Justia Montana Supreme Court Opinion Summaries

The Supreme Court affirmed the judgment of the district court in favor of the Billings Clinic on the negligence claim brought by Plaintiffs Nancy Nolan and her husband Thomas Garrity after Nolan slipped and fell on ice and snow near the Clinic's entrance, holding that there was no abuse of discretion.Specifically, the Supreme Court held that the district court did not abuse its discretion when it (1) did not impose further sanctions on the Clinic for its failure to preserve video evidence; (2) admitted a weather report through Garrity, who had no personal knowledge of the report; (3) refused to allow Plaintiffs to introduce evidence of other falls on the Clinic's premises; and (4) refused to give Plaintiffs' proposed jury instruction on a Billings municipal ordinance regarding snow removal without evidence that the Clinic received a citation for violating the Municipal Code. View "Nolan v. Billings Clinic" on Justia Law

The Supreme Court held that service is not required when the Montana Department of Labor and Industry, Employment Relations Division (DLI) files an application for enforcement of judgment when it seeks enforcement of a final agency decision in a wage claim action.DLI applied to the district court for enforcement of judgment against a Billings restaurant on behalf of Jordan Carillo for unpaid wages pursuant to Mont. Code Ann. 39-3-212(1). DLI did not serve the restaurant under Mont. R. Civ. P. 4. The district court concluded that the filing of an application for enforcement of judgment initiates as lawsuit that that due process requires service of process. DLI petitioned the Supreme Court for a writ of supervisory control. After considering DLI's petition as one of a declaratory judgment, the Supreme Court held (1) DLI need not follow Mont. R. Civ. P. 4 service of process requirements when applying for enforcement of judgment in Montana's district courts in wage claim matters pursuant to section 39-3-212(1); but (2) the statutes do not exempt DLI from compliance with Mont. R. Civ. P. 5. View "Montana Department of Labor & Industry v. Montana Thirteenth Judicial District Court" on Justia Law

The Supreme Court affirmed the district court's denial of Appellant's petition for postconviction relief and the court's order granting partial summary judgment in favor of the State, holding that the district court did not err.Defendant was convicted of vehicular homicide while under the influence, failure to stop immediately at the scene of an accident involving an injured person, and driving without a valid driver's license. Defendant later filed a petition for postconviction relief, alleging ineffective assistance of counsel (IAC), Brady violations, and newly discovered evidence of her innocence. The district court granted summary judgment on Defendant's newly discovered evidence claims and Brady claim and then denied the remainder of the claims after a hearing. The Supreme Court affirmed, holding that the district court did not err by (1) denying Defendant's postconviction petition based on her claim of ineffective assistance of counsel; (2) concluding that the State did not violate Defendant's due process rights by failing to disclose certain non-exculpatory photographs; and (3) dismissing Defendant's newly discovered evidence claim. View "Garding v. State" on Justia Law

The Supreme Court reversed Defendant's conviction and sentence for burglary, holding that the district court erred by requiring Defendant to pay restitution for pecuniary losses resulting from offenses committed by others absent evidence of criminal accountability or a causal connection between Defendant's offense and those losses.Defendant was one of several persons involved in multiple burglaries of the main house, garage, and separate guest house owned by Elden and Betty White. Defendant pled guilty to burgling the guest house. The district court concluded that Defendant should be jointly and severally responsible with his associates for the entire amount of pecuniary loss of $43,294 sustained by the Whites as a result of the burglaries. The Supreme Court reversed the restitution order, holding that where there was no record evidence that Defendant's admitted commission of the guest house burglary directly caused any pecuniary loss resulting from any burglary of the main house or garage by others, the district court erred by ordering Defendant to pay restitution for pecuniary losses sustained by the Whites as a result of the burglaries of their main house. View "State v. Pierre" on Justia Law

The Supreme Court reversed the sentencing order and judgment issued by the district court following Defendant's conviction of assault on a peace officer, a felony, holding that Defendant did not use a "weapon" pursuant to Montana law and thus could not be convicted for a violation of Mont. Code Ann. 45-5-210(1)(b).The Supreme Court reversed Defendant's conviction of assault on a peace officer, a felony, in violation of Mont. Code Ann. 45-5-210(1)(b), holding that there was insufficient evidence to convicted Defendant of assault on a peace officer. On appeal, Defendant argued that the State did not present sufficient evidence to convict him because he did not use a weapon during the incident. Rather, Defendant used a "nonfunctioning CO2 pellet gun." The Supreme Court agreed with Defendant, holding that the non-operational BB gun did not qualify as a "weapon" under the facts of this case. View "State v. Stillsmoking" on Justia Law

