Montana Title 61. Motor Vehicles § 61-12-208. Duty upon making arrest--power to fix and accept bail

Employees designated or appointed as peace officers under 61-10-154 or 61-12-201, upon making an arrest, shall deliver to the offender a form of notice to appear, describing the nature of the offense, with instructions on the notice for the offender to report to the nearest justice of the peace. The employee may accept a deposit for appearance justifiable for the offense charged. The person who is arrested may be detained for a reasonable time for the purpose of issuing the notice or of awaiting the arrival of another peace officer who has been called to the scene, or the person may be transported, as provided in 46-7-101. If the employee accepts bail, the employee shall give a signed receipt to the offender, setting forth the amount received. The employee shall then deliver the bail money to the justice of the peace before whom the offender is to appear, and the justice of the peace shall give a receipt to the employee for the amount of bail money delivered. After the filing of the complaint and appearance of the defendant, the justice of the peace shall assume jurisdiction and may set and accept further appearance bail bond.