Montana Civil Cover Sheet - Preparation Worksheet
MONTANA CIVIL FILING INTAKE WORKSHEET
NOT A STATEWIDE COURT FORM: The current Montana Judicial Branch District Court forms list does not identify a general statewide civil cover sheet. Use this worksheet inside the filing team to collect information, then transfer only requested information into the court's current e-filing fields, local form, or clerk-approved format.
1. Filing Route Gate
| Question | Response |
|---|---|
| Court selected | [________________________________] |
| Judicial district | [________________________________] |
| County | [________________________________] |
| Department / judge, if already assigned | [________________________________] |
| Filing method | ☐ electronic ☐ paper ☐ clerk-directed other: [____________] |
| Current local rules checked on | [__/__/____] |
| Current clerk instructions checked on | [__/__/____] |
| Clerk contact / URL used | [________________________________] |
| Local civil cover sheet required | ☐ yes ☐ no ☐ unresolved |
| If yes, exact form name / version / URL | [________________________________] |
| E-filing account and role confirmed | ☐ yes ☐ no ☐ not applicable |
| Filing fee confirmed with clerk or current schedule | $[____________] as of [__/__/____] |
| Fee-waiver request needed | ☐ yes ☐ no ☐ under review |
Do not infer a filing requirement, fee, case code, or category from an old template. Attach a current clerk printout or save the current local source in the matter file.
2. Proposed Court Caption Data
| Caption field | Information |
|---|---|
| Court name exactly as required | [________________________________] |
| Judicial district and county | [________________________________] |
| Plaintiff(s) / petitioner(s) | [________________________________] |
| Defendant(s) / respondent(s) | [________________________________] |
| Cause number | [assigned by clerk / existing number: ____________] |
| Department number | [assigned / existing number: ____________] |
| Assigned judge | [________________________________] |
| Lead pleading title | [________________________________] |
Caption Preview
| Party | Role |
|---|---|
| [PLAINTIFF / PETITIONER NAME(S)], | Plaintiff(s) / Petitioner(s) |
| v. | |
| [DEFENDANT / RESPONDENT NAME(S)], | Defendant(s) / Respondent(s) |
Cause No.: [________________________________]
Department No.: [________________________________]
3. Filing Party and Counsel
| Field | Information |
|---|---|
| Filing party full legal name | [________________________________] |
| Entity type and formation state, if applicable | [________________________________] |
| Mailing address | [________________________________] |
| Telephone | [________________________________] |
| [________________________________] | |
| Lead attorney | [________________________________] |
| Montana Bar number | [________________________________] |
| Firm | [________________________________] |
| Attorney address / phone / email | [________________________________] |
| Self-represented filer | ☐ yes ☐ no |
| Authorized e-filer | [________________________________] |
4. Other Parties
| Full Legal Name | Role | Entity Type | Address for Filing Metadata | Counsel, if Known |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| [________________________________] | [____________] | [____________] | [____________] | [____________] |
| [________________________________] | [____________] | [____________] | [____________] | [____________] |
| [________________________________] | [____________] | [____________] | [____________] | [____________] |
Additional-party list attached: ☐ yes ☐ no
Names checked against the pleading and exhibits: ☐ yes ☐ no
5. Case Classification and Relief
Use the current clerk or e-filing menu. Do not substitute the descriptive examples below for the court's exact category list.
| Classification field | Selection / Explanation |
|---|---|
| Current court / e-filing case category | [________________________________] |
| Current subtype or code | [________________________________] |
| Source or screen used to select code | [________________________________] |
| Short description of claims | [________________________________] |
| Primary relief | ☐ money ☐ declaratory ☐ injunctive ☐ possession ☐ review ☐ other: [____________] |
| Amount entered in filing system, if requested | $[________________________________] |
| Nonmonetary relief description | [________________________________] |
| Related specialized court or administrative route considered | [________________________________] |
Classification reviewed by: [________________________________] on [__/__/____]
6. Venue, Jurisdiction, and Related Cases — Attorney Review
This worksheet does not select a statutory basis. Cite the controlling authority in the pleading or filing memorandum after counsel review.
| Issue | Analysis / Authority |
|---|---|
| Subject-matter jurisdiction | [________________________________] |
| Personal jurisdiction | [________________________________] |
| Venue | [________________________________] |
| Contractual forum term, if any | [________________________________] |
| Transfer or removal issue | [________________________________] |
| Administrative exhaustion / review route | [________________________________] |
| Related or companion case | [court, cause number, judge, status] |
| Consolidation / coordination request | ☐ yes ☐ no ☐ under review |
7. Initial Filing Assembly
Check only items required for this matter under current rules and clerk instructions.
