Montana Title 40. Family Law § 40-4-209. Security or guaranty to secure support

(1) Upon a verified application that is made by a person authorized to enforce or collect a child support obligation or by the department of public health and human services and that shows that a person obligated to pay child support or maintenance pursuant to court or administrative order is delinquent in an amount equal to the total of 6 months' support payments, the court may direct the obligated person to appear and show cause why an order should not be entered ordering that the obligated person post bond, give a mortgage, or provide other security or guaranty for the payment of the delinquency.

(2) If the court finds that a delinquency greater than the total of 6 months of support is owed and that the obligated person has the ability to post bond, give a mortgage, or provide security or other guaranty, the court may enter an order requiring the obligated person to post bond, give a mortgage, or provide security or guaranty for so long as there is a support delinquency.

(3) The bond or other security may be in an amount up to the total support due for a 2-year period and must be approved by the court. The bond must include the name and address of the issuer. Any person issuing a bond under this section must, if the bond is canceled, notify the court and the person or public agency entitled to receive payments under the support order.

(4) If the person obligated to pay child support or maintenance fails to make payments as required by the court or administrative order, the person or public agency entitled to receive payment may recover on the bond or other security. The amount recovered on the bond or other security must first be applied toward satisfaction of any support arrearages.

(5) The department of public health and human services shall adopt guidelines that take into account the payment record of the obligated person, the availability of other remedies, and other considerations which it determines relevant for determining whether the procedure provided in this section would carry out the purpose of enforcing payments of child support or would be appropriate in the circumstances. If after application of the guidelines the department of public health and human services determines an application for an order requiring security is not appropriate, it may not request the order.