Montana Title 76. Land Resources and Use § 76-15-710. Court procedure after petition is filed

(1) Upon the presentation of a petition as described in 76-15-709, the court shall cause process to be issued against the defendant and shall hear the case. If it appears to the court that testimony is necessary for the proper disposition of the matter, it may take evidence or appoint a referee to take evidence that it may direct and report the evidence to the court with the referee's findings of fact and conclusions of law, which must constitute a part of the proceedings upon which the determination of the court is made.

(2) In all cases in which the person in possession of lands who fails to perform work, operations, or avoidances is not the owner, the owner of the lands must be joined as party defendant.

(3) The court may dismiss the petition, or it may require the defendant to perform the work, operations, or avoidances and may provide that, upon the failure of the defendant to initiate the performance within the time specified in the order of the court and to prosecute the performance to completion with reasonable diligence, the supervisors may enter upon the lands involved and perform the work or operations or otherwise bring the condition of the land into conformity with the requirements of the regulations and recover the costs and expenses of the work or operations, with interest at the rate of 10% a year, from the defendant.

(4) The court shall retain jurisdiction of the case until after the work has been completed. Upon completion of the work pursuant to the order of the court, the supervisors may file a petition with the court, a copy of which must be served upon the defendant in the case, stating the costs and expenses sustained by them in the performance of the work and asking judgment for the costs and expenses with interest. The court has jurisdiction to enter judgment for the amount of the costs and expenses, with interest at the rate of 10% a year until paid, together with the costs of suit, including reasonable attorney fees to be fixed by the court.