
58.1	Entering Judgment
67.1	Order for Deposit
67.2	Order for Disbursement of Funds
67.3	Security for Costs
7.1	Motions
7.1-1	Notice of Additional Interested Parties
7.2	Motion Exhibits
72.1	Authority of Magistrate Judge
72.2	Referral to Magistrate Judge
72.3	Objection to Findings and Recommendations or Order and Response to Objection
7.3	Motion for Reconsideration
73.1	Consent Election
73.2	Motion for Reassignment
7.4	Notice of Supplemental Authority
7.5	Amicus Brief
78.1	Submission on Briefs
78.2	Social Security Cases
78.3	Review of Matter in Bankruptcy

Criminal Rules 37

Rule	Title
CR 1.1	Rules Incorporated from Chapter I
CR 11.1	Sealed Plea Agreements
CR 16.1	Production by the Government
CR 16.2	Production by the Defendant
CR 16.3	Expert Witnesses
CR 16.4	Sensitive Material
CR 16.5	Continuing Duty to Disclose
CR 17.1	Obtaining Presence of Incarcerated Person
CR 17.1.1	When Pretrial Conference Held
CR 17.1.2	Continuances
CR 17.2	Summons and Subpoena
CR 18.1	Place of Trial
CR 24.1	Impaneling a Trial Jury
CR 24.2	Communications with Trial Jurors
CR 32.1	Presentence Reports
CR 41.1	Return of Seized Property
CR 44.1	Submissions by Defendant Personally
CR 44.2	Withdrawal of Counsel
CR 46.1	Security
CR 46.2	Persons Not to Act as Sureties
CR 47.1	Prerequisites to Filing a Motion
CR 47.2	Briefing
CR 47.3	Motion Exhibits
CR 47.4	Notice of Supplemental Authority
CR 49.1	Filing with the Clerk
CR 49.2	Signature
CR 49.3	Filing under Seal
CR 49.4	Motions Under 28 U.S.C. § 2255
CR 49.5	Non-Parties
CR 55.1	Matters Held Under Seal
CR 57.1	Pretrial Publicity
CR 58.1	Fixed Sums Payable in Lieu of Appearance
CR 58.2	Appeal from Judgment of United States Magistrate Judge
CR 59.1	Authority of Magistrate Judge
CR 59.2	Objection to Findings and Recommendation of Magistrate Judge
CR 6.1	When and Where Impaneled
CR 6.2	Secrecy

Attorney Rules 9

Rule	Title
83.1	Attorney Admission and Appearance
83.2	Standards of Conduct and Discipline
83.3	Substitution and Withdrawal of Counsel
83.4	Agreements of Attorneys
83.5	Attorney as Witness
83.6	Appointment of Counsel
83.7	Student Participation
83.8	Self-Represented Litigants
83.9	Limited Scope Representation

View all local rules →

Other Courts in the 9th Circuit

Central District of California Los Angeles, California District of Alaska Anchorage, Alaska District of Arizona Phoenix, Arizona District of Guam Hagatna, Guam District of Hawaii Honolulu, Hawaii District of Idaho Boise, Idaho District of Nevada Las Vegas, Nevada District of Oregon Portland, Oregon District of the Northern Mariana Islands Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands Eastern District of California Sacramento, California Eastern District of Washington Spokane, Washington Northern District of California San Francisco, California Southern District of California San Diego, California Western District of Washington Seattle, Washington