The Supreme Court affirmed the judgment of the district court upholding the declaratory ruling of the Flathead Conservation District asserting jurisdiction over David and Jacqueline Stalowy's dredging project, holding that the district court did not err.The Stalowys applied for permits with the District to conduct dredging activities on their Flathead County property. For the District to have jurisdiction under the Natural Streambed and Land Preservation Act of 1975 (Act), Title 75, chapter 7, Mont. Code Ann., the proposed dredging work must result in a "change in the state" of a "natural, perennial-flowing stream." At issue was whether North Bear Creek and other waterbodies on the Stalowys' property met the definition of a “stream." The District issued a declaratory ruling asserting jurisdiction over the Stalowys' property and projects. The district court affirmed. The Supreme Court affirmed, holding that the District had jurisdiction over the project. View "Stalowy v. Flathead Conservation District" on Justia Law

The Supreme Court reversed the judgment of the district court revoking the suspended portion of Defendant's sentence for failing to complete sex offender treatment while in prison, holding that because there was no requirement that Defendant complete sex offender treatment prior to his release on probation the district court lacked the authority to revoke Defendant's sentence.The district court revoked Defendant's sentence after finding that Defendant had not completed sex offender treatment. The court then imposed a six-year Department of Corrections commitment. The Supreme Court reversed, holding that because the treatment condition of Defendant's suspended sentence did not specify when treatment was to be completed, the district court lacked authority to revoke Defendant's sentence and impose a new sentence on the basis that Defendant had refused treatment while in custody. View "State v. Beam" on Justia Law

The Supreme Court affirmed the judgment of the district court dismissing Appellant's petition for judicial review for failure to exhaust Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP) employee grievance remedies, holding that Appellant failed to exhaust administrative remedies.After Appellant, who worked for FWP, was reassigned to a different position, Appellant petitioned for judicial review. The district judge dismissed the petition with prejudice, determining that Appellant had not exhausted all available administrative remedies by filing a grievance regarding his reassignment. Appellant then filed a grievance, which was denied as untimely. Appellant did not file exceptions. Instead, Appellant filed a second petition for judicial review in the district court. The district court granted FWP's motion to dismiss, determining that it lacked subject matter jurisdiction over Appellant's petition based on his failure to exhaust administrative remedies. The Supreme Court affirmed, holding that the district court did not err in concluding that Appellant's failure to file exceptions barred his petition for judicial review. View "Flowers v. Board of Personnel Appeals, Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife & Parks" on Justia Law

The Supreme Court affirmed the order of the district court affirming the administrative decision of the Montana Tax Appeal Board (MTAB) regarding Petitioner's residency status and dismissing his petition for judicial review, holding that Petitioner did not sever his Montana residency during the years 2008 to 2012 for income tax purposes.The Montana Department of Revenue determined that Petitioner was a Montana resident from 2008 to 2012 and assessed Petitioner $515,321 of Montana resident income tax, interest, and penalties. The MTAB affirmed. On review, the district court denied Petitioner's petition regarding the issue of his residency. The Supreme Court affirmed, holding that the district court did not err when it affirmed MTAB's administrative decision that Petitioner did not sever his Montana residency for income tax purposes from 2008 to 2012. View "Greenwood v. Department of Revenue" on Justia Law

The Supreme Court affirmed the order of the district court denying Defendant's motion to withdraw his guilty plea, holding that, despite the Montana Legislature's later repeal of the Boot Camp Incarceration Program, Defendant's plea was voluntary at the time of sentencing.Defendant pleaded guilty to aggravated assault and sexual intercourse without consent. In exchange for Defendant's plea, the State agreed to recommend placement in the boot camp program. The court sentenced Defendant to a term of imprisonment and recommended that Defendant be placed in the boot camp program upon completion of the first four years of his sentence. The Legislature later repealed the statutes authorizing the boot camp program. Defendant filed a motion to withdraw guilty plea based on the repeal of the boot camp program. The district court denied the motion. The Supreme Court affirmed, holding (1) the Legislature's repeal of the boot camp program did not retroactively render Defendant's plea involuntary or constitute good cause for withdrawal; (2) Defendant's plea was voluntary, and the State fulfilled its obligations under the plea agreement despite the Legislature's repeal of the boot camp program; and (3) the repeal of the boot camp program did not constitute an ex post facto law. View "State v. Newbary" on Justia Law