Montana

JURISDICTIONAL END OF MARRIAGE DATE: Date of Dissolution-preferred. If there is no Dissolution Date use current date.

STATE TYPE FOR PENSION EVALUATION: Montana is an "equitable distribution" state. Montana is an equitable distribution state. This means that the court will divide the marital property between the parties as it deems equitable and just, after setting aside to each spouse the separate property of each. Some of the factors the court considers in dividing the property between the parties include:

1. The duration of the marriage and prior marriage of either party. 2. The age, health, station, occupation, amount and sources of income. 3. Vocational skills, employability, estate, liabilities and needs of each party. 4. Custodial provisions. 5. Whether the apportionment is in lieu of or in addition to maintenance. 6. The opportunity of each for future acquisition of capital assets and income.

[Montana Code Annotated; Section 40, Title 4-202].

MONT. CODE ANN. § 40-2-312

Marriage settlement contracts - how executed.

Except as provided in part 6 of this chapter, all contracts for marriage settlements must be in writing and executed and acknowledged or proved in like manner as a grant of land is required to be executed and acknowledged or proved.

MONT. CODE ANN. § 40-4-121

Temporary order for maintenance or support, temporary injunction, or temporary restraining order.

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(3) When the clerk of the district court issues a summons pursuant to this chapter, the clerk shall issue and include with the summons a temporary restraining order:

(a) restraining both parties from transferring, encumbering, hypothecating, concealing, or in any way disposing of any property, real or personal, whether jointly or separately held, without either the consent of the other party or an order of the court, except in the usual course of business or for the necessities of life. The restraining order must require each party to notify the other party of any proposed extraordinary expenditures at least 5 business days before incurring the expenditures and to account to the court for all extraordinary expenditures made after service of the summons. However, the restraining order may not preclude either party from using any property to pay reasonable attorney fees in order to retain counsel in the proceeding.

(b) restraining both parties from cashing, borrowing against, canceling, transferring, disposing of, or changing the beneficiaries of any insurance or other coverage, including life, health, automobile, and disability coverage held for the benefit of a party or a child of a party for whom support may be ordered. However, nothing in this subsection (3) adversely affects the rights, title, or interest of a purchaser, encumbrancer, or lessee for value if the purchaser, encumbrancer, or lessee does not have actual knowledge of the restraining order.

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(5) The court may issue a temporary restraining order for a period not to exceed 20 days without requiring notice to the other party only if it finds on the basis of the moving affidavit or other evidence that irreparable injury will result to the moving party if an order is not issued until the time for responding has elapsed.

(6) The party against whom a temporary injunction is sought must be served with notice and a copy of the motion and is entitled to a hearing on the motion. A response may be filed within 20 days after service of notice of motion or at the time specified in the temporary restraining order.

(7) At the time of the hearing, the court shall:

(a) inform both parties that the temporary injunction may contain a provision or provisions that limit the rights of one or both parties relating to firearms under state law or a provision or provisions that may subject one or both parties to state or federal laws that limit their rights relating to firearms; and

(b) determine whether good cause exists for the injunction to continue for 1 year.

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(9) A temporary order or injunction, entered pursuant to Title 40, chapter 15, or this section:

(a) may be revoked or modified on a showing by affidavit of the facts necessary to revocation or modification of a final decree under 40-4-208;

(b) terminates upon order of the court or when the petition is voluntarily dismissed and, in the case of a temporary family support order, upon entry of the decree of dissolution; and

(c) when issued under this section, must conspicuously bear the following: "Violation of this order is a criminal offense under 45-5-220 or 45-5-626."

(10) When the petitioner has fled the parties' residence, notice of the petitioner's new residence must be withheld except by order of the court for good cause shown.

MONT. CODE ANN. § 40-4-202

Division of property.

(1) In a proceeding for dissolution of a marriage, legal separation, or division of property following a decree of dissolution of marriage or legal separation by a court which lacked personal jurisdiction over the absent spouse or lacked jurisdiction to divide the property, the court, without regard to marital misconduct, shall, and in a proceeding for legal separation may, finally equitably apportion between the parties the property and assets belonging to either or both, however and whenever acquired and whether the title thereto is in the name of the husband or wife or both. In making apportionment, the court shall consider the duration of the marriage and prior marriage of either party; the age, health, station, occupation, amount and sources of income, vocational skills, employability, estate, liabilities, and needs of each of the parties; custodial provisions; whether the apportionment is in lieu of or in addition to maintenance; and the opportunity of each for future acquisition of capital assets and income. The court shall also consider the contribution or dissipation of value of the respective estates and the contribution of a spouse as a homemaker or to the family unit. In dividing property acquired prior to the marriage; property acquired by gift, bequest, devise, or descent; property acquired in exchange for property acquired before the marriage or in exchange for property acquired by gift, bequest, devise, or descent; the increased value of property acquired prior to marriage; and property acquired by a spouse after a decree of legal separation, the court shall consider those contributions of the other spouse to the marriage, including:

(a) the nonmonetary contribution of a homemaker;

(b) the extent to which such contributions have facilitated the maintenance of this property; and

(2) In a proceeding, the court may protect and promote the best interests of the children by setting aside a portion of the jointly and separately held estates of the parties in a separate fund or trust for the support, maintenance, education, and general welfare of any minor, dependent, or incompetent children of the parties.

(3) Each spouse is considered to have a common ownership in marital property that vests immediately preceding the entry of the decree of dissolution or declaration of invalidity. The extent of the vested interest must be determined and made final by the court pursuant to this section.

(4) The division and apportionment of marital property caused by or incident to a decree of dissolution, a decree of legal separation, or a declaration of invalidity is not a sale, exchange, transfer, or disposition of or dealing in property but is a division of the common ownership of the parties for purposes of:

(a) the property laws of this state;

(b) the income tax laws of this state; and

(5) Premarital agreements must be enforced as provided in Title 40, chapter 2, part 6.

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