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Workers’ Compensation Court
Goals and Objectives:
- Goal #1: Continue flexible policy of trying cases when and where the parties wish.
- The Court has statewide jurisdiction and holds regular trial terms in five Montana cities: Billings, Great Falls, Helena, Kalispell, and Missoula. Week-long trial terms are held in each city four times a year. In the past, the Court has also held trials in Butte, Red Lodge, Big Fork, Miles City, Malta, Columbus, Bozeman, Sidney, and Plains.
- Goal #2: Continue to maintain the average time between trial and decision to within 90 days of trial or submission.
- The Court has two law clerks on staff who attend the trials. The law clerks are law school graduates who conduct legal research and assist with drafting and finalizing decisions and interim Orders.
- The Court has been encouraging parties practicing before the Court to have all motions fully briefed and depositions filed on their due date so that the matter can be finally submitted at the conclusion of the trial.
- The Court endeavors to issue bench rulings whenever possible, thus expediting decisions. In order to facilitate this goal, the Court recently hired two half-time court reporter/deputy clerks to replace a retiring full-time employee. This will facilitate the issuance of bench rulings which could not otherwise be issued immediately upon the conclusion of a trial.
- Goal #3: Continue to manage common fund cases efficiently.
- The Court continues to strive toward managing the common fund cases in an efficient, effective manner. Each item filed in the common fund cases is posted on our website for the public’s perusal, enabling everyone access to the status of each case.
- Goal #4: Reporting of interim conferences readily available.
- The Court recently hired two half-time court reporter/deputy clerks to replace a retiring full-time employee. This will allow any interim conferences to be reported should the Court or parties request while also maintaining an efficient Clerk’s office within budget constraints.
- Goal #5: Continue to post final, published decisions on the Court’s website and provide efficient search tools and a topics index for research purposes.
- The Court will continue to post its published decisions and any substantive Orders on its website. Topics indexes and search tools are also available on the website for research purposes. The Court has endeavored to refine its search engine and encourage attorneys practicing before the Court to utilize search engines in conducting legal research.
- Goal #6: Continue to maintain the Workers’ Compensation Court website.
- The Workers’ Compensation Court has an extensive website with helpful information for parties practicing before the Court. Workers’ Compensation Court decisions are published on the website dating back from 1993 to the present. Additionally, a topic index is available which is useful for legal research. Links to Montana Supreme Court decisions and other state agencies are also provided on the website. Court personnel are readily accessible through e-mail address links located on the website. The website contains the Court’s calendar, which is continually updated. The website also contains the Court rules, legal forms, general information, and helpful hints.
- Goal #7: Continue to support easy accessibility by pro sé (unrepresented) parties.
- The Workers’ Compensation system is intended to be primarily self-administering. In furtherance of this goal, the Court is designed to make navigating through the system as easy as possible for pro sé (unrepresented) parties. One of the ways this goal is accomplished is by keeping our extensive website updated. Additionally, the Court provides helpful assistance to any procedural question a pro sé party may have. Along with the Court’s rules, the website contains forms and an informational brochure specifically geared toward pro sé parties. Hard copies of these materials are also available upon request.
Workers' Compensation Court Accomplishments
Montana Workers' Compensation Court Website: http://wcc.dli.mt.gov/
