Mont. Code Ann. » TITLE 3. JUDICIARY, COURTS · CHAPTER 6. MUNICIPAL COURTS · Part 1. General Provisions
Montana Code Annotated

Mont. Code Ann. § 3-6-103 (2026)

Jurisdiction

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  1. MCA Contents
  2. TITLE 3
  3. CHAPTER 6
  4. Part 1
  5. 3-6-103 Jurisdiction

TITLE 3. JUDICIARY, COURTS

CHAPTER 6. MUNICIPAL COURTS

Part 1. General Provisions

Jurisdiction

3-6-103. Jurisdiction. (1) Except as provided in subsection (2), the municipal court has jurisdiction coordinate and coextensive with the justices' courts of the county where the city is located and has exclusive original jurisdiction of all civil and criminal actions and proceedings provided for in 3-11-103.

(2) The municipal court has original jurisdiction of the following proceedings:

(a) actions for the collection of money due to the city or from the city to any person when the amount sought, exclusive of interest and costs, does not exceed $50,000;

(b) when the amount claimed, exclusive of costs, does not exceed $50,000, actions for:

(i) the breach of an official bond given by a city officer;

(ii) the breach of any contract when the city is a party or is in any way interested;

(iii) damages when the city is a party or is in any way interested;

(iv) the enforcement of forfeited recognizances given to, for the benefit of, or on behalf of the city; and

(v) collections on bonds given upon an appeal taken from the judgment of the court in any action mentioned in subsections (2)(b)(i) through (2)(b)(iv); and

(c) actions for the recovery of personal property belonging to the city when the value of the property, exclusive of the damages for taking or detention, does not exceed $50,000.

(3) Municipal courts have concurrent jurisdiction with the district court in actions arising under Title 70, chapters 24 through 27.

(4) Applications for search warrants and complaints charging the commission of a felony may be filed in municipal court. The municipal court judge has the same jurisdiction and responsibility as a justice of the peace, including holding preliminary hearings. The city attorney may initiate proceedings charging a felony if the offense was committed within the city limits, but the county attorney shall take charge of the action if an information is filed in district court.

History: En. Sec. 2, Ch. 177, L. 1935; re-en. Sec. 5094.2, R.C.M. 1935; R.C.M. 1947, 11-1702; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 330, L. 1991; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 508, L. 2023; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 397, L. 2025.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 5 cases (1 in the last 5 years), 1993–2021 · leading case: City of Great Falls v. Dir. of the Dep't of Pub. Health & Human Servs., 2002 MT 108, 47 P.3d 836.
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City of Great Falls v. Dir. of the Dep't of Pub. Health & Human Servs., 2002 MT 108, 47 P.3d 836. · cites it 3× “Section 3-6-103, MCA (municipal court jurisdiction generally); § 3-10-303, MCA (coordinate jurisdiction with justices’ courts over misdemeanors punishable by a fine less than $500 or imprisonment for less than six months); § 3-11-103, MCA (exclusive jurisdiction over violations…”
City of Missoula v. Gillispie, 1999 MT 268, 989 P.2d 401. · cites it 4× “An order of protection violation, first offense, is a misdemeanor within the subject matter jurisdiction of a municipal court. Sections 3-6-103(1), 3-10-303(1), and 45-5-626(3), MCAQ997).”
City of Helena v. Frankforter, 2018 MT 193, 423 P.3d 581. · cites it 2× “Section 46-2-204, MCA, provides that municipal courts have criminal jurisdiction as authorized by § 3-6-103, MCA, which, in turn, provides that municipal courts have "jurisdiction coordinate and coextensive with the justices' courts of the county where the city is located.”
City of Great Falls v. Polich, 2021 MT 111N. · cites it 2× “Section 46-2-201, MCA, establishes that municipal courts have criminal jurisdiction as authorized by § 3-6-103, MCA, which provides that municipal courts have “jurisdiction coordinate and coextensive with the justices’ courts of the county where the city is located.”
City of Missoula v. Prinkki, No. 93-339 (Mont. Nov. 10, 1993). “Prinkki specifically contends that the complaint against him was improperly prosecuted in the name of the City of Missoula, because he was charged with violations of state law.”
Mont. Code Ann. § 3-6-103(1): 1 case
City of Missoula v. Gillispie, 1999 MT 268, 989 P.2d 401. “An order of protection violation, first offense, is a misdemeanor within the subject matter jurisdiction of a municipal court. Sections 3-6-103(1), 3-10-303(1), and 45-5-626(3), MCAQ997).”
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