☐ Complaint, petition, notice of appeal, or other initiating document
☐ Summons or other process for clerk issuance
☐ Current local cover sheet or case-information form
☐ Filing fee or current fee-waiver request
☐ Exhibits, attachments, or administrative record materials
☐ Proposed order or writ, if permitted and required
☐ Attorney admission, association, or pro hac vice material
☐ Corporate disclosure or interested-person disclosure, if required
☐ Sensitive Data form or other restricted-information submission
☐ Service copies, envelopes, labels, or process instructions required by the clerk
☐ E-filing confirmation and accepted-file copies saved to matter file
Other: [____________________________________________________________]
8. Sensitive and Restricted Information Gate
The Montana Judicial Branch's current District Court forms list links a separate Sensitive Data form. Before filing, review each document and complete any required restricted-information process.
| Review item | Result |
|---|---|
| Personal identifiers reviewed | ☐ complete ☐ issue identified |
| Financial-account information reviewed | ☐ complete ☐ issue identified |
| Medical, minor, victim, or protected-person information reviewed | ☐ complete ☐ issue identified |
| Sealed / confidential filing authority identified | [________________________________] |
| Public and restricted versions required | ☐ yes ☐ no ☐ unresolved |
| Sensitive Data form completed, if required | ☐ yes ☐ no ☐ not applicable |
| Final confidentiality review by | [________________________________] on [__/__/____] |
Do not place restricted information into this worksheet unless the firm's secure handling protocol permits it.
9. Jury, Service, and Scheduling Flags
This worksheet intentionally states no statewide deadline or service method. Counsel must use the current rules and the facts of the case.
| Issue | Decision / Next Action |
|---|---|
| Jury demand sought | ☐ yes ☐ no ☐ undecided |
| Where demand will appear | ☐ pleading ☐ separate filing ☐ other: [____________] |
| Counsel-calculated demand deadline | [__/__/____] |
| Defendants / recipients to be served | [________________________________] |
| Authorized service method for each | [________________________________] |
| Summons / process issuance confirmed | ☐ yes ☐ no ☐ not applicable |
| Service deadline or return date | [__/__/____] |
| Proof / return of service filing plan | [________________________________] |
| Initial conference, disclosure, or scheduling requirement | [________________________________] |
10. Final Filing Quality Control
| Control | Completed By / Date |
|---|---|
| Caption matches selected court and lead pleading | [________________________________] |
| Party names and roles match every filing | [________________________________] |
| Cause and department numbers are blank or correct | [________________________________] |
| Current local rules and clerk instructions rechecked | [________________________________] |
| Case category and subtype verified from current system | [________________________________] |
| Fee or waiver route confirmed | [________________________________] |
| Restricted-data review completed | [________________________________] |
| Documents are signed and converted in accepted format | [________________________________] |
| Filing accepted and confirmation saved | [________________________________] |
| Rejection or deficiency cured, if applicable | [________________________________] |
Sources and Current Forms
About this template
- Last updated
- August 21, 2026
- Citations checked
- August 21, 2026
- Jurisdiction
- Montana
- Category
- Litigation & Court Documents
Legal authority
- Montana Judicial Branch — Civil Forms, District Court (current statewide forms and guidance index)
These are the filings that drive a lawsuit through the system: complaints, answers, motions, briefs, discovery requests and responses, and post-judgment papers. Each has its own format requirements under federal and state procedural rules, and each has a deadline that cannot be missed without consequences. Clean, procedurally correct filings move a case forward; sloppy ones invite motions to strike, amended responses, and avoidable delays.
Not legal advice
This template is provided for informational purposes. We recommend having an attorney review any legal document before signing, especially for high-value or complex matters.
Checked against the law it cites
A reviewer verified this template's legal citations against the official source on August 21, 2026.
Montana Judicial Branch — Civil Forms, District Court (current statewide forms and guidance index) (checked August 21, 2026): "Montana's District Courts cover 22 judicial districts, with each district comprised of several counties. District Courts maintain general jurisdiction and handle cases including felony-level criminal cases, probate and divorce cases. Civil cases in District Court must follow several different types of rules, including the Rules of Civil Procedure and the Uniform District Court Rules, and local court rules."
Draft your Montana Civil Cover Sheet - Preparation Worksheet in the editor
Answer a few questions, let the AI editor draft each section from your answers, review it, and download Word and PDF. From $49, one time.