Child Support
The following three options should be considered:
- Complete and file an application for contempt (found on our list of forms on this site). The filing cost is nominal and the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office will serve paperwork on the child support payer if he/she resides in Flathead County.
- Another option is to contact the Child Support Enforcement Division for the State of Montana (CSED) at 1-800-346-5437 to open a case. CSED will collect child support for you by means of a wage assignment, automatically deducting funds from each paycheck.
- Seek advice from an attorney licensed to practice law in Montana.
Contact Information
Send an email to or call us at 406-758-5870.
Criminal
Supervision fees and felony restitution fees are paid through State offices in Helena. Their contact information is 800-801-3478. The mailing address is: Dept of Corrections, Collection Unit, PO Box 201350 Helena, MT 59620. The payment must include your name, your Department of Corrections (DOC) ID No.(AO#12345), and the name of your current Probation/Parole/ISP Officer.
Only criminal fines, public defender fees, and misdemeanor restitution payments are payable through the Clerk of Court.
Document Filing
No. As of 6-18-2013 filing via email or facsimile is not allowed. The courts in this jurisdiction signed a Local District Court Order that allows for only proposed findings of fact, conclusions of law and order documents to be submitted electronically.
General
Yes. You may open a civil name change case with a fee of $120. A name change packet is available from the Self-Help Law Center located at 920 South Main in Kalispell (406-758-2496) or from the Forms Section at www.courts.mt.gov. Adults must publish in a newspaper for the statutorily required time but there is no publication requirement for a minor name change if both parents file a consent.
If the names of multiple children in one family are being changed, a separate petition must be filed for each child.
Jury
Any person 18 years of age or older that is registered to vote or that is licensed to drive is eligible to serve on jury duty.
Marriage
Please review the Montana Codes Annotated, Title 40 – Family Law
Marriage Solemnization and registration
Only a judge of a court of record, a public official whose powers include solemnization of marriages, a mayor, city judge, or justice of the peace, or a tribal judge, in accordance with any mode of solemnization recognized by any religious denomination, Indian nation or tribe, or native group may solemnize a marriage. Either the person solemnizing the marriage or, if no individual acting alone solemnized the marriage, a party to the marriage shall complete the marriage certificate form and forward it to the clerk of the district court.
Passport
Most questions regarding passports and travel abroad are addressed by the US Passport website http://travel.state.gov
Probate
If the estate is worth less than $50K we have an affidavit form you may use. The opening of a probate may not be required if the estate does not exceed $50,000.00, but all assets must be held in joint tenancy. Should probating the estate be necessary, the filing fee is $100, and you must either consult a licensed attorney or represent yourself. The Self-Help Law Center (406-758-2496) may be of assistance in obtaining necessary forms. The Montana State Law Library also has a list of probate forms for use by self-represented litigants.